Predictika · Business travel expense claims

An AI expense assistant's travel claim, checked before it is submitted

An AI expense assistant prepares a business travel expense claim from a traveler's receipts: lodging and meals for each day, airfare, a rental car, other expenses and the total it will state. Before the claim is submitted for payment, the assistant sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the per diem and travel policy and returns a verdict, every reason and the reimbursable total it computed.

Scope: Business travel expense claims of up to four days under a simplified GSA per diem policy: meals and incidentals, lodging, air class, rental car, alcohol, receipts, filing deadline and the stated total. See everything this validator covers

This validator models a whole travel expense claim against the per diem and travel policy, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Meals and incidentals — the daily rate for the locality, 75 percent on the first and last travel day, less any meals the traveler was provided.
  • Lodging — capped at the locality rate; a higher rate needs actual-expense approval and is blocked above 300 percent of the rate; no lodging on the return day; a receipt for every night.
  • Air, car and other expenses — coach unless the flight is 14 hours or longer, compact rental cars, alcohol never reimbursable, a receipt for any expense of $75 or more, and the 5 working day filing deadline.
  • The stated total — the total the claim states is compared with the reimbursable total the validator computes, where lodging is capped and meals are limited.

Any travel expense claim that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. The rules are simplified from the Federal Travel Regulation and the standard rate and meal breakdown are GSA figures; the locality lodging rates for Chicago, Austin and San Francisco are illustrative and vary by season. Not covered: claims longer than four days, foreign travel, mileage, and any agency's own travel system. The traveler and the claims are fictional.

The AI expense assistantReads the receipts, builds the claim, and says it is ready to submit.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

6 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A total that depends on every other lineOnly with workarounds
The reimbursable total caps lodging and limits meals, so a separate rule has to recompute it and compare it with the stated figure, and it has to be kept in step with every other rule.		The stated total is a field of the request and is compared with the computed reimbursable total on every call, after every other correction.
A meal allowance that changes by day and by meals providedOnly with care
The 75 percent first and last day rule and the deduction for each provided meal need a rule per day and per meal.		The days, the rates and the provided meals are in one request and the allowance is recalculated for each day on every call.
Lodging that is either approved or blocked by sizeOnly with care
Two thresholds, the locality rate and 300 percent of it, each need their own rule and their own outcome, repeated for every night.		The locality rate is in the model, and every night is compared with both thresholds on every call.
Receipts that depend on the type and the amountOnly with care
Lodging always needs a receipt, but other expenses only from $75, so each type has its own rule and a threshold.		The receipt flags and amounts are fields of the request and are checked together on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as a line is saved or a step is completed, so a traveler often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the claim; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1Day 1 M&IE claimed $92 but $69 is allowed (75 percent of ($92 M&IE minus meals provided)).
2Day 2 M&IE claimed $92 but $66 is allowed (1 x ($92 M&IE minus meals provided)).
3Day 1 lodging of $250 is over the $220 rate for Chicago IL (illustrative) - needs actual-expense authorization.
4Day 2 lodging of $250 is over the $220 rate for Chicago IL (illustrative) - needs actual-expense authorization.
5Day 1 lodging of $700 exceeds 300 percent of the $220 rate for Chicago IL (illustrative).
6Day 1 lodging of $210 has no receipt - lodging always needs one.
7Day 3 is the return day - lodging of $215 is not reimbursable.
8Business class on a 5-hour flight - coach is required unless a flight is 14 hours or longer.
9Business class air needs advance approval (business only for 14+ hour flights).
10An SUV rental needs justification - compact is the default.
11$18 of alcohol is never reimbursable - remove it from the claim.
12The $120 expense has no receipt - receipts are required for $75 or more.
13Filed 12 days after return - the rule is 5 working days; needs supervisor sign-off.
14Business class on a 4-hour flight - coach is required unless a flight is 14 hours or longer.
15$25 of alcohol is never reimbursable - remove it from the claim.
16The $90 expense has no receipt - receipts are required for $75 or more.
17The stated total of $1,225 does not match the $1,285 the validator computed.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Nine different findings on one claim: A three-day Chicago claim with a hotel at $700, full meals on the first day, a missing receipt, business class, wine and an unreceipted taxi

