Set up employee expense management in QuickBooks Online Advanced

Learn how to set up your employees who do not yet have a QuickBooks Online account so they can submit their expense claims for you to review and record the transactions that match.

Then, employees can learn how to submit expenses for their company.

In this article, you'll learn:

• Give employees access to submit expense claims
• Turn on expense submission notifications
• Manage expense categories
• Review claims and create expenses
• Submit expenses as an employee

Note: To assign expense claims to an employee, they have to be set up with a new QuickBooks Online user.

Give employees access to submit expense claims

There are 2 ways you can give your employees access to submit expense claims on QuickBooks Online:

Assign access from the manage users option by using a role which provides access to expense claims

1. In QuickBooks Online, select Settings ⚙, then select Manage users.
2. Select Add user, then enter the employee’s name and email address.
   Note: Special characters aren’t allowed other than a period in the user’s name. For the email field, you can use a period and the @ symbol.
3. Select the Roles ▼ dropdown, then select the role, Track time and submit expense claims.
4. Review the features this role gives access to. You can expand each section.
5. In the time tracking section, select sync team member to link this user to an employee or supplier record in your QuickBooks.
6. Choose from existing employees and suppliers present in your QuickBooks or choose to add a new one by selecting + add new.
7. A right side drawer opens where you add the new supplier or employee. Switch between adding a supplier or employee using the contact type field at the top of the drawer.
8. Enter contact details of the supplier or employee, then select Save.
9. With the employee or supplier details entered, they will now appear in the sync your team member pop-up and select Sync.
10. Select Send invitation.

Note: If you use QuickBooks Online Payroll, you'll need to add an employee there first, then select them from the sync team member pop-up in step 6.

Assign access from the expense claims page

1. In QuickBooks Online, go to Expenses or Sales & Expenses, then Expense claims. 
2. Select Manage settings.
3. Select Manage users.
4. Here, you can see a list of employees who have been assigned expense claims access.
5. Select Add user.
6. You will be redirected to the add user page where you can enter the employee’s name and email address.
   Note: Special characters aren’t allowed other than a period in the employee’s name. For the email field, you can use a period and the @ symbol.
7. The track time and submit expense claims role will be pre-selected. 
8. Review the features this role gives access to. You can expand each section.
9. In the time tracking section, click on sync team member to link this user to an employee or supplier record in your QuickBooks.
10. You can choose from existing employees and suppliers present in your QuickBooks or choose to add a new one by clicking on + add new. 
11. A right side drawer opens where you can add the new supplier or employee. You can switch between adding a supplier or employee using the contact type field in the drawer.
12. Enter the contact details of the supplier or employee, and then select Save. 
13. With the employee or supplier details entered, they will now appear in the sync your team member pop-up and select Sync.
14. Select Send invitation.

Note: If you use QuickBooks Online Payroll, you'll need to add an employee there, first and then select them from the sync team member pop-up in step 9.

Turn on expense submission notifications

Note: All administrators in your account will receive an email notification. 

1. In QuickBooks Online, go to Expenses or Sales & Expenses, then Expense claims. 
2. Select Manage settings. 
3. Select Notify me when an employee submits an expense. 
4. Select Done.

Manage expense categories

Set up category nicknames so it’s easier for your employees to assign the correct category to an expense.

1. In QuickBooks Online, go to Expenses or Sales & Expenses, then Expense claims. 
2. Select Manage settings.
3. Select Manage categories to edit categories employees can select.
4. Enter a nickname, then choose the category it belongs to.
   1. For example: Use the nickname "Client meals" for the "Meals & Entertainment" category to keep it simple.
5. Select Save. 
6. In the Action column, select Edit if you need to make any changes to that category.
   1. Select Make inactive to remove that category from employee view. 
   2. To hide/view any previously disabled categories, select the gear icon, then Show inactive or Hide inactive.

Review claims and create expenses

1. In QuickBooks Online, go to Expenses or Sales & Expenses, then Expense claims. 
2. In the For review tab, select a receipt.
3. Review the details, add info, select/enter sales taxes, and make any necessary adjustments. 
4. Select Save and next, then Create expense.

Submit expenses as an employee

First, accept the email invitation to access your company's QuickBooks Online account. Then, you can submit expenses on a mobile device or computer for tracking or reimbursement.  

On mobile

1. On your mobile device, open a web browser* and sign in to QuickBooks.
2. *Note: Expenses claims cannot be submitted through the QuickBooks mobile app. You can use a mobile web browser.
3. Go to Expenses or Sales & expenses, then Expense claims.
4. Select New expense claim.
5. Do one of the following:
   • To take a photo or choose an image from your photo library, select Use receipt capture.
     1. Make sure the photo looks good, then select Next. 
     2. Make sure the info pulled from the receipt is correct, and make adjustments if necessary*. 
        *Note: The expense ‘Amount’ should include sales taxes paid.
     3. (optional) Select I need to be reimbursed.
     4. Add the supplier, category, and business purpose.
     5. Select Submit for review. 
   • If you don’t have a receipt, select Enter expense manually.
     1. Enter the amount.
     2. (optional) Select I need to be reimbursed.
     3. If necessary, add the transaction date.
     4. Add the supplier, category, and business purpose.
     5. Then select Submit for review.

On a computer

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online, go to Expenses or Sales & Expenses, then Expense claims.
2. Select New expense claim.
3. Do one of the following:
   • To choose a file or photo, go to Upload receipt.
     1. Select the receipt to upload.
     2. Make sure the photo or file looks good, then select Upload. 
     3. Make sure the info pulled from the receipt is correct, and make adjustments if necessary*.
        *Note: The expense 'Amount' should include sales taxes paid.
     4. (optional) Select I need to be reimbursed.
     5. Add the supplier, category, and business purpose.
     6. Select Submit for review. 
   • If you don’t have a receipt, select Enter expense info manually.
     1. Enter the amount.
     2. (optional) Select I need to be reimbursed.
     3. If necessary, add the transaction date.
     4. Add the supplier, category, and business purpose.
     5. Then select Submit for review.