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Help Administrators

Expense tracking setup checklist

The tables below outline all steps for setting up Polaris to track expenses. Default settings are in place for most of these options, therefore you may be able to skip steps if the defaults work for your organization.

Features can be set up in any order, except:

  • Tax codes must be created before they can be used in expense codes (section 1)
  • Options in section 2 must be set up before they can be assigned to users (section 3)

1. Define system-level settings

Feature to set up

What the feature does

Configure at

 

Create tax codes

Tax codes define the different types of tax that can be associated with the expense codes you create

Administration > Expenses > Tax Codes

 

Create expense codes

Expense codes specify the types of costs that can be incurred for business activities and purchases in your organization. Meals, Parking, and Airfare are examples of possible expense codes.

To use an expense code with a project, you must add it to the project.

Administration > Expenses > Expense Codes

 

Select expense sheet columns

The expense columns you select will be available on expense sheets

Administration > Expenses > Expense Columns

 

Define payment methods

Users can choose a payment method on expense sheets from the list you create

Administration > Expenses > Payment Methods

 

Create expense custom fields

Users can enter data in custom fields that appear on expense sheets

Administration > Expenses > Expense Settings

 

Set due dates

Due dates specify when expense sheet approvals are due

Administration > Expenses > Expense Settings

 

Set up an expense notice

You can choose to add a message that appears on all expense sheets

Administration > Expenses > Expense Settings

2. Set up system-level options that you'll assign to users

Feature to set up

What the feature does

Configure at

 

Create expense templates for employees

Expense templates define certain user expense settings

Administration > Expenses > Expense Templates

 

Add expense approval paths

Approval paths specify who approves expense sheets and in what order

Administration > Expenses > Expense Approval Paths

 

Set up expense permissions for managers

Permissions determine what approval and expense management actions supervisors and managers can take

Administration > Employees and Organization > Permission Sets

 

Set up expense notifications

Notifications can be sent to approvers when expense sheets are ready for approval, and to users when their expense sheets have been approved, rejected, or modified

Administration > Notifications System > Notifications

or

Administration > Notifications System > Email Notifications

3. Assign expense functionality to users

Feature to set up

What the feature does

Configure at

 

Ensure employees have a license for an expense product

The license allows the user to access expense functionality. Users are assigned a license for all products by default.

Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Licenses

 

Assign expense templates to employees

Users must be assigned an expense template before they can use expense sheets

Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Expenses

 

Assign expense approval paths to employees

The Supervisor default path is assigned automatically, though you can change this

Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Expenses

 

Assign notifications to employees and managers

All notifications in the system are assigned to new users by default, but emails will only be sent for ones that are enabled at the system level

Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Notifications

 

Assign permission sets and licenses to managers

Ensure all supervisors and managers who work with or approve expense sheets are assigned the permissions and licenses they need

Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Roles & Permissions

and

Administration > Employees and Organization > Users > Licenses

FAQs

How do we allow users to enter expenses against tasks?

Users can select which task a given expense applies to using the Task column on their expense sheet. For this column to display, it must be enabled at the system level and in the expense sheet.

Users can only enter expenses against tasks to which they are assigned, and against expense codes that are allowed for the task's project.

Can we force users to use a specific currency for expense reimbursements?

No, users can always use the Reimbursement Currency field on their expense sheet to choose which currency they want to be reimbursed in.

However, you can include a notice on expense sheets, specifying which reimbursement currency users should select. Approvers can also reject or edit expense sheets that don't use the desired reimbursement currency.

Related links

Setting up expenses (video)
Setting up expense codes
Setting up expense templates
Setting up expenses (video)
Polaris PSA setup checklist