What this tool does
Per diem is a daily allowance paid to cover food and small costs while travelling for work or with a group. The fair amount changes by city, because a day in an expensive capital costs far more than a day in a small town. It also changes by day type: a full day away deserves the full rate, while a travel day with only dinner away deserves half. This planner handles both differences. You enter a daily rate per city, the number of full days, and the number of half days. The tool works out each city allowance and the total, so nobody is overpaid or left short.
How to use it
Add one row per city on the trip. Type the city name, the daily rate that applies there, how many full days you will spend there, and how many half days. Half days pay exactly half the daily rate, which is the standard rule most organisations use. Press the button and read the table: each city allowance on its own line and the grand total below. If a rate changes, update that row and press again. The maths is simple on purpose, because per diem disputes almost always come from unclear rules, not from complex calculations, and a clear table settles them fast.
A worked example
Consider a work trip with three cities. The capital pays 80 a day for three full days and one half day, which is 280. The second city pays 60 a day for two full days, which is 120. The third city pays 50 a day for one full day and two half days, which is 100. The total allowance is 500. Without the half-day rule, the same trip might pay 80 for a day when only dinner was eaten away, or pay nothing for it. Both errors cause arguments. The table shows the rule applied the same way in every city, which is what makes the payment feel fair to everyone.
Tips for fair per diem plans
First, set rates from real prices, not from old company tables. A rate fixed five years ago can be far below current food prices in that city. Second, define a half day in writing before the trip: a day with travel in the morning or evening, for example, counts as half. Third, keep hotel costs separate from per diem, because mixing them hides both numbers and invites double counting. Fourth, pay the allowance before the trip when possible, so travellers are not lending their own money to the journey. Fifth, keep the exported plan with receipts, so finance teams can check the total in minutes.
Common questions
What counts as a half day? Any day when you are away for only part of the day, usually a departure or arrival day. Should the rate include transport? Local transport is often included in per diem, while flights and hotels are handled separately, but check your own policy first. Can rates differ within one city? Yes, add the city twice with different rates and day counts if weekends differ from weekdays. Is my data stored? No, the planner runs fully in your browser and sends nothing online, so rates and trips stay private.
Before the trip checklist
Put the per diem rules in writing before anyone travels, even for a small team trip, because verbal rules are remembered differently by everyone. State the daily rate per city, what counts as a half day, whether local transport is included, and when the money is paid. Run the planner with those rules and share the table with the whole group, so the total is agreed before departure. Keep the printed table with the trip paperwork, and if a city changes mid-trip, recalculate that city row at once and note the change. Clear rules and one shared table turn per diem from a source of friction into a quiet background detail.
Spanish version: Planificador de Dietas de Viaje – Sin Registro Necesario, Para Cada Viajero