Time, Travel, and Expenses

The Time, Travel, and Expenses module provides a reusable framework for three closely related business functions: timekeeping, travel management, and expense reporting. Federal agencies often need to manage all three together to support workforce planning, mission activities, and financial accountability. This module brings them into a single, extensible structure that can be used directly or extended in mission-specific applications.

Currently, this module provides the baseline data model and an Availability form and view, with additional forms and views for other tables planned for future updates. Agencies and developers can begin building on this structure today, extending it to meet their mission-specific needs.

Time Management

The module supports both project-based timekeeping and availability planning.

• Time Entries track the hours an individual spends on work, projects, or administrative duties.
• Time Projects and Tasks allow agencies to allocate hours against funded activities or mission objectives.
• Time Periods provide the structure needed for reporting and compliance.
• Availability records indicate when staff are scheduled to be available or unavailable, supporting scenarios such as hybrid workplace hoteling and forward workforce planning.

Travel Management

The travel model enables structured request, approval, and tracking of trips.

• Travel Requests capture the overall purpose, approvals, and destination of a trip.
• Travel Purposes provide standardized categories for consistent reporting.
• Travel Segments break a trip into legs, storing origin, destination, carrier, and dates.

This structure supports both domestic and international travel while aligning with financial and compliance requirements.

Expense Management

The expense framework provides structured tracking of costs associated with projects and travel.

• Expense Reports serve as the top-level claim for reimbursement or payment.
• Expense Report Line Items break down individual charges, each tied to an Expense Item Category such as lodging, transportation, per diem, or supplies. By linking reports to Travel Requests, Time Projects, or Organization Units, agencies can tie costs back to mission activities for full visibility.

Use Cases

The module can be applied across a variety of scenarios:

• A grants administration system can capture staff time charged to funded projects.
• A travel management app can manage approvals, track trip segments, and reconcile expenses.
• A workforce planning tool can combine Availability and Time Entry data to forecast staffing needs across locations.