Information required for all catering
Regardless of the occasion, you must always state:
- Date
- Location
- Purpose of the event
- Participants – both internal and external
Catering
When ordering or covering catering at DTU, there are a few rules and documentation requirements you should always be aware of. This page provides you with a quick overview of what information you need to provide and which rules apply in different situations, such as meetings, courses or representation.
When ordering or covering catering at DTU, specific documentation requirements and rules apply regarding what may be covered.
Below, you will first find the general requirements, followed by rules based on the type of event.
How to provide information regarding catering
How you document the required information depends on how the catering was purchased.
DTU credit card or cash reimbursement
If you purchase catering using a DTU credit card or pay out of pocket, the expense must be settled in DTU Expense. You can enter the required information in the comment fields or attach supporting documentation.
Orders from the canteen supplier
If you order catering from Compass Group, the relevant information must be entered directly in Compass Group's ordering system..
Orders via annual purchase orders
If you order catering via an annual purchase order, e.g. Ebager or Lyngby Smørrebrød, the information must be available upon request, for example via internal meeting invitations, agendas, or similar documentation.
Other cases
In all other cases, the information must be provided upon request from AØR.
How to document participants
Different documentation requirements apply depending on the type of participant group.
Entire units at DTU
If the meeting involves a whole organisational unit (e.g. a department or section), it is sufficient to state the name of the unit and the total number of employees. Absences such as sick leave do not need to be considered.
Other meetings
You must state the specific participants. DTU employees may be listed using initials. External participants must never be listed with full names, regardless of the occasion.
Open events without participant lists (e.g. open house events or anniversaries)
If it is not possible to create a participant list, you may instead attach a public announcement of the event, such as an invitation or advertisement.
Expenses may be covered for limited catering in connection with meetings and internal work‑related or social events. Catering should generally be limited to coffee/tea/water and possibly bread, fruit, or a light lunch for full‑day events.
Meetings with internal participants only should not be held at restaurants.
As a general rule, meetings with external participants should be held in DTU's canteens or at the Faculty Club.
Reasonable expenses for coffee and tea may be covered.
Fruit schemes may be covered subject to approval by the Head of Department/Division Director. Supplies may be purchased for limited catering at meetings (e.g. biscuits). In such cases, standard documentation requirements (purpose and participants) do not apply at the time of purchase.
Expenses may be covered for limited catering in connection with courses. Catering should be limited to coffee/tea/water, possibly with bread and fruit. If the course takes place over lunchtime, a limited lunch (e.g. a sandwich) may be ordered.
Courses involving internal participants only must always be held on DTU Campus.
As a rule, expenses for restaurant visits are not covered for internal meetings.
Other internal work‑related or social events may be held off campus at restaurants or venues offering restaurant‑style catering, where lunch may be served.
In connection with internal events, expenses may be covered for a reasonably priced dinner at a restaurant.
You can find more information about DTU's guidelines for events here.
Spouses and companions
Expenses may not be covered for spouses, family members or other companions attending restaurant events.
Tips
In Denmark, tipping is normally included in the bill. Any additional tip must be paid privately.
PhD defence
Following a PhD defence, expenses may be covered for a reasonably priced restaurant dinner for the PhD graduate, external examiner, mentor, supervisors, etc.
Contact
Gitte Hurup Finance and Accounting ghhe@adm.dtu.dk
Related Pages
Management responsibility and spending limits
Please note that there are no fixed spending limits for catering. The assessment of whether an expense is reasonable lies within management responsibility and must always reflect both the purpose of the event and the group of participants.
You can read more about management responsibility and financial frameworks here
Alcohol policy
According to DTU’s alcohol policy, alcohol must not be served during working hours.
You can find DTU’s alcohol policy here.
Purchasing catering correctly
Catering must always be purchased in accordance with DTU's procurement rules. Depending on the type and amount of the purchase, this may be done using a DTU credit card, via a catalogue, or through an annual purchase order.
You can read more about how to make a purchase at DTU here.