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Custom Per Diem Rates

Enable daily allowances for your employees with your own pre-defined rates

Set up custom per diem rates

Admins can create custom per diem policies and define their own reimbursement rates for any country using an Excel template.

Note: German entities have a separate per diem setup with rates maintained by Spendesk.

⚠️ The examples in this article are for guidance only and should not be treated as legal, tax, or payroll advice. Always confirm your rates and rules with your payroll, tax, or legal advisor before activating a policy.

Create a policy

  1. Go to Settings → Company rules → Reimbursements → Per diem allowances

  2. Enable per diem allowances if needed, then click New policy.

  3. Select an effective date.

  4. Download the Excel template, fill it in, and upload it.

  5. Review any validation errors, then create the policy.

Employees can then submit per diem requests under the configured policy.

The Excel template

  • Country code — Required. ISO 3166 alpha-2 code (e.g. FR, US, GB). See guide.

  • Specific destination — Optional. City or area (e.g. Paris area, New York). Leave empty for the country-wide rate.

  • Currency — Required. Currency for all amounts in that row.

  • Reduced allowance — Amount for first/last travel days or partial days.

  • Daily allowance — Amount for full travel days.

  • Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner — Amounts used when meals affect the calculation.

  • Meal rule — How meal amounts are applied (see below).

  • Lodging — Amount used when accommodation affects the calculation.

  • Lodging rule — How lodging amounts are applied (see below).

Each country must have at least one country-wide row (Specific destination left empty) as a fallback. Destination-specific rows are optional.

Meal and lodging rules

  • Add if incurred — the amount is added if the employee paid for it.

  • Deduct if provided — the amount is deducted if the company provided or paid for it.

  • Disabled — meals or lodging don't affect the calculation. Employees won't be asked to declare them.

Effective dates and policy periods

Each policy applies from its effective date. Most companies create one policy per year. When rates change, create a new policy with a new effective date.

Note: a single per diem request cannot span two different policy periods. If a trip crosses into a new period, the employee should submit separate requests.

Current limitations

  • Requests must be at least 8 hours long.

  • A single request cannot span two policy periods.

  • If no rate exists for the employee's destination country, they cannot submit a request until the policy is updated.

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I have different rates for different cities?

    • Yes. Add one row per city using the same country code and a different Specific destination value.

  • What if the employee's country isn't in the template? They'll see an error. Add the missing country to the Excel file and re-upload it.

    • Can I disable meals or lodging? Yes. Set the relevant rule to Disabled — for example, if lodging is reimbursed through a separate expense flow.

  • Are the template examples legally compliant?

    • No. They illustrate the expected format only. Always validate rates and rules with your payroll or tax advisor.

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