Update Approve-travel-expenses.md

Author: maddylewis

docs/articles/new-expensify/travel/Approve-travel-expenses.md

@@ -1,64 +1,80 @@
 ---
-title: Approve travel expenses
-description: Determine how travel expenses are approved
+title: Set and Approve Travel Expenses
+description: Learn how travel approvals work and how to configure Soft, Hard, or Passive approval methods for Expensify Travel.
+keywords: [New Expensify, travel approvals, travel booking policy, soft approval, hard approval, passive approval, Expensify Travel, travel expense settings]
 ---
 
+<div id="new-expensify" markdown="1">
+
 Travel expenses follow the same approval workflow as other expenses. Admins can configure travel expenses to be approved as soft approval, hard approval or passive approval. The approval method for in-policy and out-of-policy bookings can be managed under the **Policies** section in the **Program** menu for Expensify Travel.
 
 Trip itineraries are maintained with complete booking information, ensuring accurate trip details are always available regardless of how individual expenses are handled. 
- 
-- **Soft Approval**: Bookings are automatically approved as long as a manager does not decline them within 24 hours. However, this also means that if a manager does not decline the expenses, the arrangements will be booked even if they are out of policy. If a booking is declined, it is refunded based on the voiding/refund terms of the service provider.
-- **Hard Approval**: Bookings are automatically canceled/voided and refunded if a manager does not approve them within 24 hours. 
-- **Passive Approval**: Managers are informed of out-of-policy travel, but there is no action to be taken.
 
-# Set Approval Method
+---
+
+# Travel Approval Methods
 
-1. Click the + icon in the left-side navigation menu and select **Book travel**. 
-2. Click **Book or manage travel**. 
-3. Click the **Program** tab at the top and select **Policies**.
-4. Under General, select approval methods for Flights, Hotels, Cars and Rail.
+You can choose one of three approval types for each booking type (flights, hotels, cars, rail):
+
+- **Soft approval**: Bookings are auto-approved unless declined within 24 hours. If no action is taken, the booking is confirmed—even if it's out of policy.
+- **Hard approval**: Bookings are only confirmed if approved within 24 hours. If no action is taken, the booking is automatically canceled and refunded.
+- **Passive approval**: Managers are notified of out-of-policy travel but no action is required.
+
+---
+
+# How to Set Travel Approval Rules
+
+1. In the left-hand menu, select **Travel**.
+2. Click **Book or manage travel**.
+3. Go to the **Program** tab and select **Policies**.
+4. Under **General**, choose approval settings for **Flights**, **Hotels**, **Cars**, and **Rail**.
 
 ![Screenshot of Expensify Travel policy approval settings](https://help.expensify.com/assets/images/Travel_Policy.png){:width="100%"}
 
-# Approve Travel
+---
 
-![Screenshot of Expensify Travel approval email](https://help.expensify.com/assets/images/travel-soft-approval.png){:width="100%"}
+# Approve Travel
 
 ## Soft Approval
 
-Once an employee has booked a trip, their approver will receive an email notifying them of the booking with a prompt to decline it if needed. 
+Once a trip is booked, the approver receives an email with the option to decline the booking:
 
-- To approve the booking, no action is required. 
-- To decline the booking, click **Decline booking** within 24 hours. Then click **Deny Booking**.
+- **To approve**: No action needed.
+- **To decline**: Click **Decline booking** within 24 hours, then click **Deny Booking**.
+
+![Screenshot of Expensify Travel approval email](https://help.expensify.com/assets/images/travel-soft-approval.png){:width="100%"}
 
 ## Hard Approval
 
-Once an employee has booked a trip, their approver will receive an email notifying them of the booking with a prompt to accept or decline the booking.
+Approvers receive an email with action buttons:
 
-To approve the booking, click **Approve booking**. Then click **Approve**.
-To decline the booking, click **Decline booking**. Then click **Deny**. 
+- **To approve**: Click **Approve booking**, then **Approve**.
+- **To decline**: Click **Decline booking**, then **Deny**.
+
+---
 
 # FAQ
 
-## Are extended approval windows given for trips booked over the weekend or during company holidays?
+## How long is the approval window for hard approvals? 
+
+The hard approval timeline follows fixed rules:
+
+**Hard Approval Timing Rules:**
+- Explicit approval is required for the booking to proceed.
+- If approved or declined within the void window, action is taken accordingly.
+- If no response, the system auto-voids when the window expires.
 
-No, the approval window follows specific rules for Hard Approvals:
+**Minimum approval window:**
+- 48 hours or the refund window (whichever is shorter).
+- If the refund window is longer than 48 hours, ➝ the approval window is 48 hours.
+- If travel starts in less than 48 hours, ➝ the approval window ends at travel start time.
 
-**Hard Approvals: Approval Window Rules**
-- **Approval Required:** The approver must take explicit action—either approve or deny the booking.
-- **Time-Sensitive Decision:**
-  - If approved within the void window ➝ booking proceeds.
-  - If denied within the void window ➝ ticket is voided.
-  - If no action is taken ➝ auto-void occurs when the void window expires.
-- **Minimum approval window:**
-  - 48 hours or the full refund window (whichever is shorter).
-  - If refund window > 48h ➝ approval window = 48 hours.
-  - If travel starts in <48h ➝ approval window = until travel starts. 
+## What happens if the approver is out of office?
 
-## How does Expensify Travel handle approvals when the assigned approver is out of office? 
+Expensify does not support delegated travel approval. We recommend assigning multiple approvers to avoid delays.
 
-It is recommended to have multiple approvers for travel, as there is no delegated approval for out-of-office approvers.
+## Can a traveler upload documents during trip approval?
 
-## Can travelers upload a document when submitting a trip for approval?
+No. Travelers can’t upload documents during the booking flow, but you can enable a **reason code** field for out-of-policy trips at checkout. Travelers can later attach documents when submitting the expense report in Expensify.
 
-Travelers are unable to add a document when submitting a trip for approval, but the company can add a ‘reason code’ in the Out of Policy rules that the traveler can complete at checkout. The traveler can then add the document to the expense report in Expensify when submitting the report. 
+</div>