A practical expense-submission checklist

Expense claims are often where the most back-and-forth happens. A missing receipt, an unclear description or a claim against the wrong period means the manager has to ask, the contractor has to reply and the claim waits.

A simple checklist, shared with contractors when they start and repeated when needed, prevents most of that. Here is one you can adapt.

Before you claim

• Check what can be claimed. Your agency or the client will have an expenses policy. If you are not sure whether something is covered, ask before you spend, not afterwards.
• Keep the receipt. Take a clear photo or keep the digital receipt as soon as you get it. Receipts fade, get lost and are hard to find weeks later.
• Know the deadline. Find out how long after the expense you can claim, and which period the claim should go against.

When you submit

For each claim, include:

1. The date the expense was incurred.
2. The category, such as travel, accommodation or subsistence, chosen from the options your agency uses.
3. The amount, exactly as shown on the receipt.
4. A short description that explains the business purpose, for example "Train from Leeds to Manchester for client site visit".
5. The receipt, attached to the claim, readable and showing the supplier, date and amount.

Make the receipt useful

A receipt is only helpful if the approver can read it.

• Photograph it flat, in good light, with the whole receipt in the frame.
• Make sure the supplier name, date and total are visible.
• Attach one receipt per claim where possible, so each amount is easy to match.
• If you paid for several people, say so in the description.

Common reasons claims are returned

• The receipt is missing, unreadable or does not match the amount claimed.
• The description does not explain why the expense was needed.
• The claim falls outside the agreed policy, or needed approval in advance.
• The claim was submitted against the wrong period or placement.
• The same expense was claimed twice.

If a claim is returned, read the reason, fix that specific issue and resubmit. There is no need to start again from scratch.

For approvers

Checklists work both ways. When reviewing a claim, check that:

• the receipt matches the date and amount,
• the category is right,
• the purpose is clear and within policy,
• and it has not already been claimed.

If you return a claim, give a clear reason so the contractor can correct it straight away.

Expenses in JN Tempo

In JN Tempo, contractors submit expense claims with a date, category, amount and description, and attach the receipt. The manager who approves their timesheets reviews the claim and can approve it or return it. See how it works or start a free trial.