Expense Management & Approval Workflows

Manage task-related expenses with a comprehensive approval system that tracks costs from submission through billing. Submit expenses for approval, review and approve or reject submissions, then automatically bill approved costs to your listing's accounting ledger.

Getting Started

Submitting an Expense

1. Navigate to your task — Go to Tasks and open any active task
2. Find the Expenses section — Look for the "Expenses" tab or section within the task details
3. Click "Add Expense" — This opens the expense submission form
4. Fill in the details:
   • Title: Brief description (e.g., "Plumbing supplies for bathroom repair")
   • Amount: Enter the cost and select currency
   • Category: Choose from maintenance, supplies, services, cleaning, or other
   • Description: Add detailed notes about the expense
   • Receipt: Upload a photo or scan of your receipt
5. Submit for approval — Click "Submit" to send the expense to your manager

[Screenshot: Expense submission form showing all required fields]

Approving Expenses (Managers)

1. Go to Expenses Dashboard — Navigate to Tasks → Expenses or use the main Expenses section
2. Switch to Board View — On desktop, use the visual Kanban board to see expenses by status
3. Review submitted expenses:
   • Click on any expense card to see full details
   • Review the amount, description, and uploaded receipt
   • Check that the expense relates to the associated task
4. Make your decision:
   • Approve: Click "Approve" to move the expense forward
   • Reject: Click "Reject" and add a reason for the team member

[Screenshot: Kanban board showing expenses in different status columns]

How It Works

The expense system follows a clear four-stage workflow that you can track visually:

Submitted → Approved → Billed → Complete

What Happens Automatically

• Expense tracking: Every expense gets a unique ID and timestamp
• Status updates: Team members see real-time status changes on their submissions
• Ledger integration: Approved expenses automatically post to your listing's accounting records
• Audit trail: The system tracks who approved, rejected, or billed each expense with timestamps
• Receipt storage: Uploaded receipts are securely stored and linked to the expense record

Visual Organization

Desktop: Use the Kanban board view to drag expenses between status columns and get a quick overview of your expense pipeline.

Mobile: Switch to the streamlined card list view that's optimized for smaller screens while maintaining all functionality.

[Screenshot: Mobile card list view showing expense summaries]

Key Features

• Four-bucket status tracking — See expenses organized by Submitted, Approved, Rejected, and Billed • Manager-level permissions — Only owners, admins, and managers can approve or reject expenses • Automatic ledger billing — Approved expenses post directly to your listing's accounting records • Receipt management — Upload and store receipts with each expense for complete documentation • Bulk operations — Approve or bill multiple expenses at once to save time • Advanced filtering — Filter by status, listing, date range, category, or specific tasks • CSV export — Export filtered expense data for external accounting or reporting • Expense categories — Organize costs by maintenance, supplies, services, cleaning, and more • Rejection workflow — Rejected expenses can be edited and resubmitted with updates • Real-time updates — See status changes immediately across all devices

Tips & Best Practices

For Team Members:

• Always upload clear photos of receipts before submitting
• Write descriptive titles that explain what the expense covers
• Submit expenses promptly while details are fresh in your mind
• Include the listing address or unit number in descriptions for multi-property managers

For Managers:

• Set up regular review times to prevent expense backlogs
• Use bulk approval for routine, pre-approved expense types
• Add clear rejection reasons to help team members improve future submissions
• Check that expenses align with the associated task scope and budget
• Use filters to focus on specific properties or time periods during review

Organization:

• Establish expense limits that require pre-approval for larger purchases
• Create standard categories that match your accounting system
• Use the date range filters for monthly expense reviews and reporting
• Export data regularly for backup and integration with external accounting tools

Common Questions

Can I edit an expense after submitting it?
Once submitted, expenses can only be edited by managers or if they're rejected and returned to you. If you need to make changes, contact your manager or wait for the approval process.

What happens to rejected expenses?
Rejected expenses return to "Submitted" status and can be edited and resubmitted. You'll see the manager's rejection reason to help you make necessary corrections.

How quickly do approved expenses appear in my listing's accounting?
Once a manager clicks "Bill" on an approved expense, it immediately posts to your listing's ledger. You can see this reflected in your financial reports right away.