At a glance
Circula offers a wide range of options to tailor features to your company requirements and internal processes.
The purpose of this overview is to give you transparency about all available options in Circula โ so you can map your processes in the best possible way.
Legend
๐ข = Included as standard in your account
โ๏ธ = Free individual configuration or additional setup by Circula available
๐ = Optional paid add-on or extension
๐ก Upon request activation
If you would like to activate any of the additional settings listed below or book an add-on, please contact our Support Team or your dedicated Customer Success Manager.
๐ข Company account & process setup
The company account can be flexibly adapted to your requirements through central settings such as SSO, additional entities, custom approval & control workflows, and custom fields.
| Explanation | Availability |
Additional entities / subsidiaries | Companies with multiple legal entities can create a separate account in Circula for each entity and link them together. This allows easy switching between accounts without logging in and out again.
๐ Help Center: Multiple entities
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
SSO (Single Sign-On) | By default, users log in to Circula with email and password. Alternatively, login via SSO is available. Three configuration options are available:
Supported providers:
๐ Help Center: Single Sign-On
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Approval & control workflow for submissions | By default, submitted expenses are approved by the manager and controlled by accounting in parallel. This process can be adjusted:
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Approval flow by project | Approvers can be assigned to specific projects / cost units and approve all related expenses.
๐ Help Center: Approval flows by projects
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Pre-Approval of Trips / Travel requests | The travel request feature allows employees to get approval for trips including estimated costs before expenses are incurred. After approval, a draft trip is created automatically based on the request. If the approved amount is exceeded, managers are notified automatically.
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
Custom fields | Custom fields for submissions can be created individually. These fields do not affect other processes, are not exported, and are visible to all users. Custom fields can be shown:
Field types available:
| โ๏ธ Circula reviews feasibility individually |
Category with two booking codes | By default, each category is assigned one booking code. The category โBewirtungโ is an exception with two booking codes.
Additional categories with this behavior can be set up upon request.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Mark expenses & mileage as "non-reimbursable" | By default, expenses and mileage (except credit card expenses) are marked as reimbursable. This can be changed so they are marked as non-reimbursable by default and adjusted manually.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Bulk upload | Circula can perform bulk uploads for:
โ ๏ธ Minimum: 30 entries per configuration
| โ๏ธ Can be handled by Circula |
โ๏ธ Per diems and tax configuration
This section describes configuration options for tax and travel expense calculation logic in Circula.
Adjust VAT rates | Preconfigured VAT rates are available in Circula and can be disabled or extended upon request.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Assign wage code to a category | Wage codes can be assigned to specific categories upon request.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Adjust per diems | Circula calculates per diems and accomodation flat rate automatically based on trip data and official German Federal Ministry of Finance regulations.
Adjustments can be reviewed upon request.
๐ Help Center: Per diems | ๐ Optional paid add-on. Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
Adjust mileage | Mileage reimbursement is based on statutory German tax-free limits and travel data stored in Circula.
Adjustments can be reviewed upon request.
๐ Help Center: Mileage calculation
| โ๏ธ / ๐ Implementation feasibility and potential costs are assessed individually by Circula. |
Split per diems by cost unit / project | Expenses can be split by cost unit / project. This is not available for per diem allowances by default.
Implementation for per diems can be reviewed upon request.
| โ๏ธ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
Reverse default meal selection for per diems | By default, no meals are marked as "provided by the employer" when creating a trip. Employees actively select which meals were provided. Circula calculates the per diem allowance based on these selections.
Upon request, this logic can be reversed. In that case, all meals are preselected as "provided by the employer" by default. Employees must then actively indicate which meals were not provided. The per diem calculation starts at โฌ0 in this scenario.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Sachbezug: Working meals | Working meals are defined as meals provided by the employer during a normal working day (8 hours or less at the primary workplace).
Tax treatment is based on German Federal Ministry of Finance regulations and included in payroll exports.
๐ Help Center: Working meals | โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Federal Travel Expenses Act (Bundesreisekostengesetz - BRKG) | The German Federal Travel Expenses Act (BRKG) regulates the type and scope of travel expense reimbursement for federal employees, including civil servants, judges, and members of the armed forces.
