System for corporate travel planning and management

Abstract

A client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management that utilizes a corporate database server to enable accurate and timely pre-travel and post-travel decision making that is fed by a travel planning process and an expense reporting process, plus a SABRE data feed of all booked data and back office system data as well as a hand-off of exchange and void ticket information that comprises a Travel Planning module, a Travel Decision Maker module, and a Travel Expense Reporting module. The system uses a corporate database environment communicating with a real-time CRS data feed that enhances the Travel Planning module by offering the traveler live choices of air, car, and hotel availability based upon company travel policy as well as live access to current or company negotiated fares while also allowing the Travel Decision Maker module to make comparisons between booked information and actual current travel data.

1 . A client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management comprising: 
 a computerized reservation system;    a relational database server communicably linked to the computerized reservation system; and    a travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system resident within a personal computer providing a graphical user interface for communication between the computer user, the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system and the relational database server.    
   
   
       2 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 1  wherein the relational database server stores traveler and corporate profiles which interface between the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system and the computerized reservation system.  
   
   
       3 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 1  wherein the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system further comprises a travel planning module and a travel expense reporting module.  
   
   
       4 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel planning module includes means for automated approval of travel requests before travel expenses are incurred.  
   
   
       5 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel planning module includes a series of graphical user interfaces for the planning and booking of a non-routine trip including air, hotel and car accommodations.  
   
   
       6 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel planning module includes a series of graphical user interfaces for the planning and booking of a repeat trip including air, hotel and car accommodations.  
   
   
       7 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel expense reporting module further comprises means for automated expense report approval.  
   
   
       8 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel expense reporting module further comprises means for automated expense report approval.  
   
   
       9 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel expense reporting module includes a series of graphical user interfaces for providing corporate policy information from the relational database server.  
   
   
       10 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel expense reporting module includes a series of graphical user interfaces that are pre-populated with trip data from the relational database server.  
   
   
       11 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 3  wherein the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system further comprises a travel decision maker module that incorporates information from the trip planning module and the expense reporting module for providing pre-travel and post-travel reporting.  
   
   
       12 . A method for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management utilizing a personal computer communicably linked to a relational database server that is communicably linked to a computerized reservation system that provides travel information from the computerized reservation system to the relational database server and the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system that comprises the steps of: 
 preparing a travel request;    obtaining approval for travel;    preparing an expense report; and    obtaining approval for the expense report.    
   
   
       13 . The method for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 12  wherein the step of preparing a travel request further comprises the steps of: 
 energizing a new trip icon;    providing corporate policy data from the relational database;    specifying a purpose for the trip;    selecting an origination point and a destination point;    selecting a flight time to travel from the origination point and the destination point;    selecting a flight time for the return flight from the destination point to the origination point;    creating a record of the flight information;    energizing a hotel icon;    requesting hotel information;    selection a hotel;    creating a record of the hotel information;    energizing a car icon;    requesting car information;    selection a car;    creating a record of the car information;    energizing a cost icon;    searching for a cheaper flight;    selecting a cheaper flight; and    sending the travel request to a travel agency for booking.    
   
   
       14 . The method for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 12  wherein the step of preparing a travel request further comprises the steps of: 
 energizing a frequent trip icon;    selecting a frequent trip;    inputting a date for the trip; and    sending the travel request to a travel agency for booking.    
   
   
       15 . The method for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 12  wherein the step of obtaining approval for travel further comprises the steps of: 
 electronically sending the travel request to an approver;    providing the approver with corporate policy data from the relational database;    electronically approving the travel request; and    electronically notifying the traveler of approval.    
   
   
       16 . The method for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 12  wherein the step of preparing an expense report further comprises the steps of: 
 energizing a new expense report icon;    specifying the date and purpose of the expense;    detailing the air, car, hotel, meal and business entertainment expenses;    calculating expense totals;    checking for corporate policy compliance;    creating an expense report; and    electronically routing the expense report for approval.    
   
   
       17 . The method for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 12  wherein the step of obtaining approval for the expense report further comprises the steps of: 
 electronically sending the expense report to an approver;    providing the approver with corporate policy data from the relational database;    electronically approving the the expense report; and    electronically notifying the traveler of approval.    
   
   
       18 . A client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management comprising: 
 a computerized reservation system;    a relational database server communicably linked to the computerized reservation system; and    a travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system resident within a personal computer providing a graphical user interface for communication between the computer user, the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system and the relational database server, the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system comprising a travel planning module, a travel expense reporting module and a travel decision maker module, the travel planning module includes means for automated approval of travel requests before travel expenses are incurred and a series of graphical user interfaces for the planning and booking of routine and non-routine trips including air, hotel and car accommodations, the travel expense reporting module includes means for automated expense report approval and means for automated expense report approval and routing, and the travel decision maker module incorporates information from the trip planning module and the expense reporting module for providing pre-travel and post-travel reporting.    
   
   
       19 . The client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management as recited in  claim 18  wherein the relational database server stores traveler and corporate profiles which interfaces between the travel planning, expense reporting and travel management system and the computerized reservation system.