The Corporate Travel Management System Setup Checklist

Implementing a new corporate travel management system is a pivotal project that can transform your company's T&E process from a state of chaos to one of control and efficiency. While a modern, cloud-based platform makes this process faster and easier than ever before, a successful launch still requires a structured and thoughtful approach. It's not just about turning on a piece of software; it's about configuring it to meet your business needs and preparing your team for the change.

This checklist provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to follow when setting up your new travel management system. It's designed to ensure you cover all the critical steps, from initial policy configuration to post-launch optimization, for a smooth and successful implementation.

Phase 1: Pre-Implementation Foundation

This is the strategic work you do before the technical setup begins.

[ ] 1. Define Your Goals and Success Metrics

What are the top 3-5 problems you are trying to solve (e.g., cost control, efficiency, traveler safety)?
What are the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) you will use to measure success (e.g., reduce T&E spend by 15%, achieve 90% online adoption)?
Deliverable: A clear, one-page document outlining your project goals.

[ ] 2. Assemble Your Internal Project Team

Who is the internal Project Lead responsible for driving the implementation?
Who is your Executive Sponsor who will champion the project?
Who are the key stakeholders from Finance (for expense and accounting policy) and HR (for employee data and Duty of Care)?
Deliverable: A list of your project team members and their roles.

[ ] 3. Draft Your Version 1.0 Travel Policy

Your policy is the blueprint for your system's configuration. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it needs to be written down. Use our travel policy template as a starting point.
Deliverable: A simple, clear travel policy document outlining your core rules for booking and expenses.

[ ] 4. Choose Your Technology Partner

Evaluate potential platforms based on user experience, depth of integration, policy flexibility, and pricing.
Insist on a live demo and, if possible, a free trial or sandbox environment.
Deliverable: A signed contract with your chosen travel management platform provider (e.g., Routespring).

Phase 2: System Configuration and Setup

This phase is a collaborative effort with your platform's dedicated Implementation Specialist.

[ ] 5. The Kick-Off and Discovery Session

This is the first working session. Be prepared to discuss your goals and your draft travel policy.
Your Implementation Specialist will start configuring your platform's settings live with you on the call.
Deliverable: A configured shell of your travel platform and a clear project plan with timelines.

[ ] 6. Configure Your Travel Policy in the Software

Work with your specialist to translate your written policy into automated rules in the system.
Key Configuration Tasks:
- Set up your advance booking rules.
- Configure your hotel spending caps (ideally using dynamic caps).
- Define your cabin class rules for flights.
- Deliverable: Your travel policy is fully built and automated within the platform.

[ ] 7. Build Your Approval Workflows

Design your approval chains. Who needs to approve travel? Will you have different approvers for different departments or cost levels?
Key Configuration Tasks:
- Create your multi-level approval workflows.
- Define the triggers for each approval step (e.g., out-of-policy bookings).
- Set up your approval delegation rules for when managers are out of office.
- Deliverable: Your approval process is fully automated.

[ ] 8. Set Up Your Financial and HR Integrations

User Provisioning: Provide an employee data file to your implementation team to bulk-upload all your users. If you are setting up an HRIS integration, this will be a technical connection.
Accounting Integration: Work with your finance team and the specialist to connect the travel platform to your accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, NetSuite). Map your expense categories to your GL accounts.
Payment Setup: Configure your company's centralized payment method within the platform.
Deliverable: Your users are in the system, and the platform is connected to your core business systems.

Phase 3: Rollout and Go-Live

Now it's time to prepare your team for the launch.

[ ] 9. Develop and Execute a Communication Plan

The Message: Focus on the benefits to the employee. Announce the new system as a tool that will make their lives easier and their travel safer.
The Timeline: Send out a "teaser" announcement, followed by more detailed information and finally, a "go-live" announcement with clear instructions.
Deliverable: A series of clear, well-written communications to the entire company.

[ ] 10. Conduct User Training

Your platform provider should lead live training sessions for your administrators and your traveling employees.
Ensure the sessions are recorded for future new hires.
Deliverable: Your team is trained and feels confident using the new system.

[ ] 11. Go-Live

On the scheduled date, officially launch the new platform.
Ensure your provider offers a "hypercare" support period for the first 1-2 weeks to quickly address any user questions.
Deliverable: Your new travel management system is live and being used by your company.

Phase 4: Post-Implementation Optimization

The project isn't over at launch. It's an ongoing process of improvement.

[ ] 12. Gather Feedback and Measure Success

After one month, send a survey to your travelers and managers to gather their feedback.
Use the platform's analytics dashboard to track your KPIs. Are you meeting the goals you set in Step 1?
Deliverable: A clear report on the launch's success, including adoption rates, policy compliance, and initial cost savings.

By following this comprehensive checklist, you can ensure that your travel management system setup is a smooth, efficient, and highly successful project, setting the stage for a world-class travel program.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long should this setup process take? With a modern, cloud-based platform, the entire process from kick-off to go-live should take between 2 and 6 weeks for a small to mid-sized company. If a vendor quotes you a timeline of several months, it's a red flag that their system is likely complex and outdated.

2. Who from our company needs to be involved in the setup? You need a small project team including a project lead, an executive sponsor, and key contacts from finance and HR. The time commitment from these stakeholders is typically front-loaded into the first week or two for the policy and integration setup.

3. What if we don't have a formal travel policy yet? This is a perfect opportunity to create one. Your chosen platform provider should be able to give you a best-practice policy template that you can use as a starting point.

4. What's the most common mistake companies make during implementation? The most common mistake is a lack of clear communication and change management. Simply turning on the software without explaining the "why" and highlighting the benefits to your employees can lead to resistance and low adoption.

5. What kind of support should we expect from the software provider during setup? You should expect a dedicated Implementation Specialist to be assigned to your account. This person should be your single point of contact, guiding you through every step of the process, from configuration to training and go-live support. This hands-on partnership is a key differentiator of a great provider.