Circula enables the automatic calculation of per diem allowances and mileage reimbursements in accordance with BRKG regulations.
๐ Help Center: Federal Travel Expenses Act | โ๏ธ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
Return after midnight (Midnight Rule) | The Midnight rule applies when a trip spans two calendar days without an overnight stay (return before 10:00 a.m.). It is treated as a single-day trip. Circula automatically detects and applies this rule.
๐ Help Center: Midnight rule | โ๏ธ Can be configured |
๐ Reduce Accounting Workload I: Automate Validation & Compliance Checks
Automated validation and compliance checks help reduce the workload for accounting teams by ensuring compliance and reducing the need for manual reviews.
Duplicate detection | Circula automatically detects potential duplicates based on:
Users with the Accountant role receive a notification within the expense whenever a potential duplicate is detected. They can then decide how to proceed with the expense.
๐ Help Center: Duplicate detection | ๐ข Already available in your account |
3-Month Rule | Per diem allowances are generally tax-free. However, once the statutory three-month period has been exceeded, they become taxable. Circula automatically displays a notification within the expense. If a trip is marked as being subject to the 3-month rule, the per diem amount is set to โฌ0 and will not be reimbursed.
โ๏ธ The 3-Month rule can be disabled upon request.
๐ Help Center: 3-Month rule | ๐ข Already available in your account |
3-Month Rule adjustment | Per diems can still be paid as taxable income after exceeding the 3-month rule.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Expense Policies | Company-specific rules and policies can be mapped in Circula using Expense policies. Admins can define spending limits for specific categories. These limits can be configured either per expense or per calendar year. Once a defined limit is reached, a notification is displayed in the expense overview for Approvers and Accountants.
๐ Help Center: Expense policies | ๐ข Already available in your account |
๐ Reduce Accounting Workload II: Control Submission Structure
By customizing the submission structure, companies can reduce missing information and ease the workload for accounting teams when controlling and processing expenses.
Require Cost Unit selection | By default, the Cost Unit / Project field is optional for Submitters.
Upon request, selecting a Cost Unit can be made mandatory.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Make Cost Centers Available to Submitters | By default, Submitters do not have access to the Cost Center field when submitting expenses. This field is typically completed by the accounting team during the control process.
Upon request, the field can also be made available to Submitters.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Accountant View for Submitters | By default, certain fields and functions within a submission are only visible to Accountants, including:
Upon request, this accountant view can also be enabled for Submitters.
โ ๏ธ Circula does not recommend this configuration, as it requires accounting expertise.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
๐ฅ Reduce the Workload for Employees and Managers
Circula supports employees and managers with various features that simplify administrative processes โ from delegating submissions to providing export functions that support private tax returns.
Assistant Mode | The Assistant function allows users to authorize other users to submit and view expenses on their behalf. Approval, control, and Admin tasks are excluded.
๐ Help Center: Assistant Mode
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Calendar integration | The Calendar Integration allows you to connect Circula with your calendar. It recognizes the participants of your meetings and automatically suggests them when submitting hospitality expenses.
You can set up the integration yourself via the Circula mobile app.
๐ Help Center: Calendar Integration
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Daily Trips | Daily trips are a special type of trip with a duration between 8 and 24 hours. They typically include a per diem allowance for travelers. With this feature, users can record and submit all relevant travel days within a selected period in a single step. Individual travel days can still be adjusted. This significantly reduces the manual effort for travelers. Employees who travel frequently, especially those working in the field, benefit from considerable time savings and simplified travel expense reporting.
๐ Help Center: Daily Trips
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
Tax Export for the private annual tax declaration | If employees travel for business, non-reimbursed per diem allowances may, under certain circumstances, be claimed in their personal tax return.
The export function allows employees and their Admins to download submitted trips as a single PDF. It provides an overview of trips, tax-free per diem thresholds, as well as reimbursed and non-reimbursed amounts to support the preparation of personal tax returns.
๐ Help Center: Tax Export
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
๐ฅ Configure Imports & Integrations: Import Data from External Systems into Circula
This section describes the available options for connecting external systems to import data into Circula, allowing processes and master data to be transferred to Circula automatically.
