User Roles Reference¶
Expensed uses four roles to control access and permissions within an organization.
Role Hierarchy¶
Admin (Full Access)
│
├── Finance (Payments + Approvals)
│ │
│ └── Manager (Team Approvals)
│ │
│ └── Employee (Basic Access)
Each higher role includes all permissions of lower roles.
Employee¶
The standard user role for all team members.
Can Do¶
| Area | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Expenses | Create, edit drafts, submit, view own |
| Receipts | Upload, view own, delete unlinked |
| Reports | Create, submit, view own |
| Mileage | Track trips, manage own vehicles |
| Profile | Edit profile, link bank account, set notifications |
Cannot Do¶
- View other employees' expenses
- Approve any expenses
- Access admin settings
- Manage users
- Process payouts
- View organization analytics
Typical Users¶
- Sales representatives
- Field technicians
- Office staff
- Any employee who submits expenses
Manager¶
For team leads and supervisors who approve their team's expenses.
Additional Permissions (beyond Employee)¶
| Area | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Approvals | View team's submitted expenses, approve/reject |
| Team View | See team members' expense summaries |
| Dashboard | Team spending metrics and trends |
| Delegation | Delegate approval authority temporarily |
Cannot Do¶
- Process payouts
- Manage organization settings
- Add/remove users
- Configure policies
Typical Users¶
- Department managers
- Team leads
- Project managers
- Supervisors
Manager Assignment¶
Employees are assigned to managers in Admin > User Management:
- Edit the employee
- Select their manager from the dropdown
- Save
Self-Approval Not Allowed
Managers cannot approve their own expenses. Their expenses go to their manager or the next level.
Finance¶
For accounting and finance team members who handle payments.
Additional Permissions (beyond Manager)¶
| Area | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Payouts | View approved expenses, process payments |
| Exports | Export all expense data (CSV, PDF) |
| Analytics | View organization-wide spending reports |
| Budgets | View and manage department budgets |
| GL Codes | Assign and manage GL code mappings |
| Vendors | View vendor spending and reports |
Cannot Do¶
- Add/remove users
- Change organization settings
- Modify approval workflows
- Configure expense policies
Typical Users¶
- Accounts payable specialists
- Finance managers
- Controllers
- Bookkeepers
Finance Approval¶
When Finance Approval is enabled in workflows:
- Finance reviews expenses after manager approval
- Can approve, reject, or request more info
- Required for expenses over threshold (configurable)
Admin¶
Full organization control. Typically for owners and administrators.
Additional Permissions (beyond Finance)¶
| Area | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Users | Add, edit, deactivate, assign roles |
| Settings | Company branding, logo, colors |
| Policies | Expense limits, receipt requirements |
| Workflows | Approval levels, thresholds |
| Billing | Subscription, payment methods, invoices |
| Integrations | Stripe connection, API access |
| All Data | View all organization data |
Exclusive Permissions¶
Only Admins can:
- Change another user's role
- Delete organization data
- Cancel the subscription
- Connect Stripe for payouts
- Configure SSO (if available)
Typical Users¶
- Business owners
- CFOs / Controllers
- IT administrators
- Operations managers
Admin Count
Have at least 2 Admins to ensure access if one is unavailable.
Permission Matrix¶
Expense Management¶
| Action | Employee | Manager | Finance | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create own expenses | ||||
| Edit own drafts | ||||
| Submit expenses | ||||
| View own expenses | ||||
| View team expenses | - | |||
| View all expenses | - | - | ||
| Approve expenses | - |
Reports & Mileage¶
| Action | Employee | Manager | Finance | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create reports | ||||
| Submit reports | ||||
| Track mileage | ||||
| Manage vehicles | ||||
| Export data | - | - |
Payments & Finance¶
| Action | Employee | Manager | Finance | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Link bank account | ||||
| Receive payouts | ||||
| Process payouts | - | - | ||
| View analytics | - | - | ||
| Manage budgets | - | - |
Administration¶
| Action | Employee | Manager | Finance | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View user list | - | - | - | |
| Add/edit users | - | - | - | |
| Change roles | - | - | - | |
| Company settings | - | - | - | |
| Expense policies | - | - | - | |
| Approval workflows | - | - | - | |
| Billing management | - | - | - |
Changing Roles¶
Only Admins can change user roles:
- Go to Admin > User Management
- Find the user
- Click Edit
- Select new role from dropdown
- Click Save
Role Changes Are Immediate
The user's permissions change instantly. They may need to refresh their browser to see new menu items.
Best Practices¶
Role Assignment¶
- Start with Employee - Default for new users
- Promote gradually - Add permissions as needed
- Minimize Admins - 2-3 is usually sufficient
- Match job function - Align roles with actual responsibilities
Security Considerations¶
- Review roles quarterly
- Remove access promptly when employees leave
- Use Finance role for payables staff (not Admin)
- Audit Admin actions periodically
Related: User Management | Approval Workflows