To add a mileage claim in the Dext mobile app, add a vehicle, then go to Costs > + > Mileage claim. You can log a trip by hand or track it with GPS. The claim appears in the Costs tab as an item you can code, send for approval, and publish to your accounting software.
This article covers the Dext mobile app. For the web app, go to How mileage claims work in Dext
Before you start
Before you add a mileage claim in the Dext mobile app, check that mileage is available in your region. If your account is set to an unsupported region, the app won't show the mileage claim and vehicle options.
Mileage claims are supported in these regions:
Australia
Canada
France
United Kingdom
United States
Accounts set to other regions can't use mileage claims. This keeps mileage rates and calculations specific to each region. To ask for another region, submit a request on UserVoice
Tip: If the mileage feature isn't available in your region, you can still record and submit business travel using a mileage template. Go to How to manually submit mileage in Dext
Add, edit, or delete vehicles
To add, edit or delete a vehicle in the Dext mobile app, go to the Vehicles list in More. You need at least 1 vehicle before you can create a mileage claim.
Add a vehicle
To add a vehicle, follow these steps:
Go to More.
Under Do more with Dext, tap Vehicles.
Tap Add. If you have no vehicles yet, tap Add a vehicle.
Enter the vehicle details, including the Ownership and the Fuel type.
Tap Save.
You can also add a vehicle from the Vehicle field when you create a mileage claim. The Engine size field appears for petrol, diesel, hybrid and LPG vehicles.
Company and personal vehicles
A vehicle's Ownership is Company or Personal:
Company: the vehicle is Assigned to all users or to the users you choose.
Personal: the vehicle has a Document owner, which is the one user it belongs to.
Who can add and see vehicles
Admins, including accountants and bookkeepers working in a client account, can add company and personal vehicles and see and manage all vehicles.
Standard users can add and edit their own personal vehicles, and see the company vehicles assigned to them. They can't see other users' vehicles.
Edit or delete a vehicle
To edit or delete a vehicle, go to More > Vehicles and tap the vehicle. Change the details and tap Save, or tap Delete. You can do this at any time. Before you do, keep in mind:
Ownership: you can't change it after you save the vehicle. To use a different ownership, add a new vehicle.
Edits: changes apply only to future claims. Past claims don't change.
Deleting: if the vehicle is linked to a mileage claim, that claim is deleted too. You can't undo this.
Log a trip manually
To create a mileage claim by entering the trip yourself, start from the Costs tab:
Go to the Costs tab and tap +.
Under Create, tap Mileage claim.
Tap Log trip manually.
Tap or swipe up on Your trip.
Choose the Driver.
Choose the Vehicle, or add a new one.
Check the Date.
Enter the start in From (A) and the end in Destination (B). Tap Add destination to add a stop.
Turn on Round trip if you return to where you started.
(Optional) Enter the number of Passengers and a Description.
Tap Create.
Admins, including accountants and bookkeepers working in a client account, can choose any user as the Driver. Standard users create mileage claims for themselves.
Dext works out the Distance from the route, and you can edit it. A Round trip doubles the distance. To see how Dext worked out the amount, tap Show trip calculation. After you tap Create, you go back to Costs.
Reuse a previous trip
To repeat a trip you've recorded before, tap Previous trips on the claim form, then tap the trip. To delete a recorded trip, tap Delete under it.
Mileage for a personal vehicle
If you choose a personal vehicle, the claim form also shows Distance claimed for tax year. Your first mileage claim for a personal vehicle must include the total distance you've already claimed this tax year, including claims made outside Dext. If you haven't claimed any personal mileage this tax year, you can ignore the message.
Track a trip with GPS
To record a trip automatically, start GPS tracking before you travel:
Go to the Costs tab and tap +.
Under Create, tap Mileage claim.
Tap Start GPS tracking.
If your phone asks, allow Dext to use your location.
Start your journey. The Current trip screen shows the live distance and duration.
(Optional) Tap Pause if you stop along the way, then Resume to carry on.
Tap Finish when your journey ends.
Choose the Vehicle. Dext fills in the route and distance, but not the vehicle.
Check the other details, then tap Create.
Keep tracking while you use your phone
GPS tracking keeps running in the background, so you don't need to stay on the Current trip screen:
In Dext: tap the arrow at the top left of the Current trip screen. An Active mileage trip bar with the live distance and time shows above the tab bar. Tap the bar to go back to the Current trip screen.
On your lock screen: your phone shows the live distance and duration.
In Low Power Mode: the trip keeps recording, but your phone may space out GPS updates. For details, go to "What does "Low Power Mode is on" mean during GPS tracking?" in this article.
Delete a trip you're recording
To discard a trip, tap Delete at the top right of the Current trip screen, then tap Delete to confirm. To see the trips you've recorded, tap Previous trips on the claim form.
You can still edit the route before you tap Create. Change the start or the destination, add a stop, or turn on Round trip, and Dext recalculates the distance.
Location permissions for GPS tracking
To use GPS tracking, Dext needs access to your location. Your phone asks for it the first time you start tracking, and you can choose Allow Once, Allow While Using App or Don't Allow. You can change the permission at any time in your phone's settings.
If location access is turned off, GPS tracking isn't available. You can still log a trip manually.
What happens after you create a mileage claim
After you create a mileage claim in the Dext mobile app, it goes straight to the Costs tab as an item with the type Mileage. You can code it, add it to an expense claim, or request approval and publish it.
Keep two things in mind:
Supplier and category: the item shows To review until it has a Supplier and Category, and you can't publish it or request approval before then. If an admin has set a default supplier and category for mileage, Dext fills them in for you. Defaults can only be set in the Dext web app. For steps, go to How to manage mileage settings and rates in Dext
Trip details: the Mileage details section is read-only. You can code the item, but you can't change the trip. To change a trip, delete the item and create the mileage claim again.
To publish the item or request approval, swipe right on it in the Costs tab. Swipe left to archive or delete it. To add it to an expense claim, open it and tap … at the top right.
For details, go to Publish items from the Dext mobile app and How do I manage expense claims in the Dext mobile app?
Note: Fuel receipts aren't part of a mileage claim. To process a fuel receipt, scan or upload it as its own item. For steps, go to How to scan and upload documents in the Dext mobile app
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I see the Mileage claim option?
Mileage claims are only available in Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. If your account is set to another region, the option doesn't appear.
Can I repeat a trip I've already recorded?
Yes. On the mileage claim form, tap Previous trips, then tap the trip you want to reuse. You still create one claim for each trip. Turn on Round trip to include the way back in the same claim.
Why is the Vehicle field empty after I finish a GPS trip?
Dext fills in the route and distance from your GPS trip, but not the vehicle. Choose the Vehicle on the claim form before you tap Create.
Why can't I change a vehicle's ownership?
A vehicle's Ownership is greyed out once the vehicle is saved. Add a new vehicle with the ownership you need, and use that for your claim.
Can I edit a mileage claim after I create it?
You can code the item, but you can't change the trip details. To change a trip, delete the item in Costs and create the mileage claim again.
Can I add a fuel receipt to a mileage claim?
No. Fuel receipts aren't part of a mileage claim. Scan or upload the receipt as its own item. For steps, go to How to scan and upload documents in the Dext mobile app
What does "Low Power Mode is on" mean during GPS tracking?
Your phone can show "Low Power Mode is on" while you track a trip. The trip keeps recording, but iOS may space out GPS updates. For the most accurate distance, turn off Low Power Mode in your phone's Settings.