Corporate Credit Cards (Pliant) | Corporate credit cards provided through Pliant, as well as fully integrated Circula Credit Cards, automatically create an expense draft in Circula for every card transaction based on the transaction data.
Fully integrated Circula Credit Cards also provide complete card management directly within Circula. Admins can issue and configure cards, while cardholders can manage their cards within Circula as well. All transactions are available in real time.
The integration can be activated according to the linked documentation.
๐ Help Center: Fully Integrated Circula Credit Cards
๐ Help Center: Pliant Credit Card Integration
| ๐ข Pliant Credit Card Integration: Already available in your account
๐ Fully Integrated Circula Credit Cards: Optional paid add-on |
Personio | Companies that use both a Circula account and a Personio account can connect the two.
Through the integration, employee master data is automatically transferred from Personio to Circula. Once the setup has been completed successfully, all employees automatically receive an invitation email to Circula, eliminating the need to create users manually.
โน๏ธ If only selected employees should be transferred from Personio to Circula, a step-by-step guide is available.
You can set up the integration yourself.
โน๏ธ Upon request, adjustments to the standard integration can be made. Following an individual review by Circula and for customers above a certain company size, the transfer of additional data, such as cost centers or managers, is also possible.
๐ Help Center: Personio
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Lanes & Planes | Companies that use both a Circula account and a Lanes & Planes account can connect the two.
Through the integration, trips from Lanes & Planes are automatically created as trip drafts in Circula.
Upon request, Circula will assist you with the integration.
๐ Help Center: Lanes & Planes
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Perk | Companies that use both a Circula account and a Perk account can connect the two.
Through the integration, trips from Perk are automatically created as trip drafts in Circula.
You can set up the integration yourself.
๐ Help Center: Perk
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Onesto | Companies that use both a Circula account and an Onesto account can connect the two.
Through the integration, trips from Onesto are automatically created as trip drafts in Circula.
๐ Help Center: Onesto
| โ๏ธ / ๐ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
User Data Import | User data can be imported into Circula automatically via a CSV file or an SFTP server.
โ ๏ธ This is a custom configuration that involves additional costs and can only be implemented for customers above a certain company size. Close coordination between the customer and Circula is required for the implementation.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
Cost Unit & Cost Center Import | Cost units and cost centers can be imported into Circula automatically via a CSV file or an SFTP server.
โ ๏ธ This is a custom configuration that involves additional costs and can only be implemented for customers above a certain company size. Close coordination between the customer and Circula is required for the implementation.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
๐ Configure Exports & Integrations 1: Export from Circula to DATEV
DATEV exports from Circula can be flexibly adapted to different accounting processes and requirements.
DATEV Exports | Financial Accounting Financial accounting exports to DATEV Unternehmen online and DATEV Kanzlei-Rechnungswesen are available via direct transfer or manual download.
Payroll Accounting Payroll accounting exports to DATEV Lohn und Gehalt and DATEV LODAS are also available via direct transfer or manual download.
๐ Help Center: Financial Expense Exports
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
DATEV Eigenorganisation comfort (EOC) | EOC supports accounting firms in the efficient management of client engagements (contracts), including contract creation, time tracking, cost recording, and invoicing.
Through the integration with Circula, current EOC engagements are transferred to Circula as projects, allowing (travel) expenses to be assigned directly when they are created. The recorded costs are then transferred back to EOC in a bundled format and assigned to the corresponding engagements.
๐ Help Center: DATEV EOC
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Transfer "Purpose" as "Booking text" Text to DATEV | The "Purpose" field within a submission can be transferred as the "Booking text" to DATEV Unternehmen online.
You can configure this setting yourself in DATEV Belege online.
๐ Help Center: Export Purpose as DATEV Booking text
| โ๏ธ Can be configured directly in DATEV |
Customize the Fiscal Year | If your company uses a fiscal year that differs from the standard calendar year, the DATEV export can be adjusted accordingly.
| โ๏ธ / ๐ Implementation feasibility and potential costs are assessed individually by Circula. |
Swap KOST1 and KOST2 | By default, the Cost Center in Circula corresponds to the KOST1 field in DATEV, while the Cost Unit corresponds to KOST2.
