Mileage Reimbursement

Excel Formulas › Automotive & Fleet

All versions

Reimburse business driving at a per-mile rate. Multiply miles by the rate for the amount owed — the everyday math for expense reports and employee mileage claims.

Quick formula: reimbursement from miles and rate:
=business_miles * rate_per_mile
Business miles times the per-mile rate gives the reimbursement amount.

The example

340 miles at $0.67/mile.

AB
1ItemValue
2Miles340
3× $0.67→ $227.80

The formula

The formula:

=business_miles * rate_per_mile // miles × rate

How it works

How it works:

  1. Multiply business miles by the per-mile rate.
  2. Total a log with SUMPRODUCT(miles, rate) or SUM(miles) × rate if the rate is constant.
  3. Subtract any commute miles that aren’t reimbursable first.
  4. Keep the rate in a cell so a yearly rate change is one edit across the sheet.

Compare reimbursement to actual cost. A flat per-mile rate is meant to cover fuel, maintenance, and depreciation. For a fuel-efficient car the rate may exceed actual cost (a small gain to the driver); for a thirsty truck it may fall short. Tracking reimbursement - actual_cost_per_mile × miles shows who’s over- or under-covered.

Try it: interactive demo

Live demo

Business miles and rate per mile.

Reimbursement:

Variations

Total a log

Many trips:

=SUM(miles_range) * rate

Net of commute

Exclude commute:

=(total_miles - commute_miles) * rate

Tiered rate

Rate by band:

=SUMPRODUCT(miles_in_band, band_rates)

Pitfalls & errors

Business miles only. Personal and commute miles usually aren’t reimbursable.

Rate changes yearly. Keep it in one cell to update easily.

Keep a log. Document dates and purpose for each trip.

Practice workbook

📊
Download the free Mileage Reimbursement practice workbook
A mileage-reimbursement sheet with the log-total, net-of-commute, and tiered variants, plus 4 challenges with answers. No sign-up required.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate mileage reimbursement in Excel?
Multiply business miles by the rate: =business_miles * rate_per_mile. 340 miles at $0.67 is $227.80.
How do I total a whole mileage log?
Use =SUM(miles_range) * rate, or =SUMPRODUCT(miles, rate) if rates vary.
Do commute miles count?
Usually not — subtract them first: =(total_miles - commute_miles) * rate.

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