Create trips from a template

Only users with certain roles can create, publish, and manage trips using templates. Company administrators, company traveler arrangers, TMC administrators, and TMC agents will be able to perform the tasks described in the procedures below.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Create trips from a template
  • Create trips from a template
  • View and manage existing trips
  • Related topics

Create trips from a template

1. Login to the Online Booking Tool. 

2. Click Trips. The Trips page will be displayed. 

3. Click Create (upper right) and select Trips from template from the menu. The Create trips from template dialog will be displayed.

4. The Organization field will be preset to the name of your company. If you are a TMC administrator, select the relevant organization.

5. Select the template you would like to use for your trips from the Trip template field. This will allow you to inherit any preset values from the template you select. If you are unsure which one to select, ask your travel manager. For example, for a Guest speaker, you might want to use an invite-based template. 

6. Enter the destination location for the trips in the Location field.

7. Enter the name for the trips in the Name field. This will be how the trip appears to any travelers you invite and will be the name of the trip on each traveler’s Trips page.

8. Set the Trip start date and Trip end date fields as needed for the trips. 

9. Set the Travel window start date and Travel window end date fields for the trips. 

   • The start date should be before the event associated with the trip begins. Be sure to consider things like jet lag, distance traveled, connections.

   • This end date should be after the event associated with the trip ends.

10. Click Advanced settings to display details about booking types. Note that some of the settings in this section may be preset for you based on the template you selected. 

11. The Trip data tab contains any traveler profile fields (e.g., Cost Center) for which the template administrator has either entered a different value or has allowed you to enter a different value. Note that entering a different value will not permanently change the value of the traveler’s profile field and will only apply to trips created using this template. For each field shown, there will either be an administrator-provided value or the default value from the traveler's profile will be used (but not displayed here). You can override the values of these fields if needed or choose to leave them unedited. 

12. Set the booking types that are allowed for the trips on the Allowed booking types tab (you can also set these later or set them per traveler). Only the booking types that have been enabled for the trips will appear to travelers. Note: If an additional booking type is needed after the trips have already been created, administrators and coordinators can add that option or book it for the traveler. 

13. For Flight:

    • To set the flight types that will be allowed, select one or more of the following from the Allowed flight types menu:

      • One way

      • Round-trip

      • Return location can differ from departure location - Useful if travelers must travel to another location as part of the trip or for another event.

• Use the + and - buttons to set the number of companions (e..g, family members) a traveler is allowed to book air travel for in the Allowed companions field. If enabled, travelers will be able to click Add travelers when booking flights.

• Click in the Allowed destination airports field and search for the desired airports. Use this field to specify all airports travelers can book flights to in order to participate in the trip (travelers can book from any origin airport). You can also choose not to set this field (or set it later). If you leave this field blank, travelers will be able to book flights to any airport. 

  • Start entering the name or code of the airport you want to designate. Names of airports will appear based on what you entered. 

  • Select the checkbox of the desired airport. 

  • To add more airports, search and repeat. 

• Use the calendar and time fields under Suggested arrival before and Suggested departure after to configure when travelers will be prompted to book their flights. By default, these dates will be based on what you set for the Trip dates fields. Travelers will be encouraged to book flights within these dates and times. 

14. For Hotel:

    • To allow hotel bookings for the trips, set the toggle to enabled.

    • Click Add to set the designated hotels. The Hotel field will appear. Use this field to specify all hotels where travelers can book stays in order to participate in the trip. You can also choose not to set this field. 

    • Start entering the name of the hotel you want to designate. Names of hotels will appear based on what you entered. 

    • Select the desired hotel.  

    • To add more hotels, click Add again and repeat. 

15. For Train 

    • To allow rail bookings for the trips, set the toggle to enabled.

    • No additional settings are needed.

16. For Car

    • To allow rental car bookings for the trips, set the toggle to enabled.

    • No additional settings are needed.

17. Review the contents of the Custom fields tab. 

    • The template on which your trip is based, may include custom fields. The value of these custom fields may be already set from the template. If so, you can accept or change that value. If the custom field does not have a value you may be required to enter one. 

    • You can also add additional custom fields. If you wish to add a custom field to your trip, click Add. This will allow you to select a custom field and provide a response for that custom field. 

18. Click Next. The trip’s page will be displayed (this will contain all trips for all travelers you add). 

19. To enter a description for the trip, click Trip description. The trip description page will appear. 

    • Edit the description as desired. You can format the text you enter here with bold, italics, bullets, font choices, color, and indentation, as needed as well as add links. When done, click Save. 

20. To begin adding travelers to the trip, click + Traveler. Note: The user who adds the traveler will be listed as the point of contact for that traveler’s trip. This will be the person who the traveler can contact if they have any questions. Also note that if you are using a no-invite template, a trip will automatically be created for each traveler as you add them. For invite-based templates, you will have the option to create the trips and send invites. 

    • To add individual employee travelers: Click + Traveler and enter the name or email of the user you wish to invite. A list of users who match that name will appear. Select the user you wish to invite. Repeat this step for each of your company employee travelers. 

    • To add a guest who is not an employee of your company: Click + Traveler and begin entering their name or email in the search field. A list of users who match that name will appear. Select the user you wish to invite. Repeat this step for each of your guest attendees. If the guest traveler you wish to invite does not yet already have a profile in the system, click Create company guest and create a profile for them (all guest profiles must have an email, first and last name, and legal entity). Note: You may not always have the ability to create company profiles for guests. 

21. To change any parameters for one or more individual trips and travelers, select the checkbox of that traveler. Select the relevant parameters from the Modify menu at the bottom of the page and edit the parameters as desired.

22. Then: 

    • For trips that use an no-invite-based template, trips will automatically be created for the travelers you add as you add them (no invite will be sent). You do not need to create the trips for the travelers. You (or an agent) can then proceed to make the travel bookings for each of the travelers associated with the trip by clicking on their trip on the All Trips tab of the Trips page. Alternately, the travelers book for themselves. 

    • For trips that use an invite-based template, be sure to create the trips for the travelers by clicking Create & Send Invites.

View and manage existing trips

To view any trips you have created for travelers, see View trips for travelers in your company.

Related topics

• View trips for travelers in your company
• Create a template (for events and trips)
• Create, publish, and manage an event (latest version)