    
The agent's request. Please submit this 3-day Chicago IL trip claim for payment: lodging of $700, $215 and $215 (none on the return day), and meals and incidentals of $92, $92 and $69 (lunch was provided on day 2); the day 2 hotel receipt is missing; business class airfare of $1,300 on a 4-hour flight; an SUV rental car for $320; $25 of wine from the dinner receipt; a $90 airport taxi with no receipt; the claim is filed 12 days after the return. The total claimed is $3,118. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated total does not match. The stated total of $3,118 does not match the $2,564 the validator computed.
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  • Day 1 meals above the allowance. Day 1 M&IE claimed $92 but $69 is allowed (75 percent of ($92 M&IE minus meals provided)).
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  • Day 1 hotel far above the rate. Day 1 lodging of $700 exceeds 300 percent of the $220 rate for Chicago IL (illustrative).
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  • Day 2 meals above the allowance. Day 2 M&IE claimed $92 but $66 is allowed (1 x ($92 M&IE minus meals provided)).
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  • Day 2 lodging without a receipt. Day 2 lodging of $215 has no receipt - lodging always needs one.
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  • Day 3 lodging on the return day. Day 3 is the return day - lodging of $215 is not reimbursable.
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  • Business class on a short flight. Business class on a 4-hour flight - coach is required unless a flight is 14 hours or longer.
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  • Alcohol on the claim. $25 of alcohol is never reimbursable - remove it from the claim.
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  • Expense of $75 or more without a receipt. The $90 expense has no receipt - receipts are required for $75 or more.
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  • Rental car above compact. An SUV rental needs justification - compact is the default.
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  • Filed late. Filed 12 days after return - the rule is 5 working days; needs supervisor sign-off.
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2. Nine different findings on one claim: The assistant resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please submit this 3-day Chicago IL trip claim for payment: lodging of $215 and $215 (none on the return day), and meals and incidentals of $69, $66 and $69 (lunch was provided on day 2); coach class airfare of $420 on a 4-hour flight; a compact rental car for $150; a $90 airport taxi; the claim is filed 3 days after the return. The total claimed is $1,294. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Claim totals. M&IE allowed $204; reimbursable total $1,294 (lodging capped at the rate).
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3. Approvals on an Austin trip: A four-day Austin claim with a $230 hotel, business class on a 15-hour flight, a midsize car and a late filing

    
The agent's request. Please submit this 4-day Austin TX trip claim for payment: lodging of $230, $185 and $185 (none on the return day), and meals and incidentals of $60, $80, $80 and $60; business class airfare of $4,200 on a 15-hour flight; a midsize rental car for $260; the claim is filed 12 days after the return. The total claimed is $5,300. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Day 1 hotel above the rate. Day 1 lodging of $230 is over the $190 rate for Austin TX (illustrative) - needs actual-expense authorization.
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  • Air class needs approval. Business class air needs advance approval (business only for 14+ hour flights).
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  • Rental car above compact. A Midsize rental needs justification - compact is the default.
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  • Filed late. Filed 12 days after return - the rule is 5 working days; needs supervisor sign-off.
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  • Claim totals. M&IE allowed $280; reimbursable total $5,300 (lodging capped at the rate).
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4. Approvals on an Austin trip: The assistant resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please submit this 4-day Austin TX trip claim for payment: lodging of $190, $185 and $185 (none on the return day), and meals and incidentals of $60, $80, $80 and $60; coach class airfare of $380 on a 3-hour flight; a compact rental car for $200; the claim is filed 2 days after the return. The total claimed is $1,420. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Claim totals. M&IE allowed $280; reimbursable total $1,420 (lodging capped at the rate).
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5. Hotel, taxi and the stated total: A Chicago claim with a $250 hotel and an unreceipted $120 taxi, totaled as the plain sum of the receipts

    
The agent's request. Please submit this 3-day Chicago IL trip claim for payment: lodging of $250 and $215 (none on the return day), and meals and incidentals of $69, $92 and $69; coach class airfare of $420 on a 3-hour flight; a $120 airport taxi with no receipt. The total claimed is $1,235. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated total does not match. The stated total of $1,235 does not match the $1,205 the validator computed.
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  • Expense of $75 or more without a receipt. The $120 expense has no receipt - receipts are required for $75 or more.
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  • Day 1 hotel above the rate. Day 1 lodging of $250 is over the $220 rate for Chicago IL (illustrative) - needs actual-expense authorization.
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6. Hotel, taxi and the stated total: The assistant resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please submit this 3-day Chicago IL trip claim for payment: lodging of $220 and $215 (none on the return day), and meals and incidentals of $69, $92 and $69; coach class airfare of $420 on a 3-hour flight; a $120 airport taxi. The total claimed is $1,205. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Claim totals. M&IE allowed $230; reimbursable total $1,205 (lodging capped at the rate).
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI expense assistant prepares a business travel expense claim from a traveler's receipts: lodging and meals for each day, airfare, a rental car, and more. Before the claim is submitted for payment, the assistant sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the per diem and travel policy and returns a verdict, every reason and the reimbursable total it computed.
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  2. Each tab is a different request. We will start with the first one.
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  3. The agent says. Please submit this 3-day Chicago IL trip claim for payment: lodging of $700, $215 and $215 (none on the return day). The total claimed is $3,118. The rest of the request is on screen.
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  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with nine findings and two approvals, all in one answer. The stated total of $3,118 does not match the $2,564 the validator computed. Day 1 M&IE claimed $92 but $69 is allowed (75 percent of ($92 M&IE minus meals provided)). Day 1 lodging of $700 exceeds 300 percent of the $220 rate for Chicago IL (illustrative). The other six are on screen.
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  6. The validator returned nine blocking findings and two approvals in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the claim are checked against each other.
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  7. What this shows: for a meal allowance that changes by day and by meals provided, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the day 1 lodging to $215, the day 1 meals and incidentals to $69, the day 2 meals and incidentals to $66, the day 3 lodging to none and the total stated on the claim to $1,294. Six more changes are on screen. It removes the day 2 lodging receipt and alcohol on the receipts.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. This time the validator clears it.
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  12. All eleven earlier findings are cleared.
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  13. Nine problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean claim. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before the claim is approved.
    14.