Expense Status Workflow¶

Visual guide to how expenses and reports move through the system.

Expense Lifecycle¶

┌─────────────┐
│   DRAFT     │  You're still editing
│  (gray)     │  Not yet submitted
└──────┬──────┘
       │ Submit
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│  SUBMITTED  │  Waiting for approval
│  (orange)   │  In manager's queue
└──────┬──────┘
       │
       ├──────────────────────┐
       │ Approve              │ Reject
       ▼                      ▼
┌─────────────┐        ┌─────────────┐
│  APPROVED   │        │  REJECTED   │
│  (green)    │        │   (red)     │
└──────┬──────┘        └──────┬──────┘
       │                      │
       │ Process Payout       │ Edit & Resubmit
       ▼                      │
┌─────────────┐               │
│    PAID     │◄──────────────┘
│  (purple)   │  (after fixing issues)
└─────────────┘

Status Reference¶

Status	Color	Meaning	What You Can Do
Draft	Gray	Not submitted	Edit, delete, add receipts
Submitted	Orange	Awaiting approval	Wait for manager review
Approved	Green	Ready for payment	Wait for reimbursement
Rejected	Red	Needs changes	Edit and resubmit
Paid	Purple	Reimbursed	Download for records

Report Lifecycle¶

Reports follow a similar flow but may have multiple approval levels:

┌─────────────┐
│   DRAFT     │  Adding expenses to report
└──────┬──────┘
       │ Submit
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│  SUBMITTED  │  In approval queue
└──────┬──────┘
       │
       ├─────────────────────────────────────┐
       │                                     │
       ▼                                     ▼
┌─────────────┐                       ┌─────────────┐
│   MANAGER   │                       │  REJECTED   │
│  APPROVED   │                       │  (by any    │
│  (if multi- │                       │   level)    │
│   level)    │                       └─────────────┘
└──────┬──────┘
       │ (if Finance approval required)
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│   FINANCE   │
│  APPROVED   │
└──────┬──────┘
       │ (if Admin approval required)
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│   ADMIN     │
│  APPROVED   │
└──────┬──────┘
       │ Payout
       ▼
┌─────────────┐
│    PAID     │
└─────────────┘

Multi-Level Approval Thresholds¶

Your organization may require additional approvals based on amount:

Amount	Required Approvals
Under $500	Manager only
$500 - $2,000	Manager + Finance
Over $2,000	Manager + Finance + Admin

Check Your Organization Settings

Thresholds vary by organization. Contact your admin for specific limits.

Common Scenarios¶

Scenario 1: Simple Expense¶

Employee uploads receipt
       │
       ▼
Creates expense (Draft)
       │
       ▼
Submits expense (Submitted)
       │
       ▼
Manager approves (Approved)
       │
       ▼
Finance processes payout (Paid)

Timeline: 2-5 business days total

Scenario 2: Rejected and Resubmitted¶

Employee submits expense
       │
       ▼
Manager rejects (missing receipt)
       │
       ▼
Employee adds receipt
       │
       ▼
Employee resubmits
       │
       ▼
Manager approves
       │
       ▼
Paid

Scenario 3: Large Expense Report¶

Employee creates report with $3,000 total
       │
       ▼
Submits report
       │
       ▼
Manager approves (Level 1)
       │
       ▼
Finance approves (Level 2, because > $500)
       │
       ▼
Admin approves (Level 3, because > $2,000)
       │
       ▼
Finance processes payout
       │
       ▼
Paid

Status Notifications¶

You'll receive notifications when status changes:

Status Change	Notification
Submitted → Approved	"Your expense was approved"
Submitted → Rejected	"Your expense needs changes" + reason
Approved → Paid	"Your reimbursement was deposited"

Where to Check Status¶

Individual Expenses: Go to Expenses, click on expense
Reports: Go to Reports, click on report
Timeline View: Each expense/report shows full history

Tips for Faster Approval¶

Include receipts - Attach clear receipt images
Add descriptions - Explain the business purpose
Correct category - Select the right expense type
Submit promptly - Don't let drafts pile up
Check for errors - Review before submitting