Core Portal Claimant User Guide - pssc.gov.ie · 5 3. Select New Expense Claim When you log on, you will initially see the Employee Dashboard. If you are an Approver inputting your

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Core Portal Claimant User Guide

Foreign Travel and Subsistence – Quick Guide

Version 1.7

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction pg3

2. Logon to the Core Portal pg4

3. Select New Expense Claim pg5

4. Select New Expense Items pg8

4(i) Entering Subsistence pg8

4(ii) Entering Subsistence-Vouched Accommodation Rate pg10

4(iii) Entering Kilometres pg14

4(iv) Entering Other Expense Items and Receipts pg16

5. Remove/Amend Expense Claims pg19

5(i) Remove/Amend Expense Claims from Core Portal pg19

5(ii) Remove/Amend Expense Claims from Expense Report pg20

5(iii) Amend Cost Centres/ Analysis Codes in Expense

Report/Expense Items screens pg20

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1. Introduction

If using this Quick Guide it is assumed that you have received a token and successfully registered to use the Core Expense System and have successfully logged in with your username and password. To register for the Core Portal, please see http://pssc.gov.ie/password-registration-guide/ How do I register for an account on the Core Portal.

You should also have registered your car on the Core Portal and had it approved by your line manager prior to inputting your claim. To register your car, please see http://pssc.gov.ie/expenses-guide/ Registering or Updating my Car.

The main difference with foreign destinations is that sometimes there is no overnight rate for the

particular place of travel. Some areas of travel are vouched expenditure plus €10 per day while

other areas allow claimants the Vouched Accommodation Rate for their subsistence as per Circular

07/2017 Subsistence Allowances Abroad and the cost of their hotel. The claimant should be aware

of what they are allowed to claim from the Circular 07/2017 Subsistence Allowances Abroad. (Note:

You can look up rates for your destination under the ‘Settings’ tab on your dashboard and select

‘Rates Lookup’ if required, however, when you input your dates, times and destination etc. as in the

following notes the system will automatically provide the rate for you for most destinations).

The most regular destination for foreign travel is Brussels where there is no overnight rate and you

normally claim the set Vouched Accommodation Rate for Brussels and the vouched cost of the hotel.

http://pssc.gov.ie/password-registration-guide/

http://pssc.gov.ie/expenses-guide/


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2. Logon to the Core Portal

Go to the PSSC website http://pssc.gov.ie/ select the ‘Submit/Approve Expenses’ tab, then select your Department/Organisation (or relevant Department if you are on secondment) and log on to the Core Portal. The logon name is your e-mail address.

http://pssc.gov.ie/

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3. Select New Expense Claim

When you log on, you will initially see the Employee Dashboard.

If you are an Approver inputting your own claim you will need to select Employee Dashboard from the Dashboards option.

Select the ‘Expenses’ tab along the side of your screen. In the Expense Screen click on +NEW in

the My Expense Claims section.

The expense screen is split into 2 sub forms.

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Complete the ‘Expense Report’ first.

Dates: The span of dates used on the top part of the form should encompass the dates of

the full claim. These dates can only be used once so all expenses related to these dates

should be entered before submitting the claim for approval, otherwise if you try to use dates

within this date range on a subsequent claim you will get a “duplicate” error message.

Description: Enter the description of the expense claim.

Cost Centre: Select your Cost Centre from the dropdown menu.

Approver: Select your Approver from the dropdown menu.

Analysis 1: Select the relevant Analysis 1 code from the dropdown menu.


Car Reg: See http://pssc.gov.ie/expenses-guide/ Registering or Updating my

Car

Higher Grade: Leave blank



When entering your first claim you will be prompted to make a selection from the drop down menu

for Analysis 1, Analysis 2, Analysis 3 and Analysis 4. If you are unsure as to what selection to make

from the drop down menu please contact your line manager. (NB: Please ensure that you select an

option from the drop down menu to populate Analysis fields 1, 2, 3 & 4 using the down arrow as

you shouldn’t type data into these fields).


