Using Trip Boss™

Plan Itinerary, Track Expenses, Set Budgets, Convert Currencies, & Calculate Tips and Meal Splits, or keep a Travel Journal with Trip Boss™ travel manager, available in four flavors.

Add additional modules via in-app purchase.

(Help best viewed using iOS device.)


About

Trip Boss™ travel manager is designed to manage all your travel needs, business & personal, international & domestic. Modules work together to bring you travel data synergy. For example, add a flight in Itinerary, then add the ticket to Expense in a few taps.

Expense & Budget edition includes expenses, budgets, fuel economy tracking, tip/split calculator, & currency converter. Add Itineraries via in-app store.

Itinerary edition includes complete itinerary planning and tracking, plus route planning. Includes bonus travel time calculator. Add Expense & Budget via in-app store.

Itinerary, Expenses & Budget edition includes both of the above modules.


Instructions - main screen

To start, tap Trips icon to create the first Trip.

For your convenience, Trip Boss has dual navigation options for viewing Trip data--via each Trip or through each Module (i.e. expenses or budgets or itinerary).

Navigation options from the main screen: (icons displayed depend on modules purchased)

  • Trips: Create new or view all trips. Tap on trip to view/edit all data related to specific trip. Navigate trip-specific modules.

    • TIP: Data is organized by trip, but trips can also be "projects".

    Budgets: View all trip budgets. Quick-look graphic for budget status. Tap a row to view specific trip budgets.


    Expenses: View all trip expenses. Quick-look orb graphic to track report submission status.

    Tap the graphic to change status. Tap a row to view specific trip expenses.

    Itineraries: View all trip itineraries. Tap a row to view specific trip itinerary.

    Tip/Split Calculator*: Determine tips and splits without creating a trip.

    Currency Calculator*: Quickly convert currency.

    Travel Time Calculator*: Calculate speed/time/distance.

    Store: Browse and purchase add-ons.


    The toolbar contains two icons, one for Settings, one for global Travel Data. Please reference the "Configuring" section screen below for more details.

    Tap the "i" button at any time for menu to find or request help or to provide feedback.

       *also accessible via "tools" toolbar icon

    Entering Trips

    Tap the "+" in the top right hand corner to add a new trip.

    By default, the trip name will be current date, which can be changed. The "description" from Trip Details will appear in the Trip row when viewing All Budget and All Expense screens. Indicate the expense report submission status in Trip Details, or tap on the colored orb on the All Expenses screen to change.

    Tapping the back button will show a screen of Trips. Select a Trip to navigate to all enabled modules for the Trip. Tap on one of these rows to view or enter trip data. Tap back again to view and change trips.

    Entering Budgets

    After creating a trip, tap on Budget to add, edit, & view the budget.

    Users can create budget templates for reuse, either from within a trip budget, or via the Travel Data toolbar icon.

    To start a budget, first select a template.

    Tap "Edit" to rename the budget, set the total, allocate amounts to categories, and add, delete, or rearrange categories. Tap the organizer icon to save or load templates.  TIP: to "save as" a new template, change the name before saving.

    Expenses have been sorted to logical Budget Categories to start, but Budget Categories can be reassigned under each Expense Category.

    Add new Expense and Budget Categories directly under settings, or from within trips. Be sure to assign a Budget Category when adding a new Expense Category or new expenses in that category will appear under "Other", with the unallocated budget amounts.

    Expenses are totaled under Spent, by category, in the selected budget currency. Tap on a row to view each category's expenses. Expenses can be edited, but new expenses must be added from within the Expense module.

    Budgets default to the home currency, but can be reassigned. The currency is indicated at the top left of the table.

    Choose the budget status graphic (piggybank or wallet) for All Budgets screen under Settings.

    Entering Expenses

    After creating a trip, tap on Expenses to add, edit, view expenses, & export reports.

    Tap the "+" in the top right hand corner to add a new expense.

    On the New Expense screen choose a main expense type.

    Six main categories are listed by default, but over 50 different categories are available--organize or create your own via Settings. TIP: Edit the categories into your own language.

    Expense screen input fields are customized for six main types of input. Choose Type on the expense input screen to pick a sub-category.

    Use Get-Location to automatically record the address, or use the Camera to take a photo of a receipt.

    Record expenses in actual currencies--daily sums and budget sums automatically converted into home currencies, using rate at time of expense, but actual raw amount/currency exported for reporting purposes.

    Record amount, currency, payment type, date, place, notes, and specify clients for each expense.

    If you've purchased the Itinerary module, quickly add an itinerary item, right from within an expense item.