The DATEV export can be adjusted so that the assignments of KOST1 and KOST2 are swapped.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Customize the "Booking Text" in the DATEV Format Export
| The DATEV format export is primarily used for DATEV Unternehmen Online and DATEV Kanzlei-Rechnungswesen. By default, the "Purpose" is transferred to the "Booking Text" field.
Simple adjustments โ such as adding the first and last name โ can be implemented for an additional fee. More complex adjustments, such as adding multiple fields, can also be implemented for an additional fee depending on the customer size.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility and costs are assessed individually by Circula. |
Swap "Account" and "Credit Offset Account" in the DATEV Format Export | By default, the "Creditor Number" in Circula corresponds to the "Credit Offset Account" ("Gegenkonto") in DATEV, while the "Booking code" corresponds to the "Account" ("Konto").
The DATEV format export can be adjusted so that the assignments of the Account and Credit Offset Account are swapped.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility and costs are assessed individually by Circula. |
Customize the DATEV Export | Simple adjustments to the DATEV format export, XML export, and direct transfer are possible.
โ ๏ธ This is a complex customization that involves additional costs and can only be implemented for customers above a certain company size.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
Add a Second Processing Key to the DATEV LODAS Export | Some companies use two different processing keys ("Bearbeitungsschlรผssel") in payroll accounting.
The DATEV LODAS export can be adjusted accordingly.
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
Transfer the "Cost Center" to DATEV Lohn und Gehalt | By default, the Cost Center is not transferred to DATEV Lohn und Gehalt.
The export can be adjusted accordingly.
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
๐ Configure Exports & Integrations 2: Export Data from Circula to External Systems
This section describes the options for exporting financial accounting and payroll accounting data from Circula to external systems. In addition to standard export formats, individual customizations and integrations with various accounting and ERP systems are available.
Financial & Payroll Accounting Export Formats | Financial Accounting Financial accounting exports from Circula can be processed not only in DATEV but also in other external systems. The following export formats are available:
Payroll Accounting In addition to the DATEV exports, the following format is also available for payroll accounting:
๐ Help Center: Export Expenses
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Mass Export (for Analysis Purposes) | The Mass Export enables Accountants to retrieve large volumes of data for analysis purposes โ for example, all expenses from a fiscal year โ and export them as a complete report with a single request. This significantly simplifies financial reporting and data analysis without manual effort.
๐ Help Center: Mass Export
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Customize Financial or Payroll Accounting Exports | Customizations to financial accounting (FiBu) and payroll accounting (LoBu) exports are possible, for example:
โ ๏ธ These are complex customizations that involve additional costs and can only be implemented for customers above a certain company size.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
ADDISON OneClick (Wolters Kluwer) | ADDISON can be integrated with Circula so that financial accounting data can be transferred directly.
๐ Help Center: Addison
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Diamant | Circula supports the transfer of accounting data to Diamant.
โ ๏ธ This is an integration that involves additional costs and can only be implemented for customers above a certain company size.
| ๐ Implementation feasibility is assessed individually by Circula. |
Exact Online | An integration with Exact Online can be configured. This allows reports to be generated and uploaded to Exact Online.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Business Central | An integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can be configured. This automatically transfers expense data to Business Central.
The integration is provided through a connector by Finclair, an official Microsoft partner.
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
๐ณ Manage Credit Card Processes
Additional management and control features make credit card processes more transparent, ensure expenses are assigned correctly, and make outstanding tasks easier to track.
Suppliers (External Creditors) | With this feature, Admins can assign custom names and numbers to suppliers. Users can then assign their expenses directly to the corresponding supplier. In exports, the expenses will appear under the respective supplier instead of the employee who made the payment.
๐ Help Center: Suppliers
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
Enable the Submission Deadline | With this setting, cardholders are shown the remaining submission deadline for each credit card expense draft. The deadline expires:
After the deadline has passed, the expense is marked as "Overdue."
The feature is disabled by default but can be enabled by the Admin at any time.
