Audit Rule - only one expense type can be included

[probconcsol]

Hello, 

I would like to create an audit rule that says if the expense type Hotel Total (new expense created for that client) has been included to the Expense Report the other expenses like: lunch, dinner, etc. should not be allowed. 

I tried to include that but unfortunately it does not work. 

Thank you in advance. 

[KevinD]

@probconcsol you would need to create a custom field on the report header to indicate that the Hotel Total expense type will be used on the report. Maybe a field labeled Hotel Total Used? This could be a simple checkbox or a simple two item list containing Yes and No. So, if the users selects "Yes" then they couldn't add breakfast, lunch or dinner to their report. The rule would be: Report>Hotel Total Used?>Equals>Yes. The next conditions would be And Entry Expense Type Equals Breakfast OR Entry Expense Type Equals Lunch OR Entry Expense Type Equals Dinner. These last conditions should have ( at the beginning and ) at the end. 

I think this could work, but it does require a custom field.

[probconcsol]

@KevinD  thank you, is there any option to create that rule without creating new field like checkbox etc.? I would like to just block option to include that expense together with the others so like this will be less likely that the client will make a mistake of clicking the checkbox etc. 

Thank you! 

[KevinD]

@probconcsol I asked a colleague and it is possible. See screenshot below. Give that a try. 

[probconcsol]

@KevinD Hello Kevin, thank you for your answer. I have tried to build that rule this way and unfortunately does not work and still allows me to include these two expense types together in one expense report when the date of the transaction is the same. Thank you! 

[KevinD]

@probconcsol what site entity are you working in and what is the name of the rule? I'll take a look and see if I see anything. 

[KevinD]

@probconcsol what you are asking for isn't possible. as there isn't any way to build a conditions that says if transaction date of hotel equals transaction date of meal. 

I'm curious...why is this customer not allowing any meals on the day the user travels? What if the user has a long flight and their drive from the airport to home is let's say more than an hour? Aren't they entitled to have at least one meal covered as they are spending their day on behalf of the company? 

My colleague and I agree that this is a bit odd and not typical for companies to do. Can you provide their rationale? 

[MelanieT]

@probconcsol Did you use Entry Save or Report Submit, for when the rule triggers?  I think it might work if you have the rule trigger upon Report submit. 

[probconcsol]

@MelanieT Thank you Melanie for your answer, however I have created audit rule that way and the error does not appear and still allows me to send report like this. I was trying to make that rule as well by myself but all the tries are not giving the result. Seems to be an easy thing but difficult in reality 🙂 

[probconcsol]

@MelanieT @KevinD I have tried and the rule works however it does not allow to have hotel and expense lunch in the same report even if the transaction date is different. The rule should only not allow it when the transaction date is the same. 

[KevinD]

@probconcsol the transaction date for hotel is only one date, but users Hotel stay covers multiple days. Also, the Transaction date for the hotel is usually the day they checked out and paid. Users have multiple meals while traveling, so why would you only want to block meals that have a date that matches the hotel transaction date? 

In your original post you said you wanted to block meals if the user had a Hotel expense on the report. 

Maybe you can ask your client to provide the business use case for why they want to do this. That might help us better understand what they are asking for and want to accomplish. If you want to disallow meals that have a date that matches a hotel date, then you would need the rule to look at the itemized days of the hotel and look to see if there is a meal with the same date. 

Lastly, how would employees enter their meal expenses when they have a hotel stay if the rule will block them? 

[probconcsol]

@KevinD thank you for a deep explanation. I have contacted the client and as the expense type Hotel has been created by us, requested by client before, the expense type will only come with one transaction date. The client confirmed that if the date of expense Hotel is the same as any Meal, then the employee should not be able to send that expense report. I was also trying to create that rule with maximum amount of transactions but also do not work. 

[KevinD]

@probconcsol So your client isn't allowing meals on the same day the traveler checks out of the hotel, is that what they are looking for? 

Did the example conditions I sent you not work?

[probconcsol]

Exactly, the same transaction date of Hotel and the same transaction date of any Meal should not allow the employee to send the report. The thing is that it will be the best if such audit rule exist. So if the clint has on the 4th of April expense Hotel and include on the 4th of April expense Lunch, the expense report should have an error to submit it.