  • Fuel: Add a fuel expense, plus keep track of fuel economy between full tanks.
  • Lodging: Add a lodging expense. Enter number of nights to calculate cost/night. Note occupants.
  • Meal: Add a meal expense using the built-in tip/split calculator. Note guests.
  • Mileage: Enter mileage and allowance to log a simple mileage expense.
  • Transportation: Enter a transportation expense. Break it down by sub-category, if preferred.
  • Other: Enter other expenses, specify type if preferred.

    • Expenses are grouped by date with a daily sum in the home currency. Category totals are automatically sent to the budget.


    Expense reports can be exported via email in six different formats. A header, footer, and categories/order can be configured in Settings.

    Photo receipts can be emailed individually or batch copied from iTunes after syncing.

    Entering Itineraries

    After creating a trip, tap on Itinerary to add, edit, view itineraries, & email/print an itinerary.

    Tap the "+" in the top right hand corner to add a new itinerary item.

    On the New Itinerary screen choose a main itinerary type.

    13 main categories are listed by default, but over 50 different categories are available--organize or create your own via Settings. TIP: Edit the categories into your own language.

    Itinerary screen input fields are customized for different types of input. Choose Type on the itinerary input screen to pick a sub-category.

  • Activity: Choose a multitude of activities, from golfing to snorkeling, from a conference to a sporting event. Pick both a title and a place.
  • Flight/Train/Bus/Cruise: Enter reservation information.
  • Lodging/Camping: Record booking information.
  • Car Rental/Transportation: Enter ground transportation info.
  • Dining: Enter dining reservations. Choose sub-type of dining.
  • Drive: Use the Travel Time Calculator to plan driving routes.
  • Meeting: Schedule business meetings.
  • Parking: Note parking details, even time, so you know when to feed the meter.

    • Each itinerary item displays important data in a list, view item for complete info.

    Email complete itinerary to friends/family/colleagues or print for your records.

    If you've purchased the Expense module, quickly add an expense, such as plane tickets, right from within an itinerary item.

    Configuring

    Trip Boss has two major configuration areas, Settings (gear icon) and Travel Data (filing cabinet icon). Certain settings and data only available if applicable module is active.

  • SETTINGS
  • Personal Settings: Configure home location and units prefs. Units are international, from time zones to currency, to distance units, to fuel volumes. Indicate defaults, such as tips, budget template, and mileage allowances. Location Search and Accuracy settings are also available in this area.
  • Date & Time Localization: Set your preferences for date/time formats in your personal locale.
  • Display Settings: Choose number format, forced decimal option, budget graphic, and set expense settings for reporting.
  • Categories: One of Trip Boss' strengths is the ability to customize all the categories. Set up Place, Expense, Budget, and Itinerary Categories, as well as Trip Purposes and Payment Types.
  • Exchange Rates: Trip Boss provides for real-time exchange rates. Set if you want to update these manually or automatic.

  • TRAVEL DATA
  • Templates: Templates for applicable modules, such as Budgets, can be created from here (or from within trips).
  • Data: Enter data about People, Places, and Clients in this central location, or create on the fly from within trips.
  • Exchange rates for over 150 currencies can be viewed, entered, and/or overridden in this area.

    • Available rates are updated over-the-air.

    Places: Places is your Trip Address Book. Places can be entered manually, or automatically via Get-Location icon in the toolbar, and assigned a category. Alternately, if address is available, Geo-location Coordinates can be obtained from the Address. Tap on Map Location to view the location on Maps.

    Place Categories can be specified for Expense Categories, making places easier to pick when entering expenses.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Data backup: How is data backed up?

    Trip databases are backed up during iTunes sync. If you need to restore the database, you will have to do an iTunes Restore, which will only restore data since the last sync. We recommend syncing often in order to minimize any potential loss of data.

    In addition, the trip database is exposed in iTunes, so you can make a backup copy from your computer. Photo receipts are also exposed, so you can batch copy them from iTunes.

    Expense Status: How do I change the colored orb graphic on All Expenses?

    Either tap on the graphic to update the status, or change status on the Trip Details screen.

    Additional Help

    Thank you for your support of Trip Boss.

    If you need additional help, please feel free to contact us. We strive for exceptional customer service.

    We welcome your feedback--anything from issues to feature requests. We love to listen.

    We also publish an occasional newsletter, which provides tips & tricks, announces updates and new releases, and other useful information. Please register Trip Boss to receive this newsletter.

    Anytime you can help spread the word about Trip Boss, it helps us to keep the updates coming!


    Please take time to review Trip Boss on the AppStore.

    We really appreciate it when you can take time to recommend Trip Boss to a friend.

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