1. Implementing Expenses
  2. Options for Controlling the Behavior of Expense Fields

Options for Controlling the Behavior of Expense Fields

You can control the behavior of certain fields on the Create Expense Item page. You can choose to update the following modifiable expense fields at the most granular level or at a less granular level:

  • Description

  • Merchant Name

  • Number of Days

  • Expense Location

If you want to modify expense fields on specific UI pages, you can set up the modifiable expense fields at the most granular level. The most granular setup occurs at the expense type level.

When you set up modifiable expense fields, you can specify expense field behavior for:

  • All expense types associated with an expense template

  • Specific expense types

Alternately, you can perform a less granular implementation of the modifiable expense fields with the setups for:

  • Expense policies

  • Tax fields

    Note:
    • Expenses mobile application ignores the tax-level configuration.

  • Expense fields by category

  • The profile option, EXM_LINE_DESCR_REQUIRED, referred to as Description Line Required

A less granular level implementation is set up that's not dependent on a specific expense type.

Modifiable Expense Fields Displayed by Expense Category

The Description field and the Expense Location field display in all expense categories. However, the Merchant Name field and the Number of Days field only display for certain categories.

The following exception table summarizes the default visibility of the Merchant Name field and the Numbers of Days field when you initially receive the application.

Expense Category

Default Display of Merchant Name Field

Default Display of Number of Days Field

Accommodations

Yes

Yes

Airfare

Yes

No

Car Rental

Yes

Yes

Entertainment

Yes

No

Meals

Yes

No

Mileage

No

No

Miscellaneous

Yes

Yes

Per Diem

No

No

If you want to change the behavior of any of the modifiable fields, you can do so.

All Expense Types Associated with an Expense Template

On the Expense Fields tab of the Create Expense Report Template page, you can set a value of Null, Hidden, Optional, or Required for the modifiable expense fields.

When you create a new expense template, the default value for all of the preceding modifiable expense fields is Hidden. A Null value indicates that there's no setup and you don't intend to use the expense template to specify the behavior of the modifiable expense field.

The values you select for the modifiable expense fields at the expense template level are applicable to all expense types available in the expense template. You can set up any exceptions at the expense type level.

Specific Expense Types

On the Expense Fields tab of the Create Expense Type page, you can set a value of Use setup from expense template, Hidden, Optional, or Required for the modifiable expense fields.

The default value is Use setup from expense template. If you retain the default value for the modifiable expense fields and the expense template setup is Null for the modifiable expense fields, it means that no setup exists at the expense template level or at the expense type level.

On the Policies tab of the Create Expense Type page, you can assign an expense policy to an expense type. Different expense policies require you to enter information in different expense fields. Contradictions can arise between an expense field value for an expense policy and the expense field setup at the expense type level or at the expense template level. If a contradiction occurs, the application asks you to either change the expense field value or select a different expense policy.

Set Up Precedence of Modifiable Expense Fields

Expenses follow a precedence when multiple behavior setups exist for modifiable expense fields. For example, set the Description field at the expense type level to Optional. Set the same field at the expense template level to Required. The application complies with the setting at the expense type level.
Note: The Expenses web and the mobile application follow the same order of precedence except for the tax level settings. Expenses mobile application ignores the tax-level configuration.

Description field

The next table explains the Description field behavior based on the setup.

Behavior Set up on Display Behavior
Expense Type Expense Template Category Policy Tax
Hidden, Optional, or Required Any Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable According to Expense Type setup
Use setup from expense template Hidden, Optional, or Required Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable According to Expense Template setup
Use setup from expense template NULL Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Optional

Merchant field

The next table explains the Merchant field behavior based on the setup.

Behavior Set up on Display Behavior
Expense Type Expense Template Category Policy Tax
Hidden, Optional, or Required Any Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable According to Expense Type setup
Use setup from expense template Hidden, Optional, or Required Any Not Applicable Not Applicable According to Expense Template setup
Use setup from expense template NULL Hidden, Optional, or Required Not Applicable Hidden According to category setup
Use setup from expense template NULL Hidden or Optional Not Applicable Optional, or Required According to tax setup
Use setup from expense template NULL Required Not Applicable Optional, or Required Required
Use setup from expense template NULL NULL Not Applicable Not Applicable Optional

Location field

Location is a required field if set as a determinant in the policy. For example, if you set location as an optional field in the Expense Type and Expense Template setup and set it as a determinant in the policy then it's a required field. However, the display behavior would vary if it's not set as a determinant in the policy. The next table explains the Location field behavior if it's not set as a determinant in the policy.

Behavior Set up on Display Behavior
Expense Type Expense Template Category Policy Tax
Hidden, Optional, or Required Hidden, Optional, Required, or NULL Not Applicable Location is NOT a determinant Enabled/Disabled According to Expense Type setup
Use setup from expense template Hidden, Optional, or Required Not Applicable Location is NOT a determinant Enabled/Disabled According to Expense Template setup
Use setup from expense template NULL Not Applicable Location is NOT a determinant Enabled Required because tax setup is enabled
Use setup from expense template NULL Not Applicable Location is NOT a determinant Disabled Optional because no setup is available

Number of Days field

The Number of Days field is applicable only for these categories:

  1. Accommodation
  2. Car Rental
  3. Miscellaneous

Number of Days is a required field if set as a determinant in the policy. For example, if you configure Expense Type to use Expense Template setup, and set the Number of Days field as an optional field in the Expense Template setup but set as a determinant in the policy then it's a required field. However, the display behavior would vary if it's not set as a determinant in the policy. The next table explains the Number of Days field behavior if it's not set as a determinant in the policy.

Behavior Set up on Display Behavior
Expense Type Expense Template Category Policy Tax
Hidden, Optional, or Required Hidden, Optional, Required, or NULL Not Applicable Number of Days is NOT a determinant Not Applicable According to Expense Type setup
Use setup from expense template Hidden, Optional, or Required Not Applicable Number of Days is NOT a determinant Not Applicable According to Expense Template setup
Use setup from expense template NULL Not Applicable Number of Days is NOT a determinant Not Applicable Optional because no setup is available

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