โ ๏ธ Note: This feature is only available to customers who manage their credit cards in Circula. If you do not see the "Credit Card Admin" tab and manage your cards through Pliant, this feature is not available.
๐ Help Center: Submission Deadline
| ๐ข Already available in your account |
Deletion of Credit Card Drafts | By default, credit card drafts can no longer be deleted by the cardholder for customers using Circula credit cards since 18 April 2024.
If the feature has not yet been enabled in your account, it can be activated by Circula.
| โ๏ธ Can be configured |
๐ฑ Go Paperless and Work More Sustainably
Circula helps companies implement paperless and digitalized processes โ with an integrated document management system (DMS) and the COโ Report for sustainability-related reporting.
Document Management System (DMS) | To comply with GoBD requirements, receipts must be archived in a revision-proof, complete, and traceable manner. A document management system is generally used for this purpose. Digital archiving enables paperless receipt management, provided the legal requirements are met.
Circula offers archiving through a software partner as an optional service.
๐ Help Center: DMS
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
COโ Report | Companies based in Germany can calculate estimated COโ emissions for the expenses and mileage processed in Circula. To calculate the COโ values, we work with our partner Lune, which provides a comprehensive database of emission factors. The COโ Report, including a summary of the calculated COโ values, can be requested as a CSV or PDF file.
๐ Help Center: COโ Report
| ๐ Optional paid add-on |
๐ Discover New Features in Beta
Circula continues to evolve on an ongoing basis. Some features are currently in the Beta Phase and are continuously being optimized. We provide you with a preview of Circulaโs further development and enable you to get to know, test, and actively help shape new features before their official release.
Invoice Management (Eingangsrechnungen) | In addition to expense and travel management, corporate credit cards, and benefits, Circula introduces โInvoice Managementโ as a new product for digital invoice processing.
Incoming invoices are automatically captured, routed through defined approval and control processes, and archived in a revision-safe manner. This fully digitizes the entire invoice intake process.
โน๏ธ The product is in the beta phase until 30/06/2026. Participants will receive a waiver of subscription fees for the first six months. If you are interested, please contact our support team, which will forward your application.
๐ Website: Invoice Management | ๐ available as a paid feature from 01/07/26 |
AI Program | Circula AI automates expense workflows, applies current rules and policies in real time, and improves the data quality of every submission.
Core AI features such as the automated receipt check are continuously being further developed.
โน๏ธ The AI program is currently in the beta phase. Companies that want to test and co-develop the features can use them free of charge during the beta phase. If you are interested, please contact our support team, which will forward your application.
๐ Video: We see you in the future of your financial operations | ๐ available as a paid feature after the beta phase |
SAP | The integration enables expenses and receipts from Circula to be exported directly to SAP S/4HANA.
โน๏ธ We welcome companies that would like to collaborate with us on further development of the connector. If you are interested, please contact our support team or your Customer Success Manager.
| ๐ Circula will assess individually whether implementation is possible for your company and what costs may apply. |
โบ Overview of the Circula Product Suite
With the Circula product suite, all core financial processes around expenses, travel, benefits, and invoices can be mapped in a single system.
Expense & Travel Management | Circula offers expense and travel management software that complies with German tax and travel expense regulations. AI-powered automation reduces manual processes and ensures efficient workflows.
๐ Website: Expense Management | ๐ Chargeable product |
Corporate Credit Cards | Circula credit cards provide an all-in-one expense management solution. Admins and cardholders can fully manage credit cards within Circula. Cards can be issued and configured directly in Circula for employees. Transactions are visible in real time. Cardholders also manage their credit card in Circula and automatically receive an expense draft for each transaction, ready for further processing and submission.
๐ Website: Corporate Credit Cards | ๐ Chargeable product |
Invoice Management | Circula digitizes the entire invoice intake process. Incoming invoices are automatically captured, routed through defined control and approval workflows, and archived in a revision-safe manner.
๐ Website: Invoice Management | ๐ available as a paid feature from 01/07/26 |
Employee Benefits | Employee benefits support net salary optimization for employees. Circula handles the administration or review of submitted benefits.
Possible benefits:
๐ Website: Employee Benefits
| ๐ Chargeable product |
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