> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pluvel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Expense Reports
> Let employees submit expenses for reimbursement.
Your employees buy things for the business — client dinners, travel, supplies. Expense reports give them a way to submit those purchases for reimbursement without you chasing receipts.
## How It Works
1. Employee spends their own money on something for work
2. They submit an expense report with receipts
3. You (or a manager) approve it
4. They get reimbursed
Simple. The complexity is in the details: categories, policies, approvals, receipt requirements.
## Employee View
Employees access expense reports through their Pluvel account (or the mobile app).
**Submit an expense:**
* Enter the amount, date, vendor, and category
* Upload a photo of the receipt
* Add notes if needed
* Submit for approval
**View status:**
* Pending (waiting for approval)
* Approved (waiting for payment)
* Reimbursed (done)
* Rejected (with reason)
Employees don't need full Pluvel access. You can invite them as "expense only" users who can only submit and view their own expenses.
## Submitting Expenses
Employees can submit expenses:
**One at a time** — Bought lunch with a client? Submit it immediately from your phone.
**As a batch** — Traveling for a week? Save expenses, then submit them all as one report when you're back.
**From email** — Forward receipts to [expenses@yourcompany.pluvel.com](mailto:expenses@yourcompany.pluvel.com). We'll create draft expenses from them.
The mobile app is the easiest way to submit expenses. Snap a photo of the receipt, add details, submit. Takes 30 seconds.
## Expense Policies
Set rules for what's allowed:
| Policy | Example |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Spending limits | Meals up to $50, flights up to $500 |
| Required receipts | Receipts required over \$25 |
| Categories allowed | Only Travel, Meals, and Supplies |
| Pre-approval required | Amounts over \$200 need pre-approval |
Go to **Settings → Expenses → Policies** to configure.
Expenses that violate policy get flagged. You can still approve them, but you'll see the warning.
## Approval Workflows
Configure who approves what:
**Default approver** — One person approves all expenses (common for small teams)
**Manager approval** — Expenses go to the submitter's manager
**Threshold-based** — Under $100 auto-approves, over $100 needs manual approval
**Multi-level** — Under $500 goes to manager, over $500 needs owner approval too
Set this up in **Settings → Expenses → Approvals**.
## Approving Expenses
As an approver, you'll see pending expenses in your dashboard and get email notifications.
For each expense:
* View the receipt
* Check the amount and category
* See any policy violations
* Approve or reject (with a reason)
Approve multiple expenses at once if they all look fine. Or review each individually if you want.
## Reimbursement
Approved expenses need to be paid. Options:
**Add to payroll** — Reimbursements go out with the next paycheck. Tax-free, but only works on pay dates.
**Direct reimbursement** — Pay immediately via bank transfer. Separate from payroll.
**Manual** — You write a check or Venmo them. Just mark it as reimbursed in Pluvel.
Configure your default reimbursement method in **Settings → Expenses → Reimbursement**.
## Categories
Standard expense categories:
* Travel (flights, hotels, car rental)
* Meals & Entertainment
* Office Supplies
* Software & Subscriptions
* Professional Development
* Client Expenses (reimbursable to client)
* Other
Add custom categories in **Settings → Expenses → Categories**. Categories map to your chart of accounts for proper expense tracking.
## Mileage Tracking
For employees using their personal vehicles:
1. Create an expense with category "Mileage"
2. Enter miles driven
3. Pluvel calculates reimbursement at the IRS rate (\$0.67/mile for 2024)
You can set a custom rate if your company pays differently.
## Receipt Requirements
Receipts matter for:
* Tax deductions (you need documentation)
* Audit trails (proving the expense was legitimate)
* Fraud prevention (employees can't just make up expenses)
Pluvel stores receipts attached to expenses. They're searchable and backed up.
Missing receipts for expenses over \$75 are generally not deductible. Enforce receipt requirements to protect your tax deductions.
## Reporting
**Expense Summary** — Total expenses by category, employee, or time period.
**Policy Violations** — How often expenses exceed limits or miss receipts.
**Reimbursement Aging** — Approved expenses waiting for payment.
Find these in **Reports → Expenses**.
## Tips for Employees
* Submit promptly. Don't hoard receipts for months.
* Take clear photos. Blurry receipts get rejected.
* Include business purpose. "Client lunch" not just "Chipotle."
* Check your category. Miscategorized expenses delay approval.
## Tips for Approvers
* Set up policies and let them do the work. You shouldn't manually check if lunch was under \$50.
* Approve in batches. Once a week is usually fine unless it's time-sensitive.
* Communicate rejections. "Rejected - missing receipt" helps employees fix it.
Manage receipt capture and storage.
Reimburse expenses through payroll.