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Once you select Analysis codes in an expense claim and save it, the next time you enter a claim the

Analysis codes entered on the previous claim will automatically default into the new claim.

Therefore, you may need to select new Analysis codes for a new claim if you were working on a

different project-you should consult your line manager if you are in any doubt. You can change

Analysis codes if required on a subsequent claim by selecting ‘Additional Options’.

NB: You must select “Save” at this stage to save the information on the top part of the

form otherwise you will be unable to complete the remainder of the input screen.

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4. Select New Expense Items

Complete the ‘New Expense Items’ next.

4(i) Entering Subsistence:

Select The following screen will be displayed.

The easiest way to claim subsistence is to let the system work out what you are entitled to by way of

overnights and 5 & 10 hour allowances by leaving ‘Expense Type’ blank.

Is this an expense item with foreign details: Tick this option. Ensure that you

tick this option for each New Expense Item.

Payment by: Select relevant option.

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Expense Type: Leave Blank.

Location: Enter from/to location details.

Dates: The dates will automatically default to the ones entered in the top

half of the report. However you can amend these if you want to show individual trips during

the month but remember that they must fall within the date range on the header at the

top of the screen.


Times: Enter from/to times.

Select ‘Options’ – ‘Generate Subsistence’ and this will calculate your subsistence.

The system has now calculated 2 overnights and a 10 hour allowance for Paris.

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4(ii) Entering Subsistence – Vouched Accommodation Rate:

Example - Brussels: Vouched cost of room plus the Vouched Accommodation VA rate as per Circular 07/2017 Subsistence Allowances Abroad (previously Conference Rate) is applicable to all officers travelling to Brussels on overnight visits. The Vouched Accommodation VA rate should be used in the following

circumstances;

1. All travel to Brussels on overnight trips.

2. When accommodation is provided at no cost to claimant.

3. When the Department/Office source reasonably priced accommodation on

behalf of claimant via travel provider.

Select The following screen will be displayed.

(a) To claim Foreign Vouched Accommodation Rate:




Expense Type: Select 1.8 Foreign Vouched Accommodation.

Units: Enter the number of overnights.





top of the screen.



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Select ‘Options’ – ‘Save’ and this will calculate your subsistence.

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(b) To claim 5 Hour Rate or 10 Hour Rate:




Expense Type: Select 1.2 10 Hour Rate.

Units: Enter the number of 5 Hour/10 Hour Rates.





top of the screen.



Select ‘Options’ – ‘Save’ and this will calculate your subsistence. The system has now calculated 2

Foreign Vouched Accommodation Rate overnights and a 10 hour allowance for Brussels.

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(c) To enter Hotel Accommodation details paid by company:

Select to add a new Expense Item to enter the hotel details. Select ‘Payment by

Company’. Click on the down arrow beside the ‘Expense Type’ field and scroll down the pages to

select the ‘Hotel Accommodation’ option, enter value and Select ‘Save’.

The system now displays 2 Foreign Vouched Accommodation Rate overnights, a 10 hour allowance

and Hotel Accommodation for Brussels. The amount for the Hotel Accommodation is displayed but

not added to the ‘Total Claimed’ as it has been paid by the Company.

Rate details are available on Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 07/2017

Subsistence Allowances Abroad. Any queries about this Circular should be emailed to

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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4(iii) Entering Kilometres:

Select to add a new Expense Item.

Is this an expense item with foreign details: Only tick if there is foreign travel

included.

Payment by: Me (as you incurred the expenditure).

Expense Type: Select 1.4 Kilometres from dropdown menu.

Units: Enter Total Kilometres ie round trip





top of the screen.



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Select ‘Options’ – ‘Save’ or ‘Save & Add New’ and this will calculate your kilometres.

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4(iv) Entering Other Expense Items and Receipts:

Select to add a new Expense Item.

