What is the most important requirement for completing a travel expense report?

The most important requirement for completing a travel expense report is receipts. Receipts serve as the primary documentation that verifies expenses incurred during a business trip and are critical for accounting and reimbursement processes. They provide proof of payment for items such as transportation, lodging, meals, and other business-related expenses, ensuring compliance with company policies and financial regulations. Without receipts, it would be challenging to justify the claimed expenses, increasing the risk of audit discrepancies and delaying reimbursement.

While details of the trip, time taken, and purpose of the trip are important for context and understanding the expenses, they do not suffice for validating the financial claims made in the expense report. Receipts are the essential component that verifies the legitimacy of the claimed expenses, making them the most critical requirement.