Is this an expense item with foreign details: Only tick if there is foreign travel

included.

Payment by: Me (as you incurred the expenditure).

Expense Type: Select 1.5 Public Transport from dropdown menu. Specific expense

types require receipts and when such expense types are selected, the ‘Attach Receipt’ pop

up box automatically appears on screen.

Attach Receipt: As you may have a number of receipted expenses to claim e.g.

Public Transport, Parking, Tolls etc. the best thing to do is to scan all of them onto one

document. Then save that document to your local group drive or to your personal drive on

the network. Then each time you are asked for a receipt for an expense item you can

browse to this document and attach it.

Receipt available to upload: Select receipt option from list. Complete the

‘provide a description’ field and attach the receipt document, then select ‘Save’, a message

will briefly pop up on screen to advise you that the ‘document loaded successfully’. (You will

not be able to see the receipt but it will be available to your manager when you

subsequently submit the claim).

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Value: Enter amount being claimed.





top of the screen.



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Select ‘Options’ – ‘Save’ or ‘Save & Add New’ and this will be added to the list of expense

items.

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5. Remove/Amend Expense Claims

5(i) Remove/Amend Expense Claims from Core Portal:

In the Expense Claims screen, see dropdown menu ‘Manage’. Select ‘All Expense Reports’.

This will give a list of all your expense claims. Claims that were unfinished or unused will have a

status of ‘NEW’.

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Under Actions dropdown menu, choose one of the following:

View/Update – Use to view or amend a claim

Submit – Use to submit a claim to your Approver

Unsubmit – If a claim is issued to your Approver and you want to adjust then you can

resubmit it.

Print Friendly (All) – Will print all claims listed

Print Friendly (Receipted) – Will print receipted claims only

Delete – To remove an unused or incorrect Claim from system

5(ii) Remove/Amend Expense Items from Expense Report:

In the Expense Items screen, Under Actions dropdown menu, choose one of the following:

View/Update

Receipts

Additional Information

Delete

5(iii) Amend Cost Centres/ Analysis Codes in Expense Report/Expense

Items screens:

When you save Cost Centre/Analysis Code in the Expense Report screen, the Expense Items you

create will be linked to the saved Cost Centre/Analysis Codes. When you amend the Cost

Centre/Analysis Code in the Expense Report, only new Expense items generated after the

amendment will have the new Cost Centre/Analysis Code. Previously saved Expense Items will

continue to have the original Cost Centre/Analysis Code applied.

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All Expense Items within a single claim must be assigned to the same Cost Centre/Analysis Code.

Create separate claims for Expense items that require different Cost Centre/Analysis Codes.

If you create a claim with incorrect Cost Centre/Analysis Codes, the Cost Centre/Analysis

Codes need to be amended in both the Expense Report (Trip Header) and Expense Items

(Trip Details). There are 2 options for amending the Cost Centre/Analysis Code.

Option 1:

1. The Approver should reject the Claim with the incorrect Cost Centre/ Analysis

Codes.

2. The Claimant should amend the Cost Centre/ Analysis Codes in the Expense

Report (Trip Header) and Save.

3. The Claimant should delete all Expense Items (Trip Details) as in (4 (ii) above)

and create each item again.

OR

Option 2:

1. The Approver should reject the Claim with the incorrect Cost Centre/ Analysis

Codes.

2. The Claimant should amend the Cost Centre/ Analysis Codes in the Expense

Report (Trip Header) and Save.

3. The Claimant should amend all Expense Items (Trip Details) individually by

selecting ‘View/Update’ and update the Cost Centre/Analysis Codes for each

item and Save.

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Submit:

When you have completed all your expense items, select ‘Submit’ and your claim

will be submitted to your manager for approval.

Documents

Core Portal Claimant User Guide - pssc.gov.ie · 5 3. Select New Expense Claim When you log on, you will initially see the Employee Dashboard. If you are an Approver inputting your