Expense Reports: Solution to Business Expenses

Let’s be honest: nobody enjoys sorting through piles of receipts at the end of the month. Just last week, I watched our sales manager—shoulders slumped, eyes glazed—trying to make sense of a mess of old receipts from a business trip in July. I’ve been in that exact spot before, and I’d wager most people working in business have too.

For as long as I can remember, managing expenses has been a source of frustration for everyone. Receipts disappear. Finance teams are tasked with tracking down the missing details. At times, weeks have already passed by the time a manager finally gets around to approving an expense. By that time, no one truly recalls the reason for the charge. What ends up happening is that it becomes a protracted ordeal, rife with minor mistakes and annoyances; to be frank, despite our various attempts, it never appears to become any easier.

That pain point is precisely why we decided to rethink how expense management should work at Erply. Instead of building another all-in-one platform that tries to do everything and ends up doing nothing well, we created two focused apps. Each one is designed for the real, distinct jobs that make up expense management.

How can we fix this expense reporting mess?

Here’s a familiar scenario: someone grabs lunch with a client. The receipt gets folded and tucked away. A few days later, it’s buried under car keys or lost in a bag. When that person finally remembers to submit it, the print is faded, and the details are fuzzy. Who was at the lunch? What was discussed? It’s a guessing game.

On the other end, the finance team receives a blurry photo with a single phrase: “Lunch with client.” Maybe they’ll get a reply to their follow-up email in a few days—maybe not. Since we are human, we forget the details and continue with our everyday work. This process wastes everybody’s time, causes endless frustration, and makes accurate reporting nearly impossible.

Our Solution

We realized expense management isn’t one job—it’s two. Employees need a quick, painless way to record and submit expenses. Managers and finance staff need a clear, efficient system for reviewing and approving those expenses.

Trying to force both groups to use the same tool never works. It’s like asking a chef and an accountant to share a single workspace. Each has different needs, and each deserves a tool that fits.

For Employees: A Simple App to Capture and Submit Expenses

Our approach for employees is straightforward: make submitting expenses as quick and painless as possible. Snap a photo of the receipt, let the app pull out the key details, jot down a short note about what the expense was for, and move on.

No endless forms. No dropdowns that don’t make sense. No second-guessing whether you’ve filled everything out correctly. Whether it’s a business trip, office supplies, or a client meal, the app adapts to your workflow.

For Managers and Finance: A Dashboard Built for Review and Approval

For those in charge of approvals, the process is just as streamlined. All pending expenses are visible in a single dashboard. Each submission comes with original documentation, context, and the ability to approve, reject, or request clarification with a click. Approved expenses can be exported directly to your accounting system—no manual entry required.

The interface is built around what matters: who spent what, when, and why. No more digging through emails or switching between tabs to piece together the story.

Let’s look at how this played out for us last month. Our project manager, Sarah, attended a three-day conference in Chicago.

• Day 1: Sarah lands, grabs her phone, and snaps a picture of her boarding pass. The app reads the date, airline, and amount. She types “ClientCon 2024 conference” as a note.
• Day 2: After a client dinner, she takes a photo of the receipt, lets the app do its thing, and adds a few words about the meeting. Same for her hotel, taxi, and coffee the next morning.
• Back at the office: All her expenses are already in the app. She double-checks the details, adds any missing notes, and submits the report. Total time? Less than ten minutes for the entire trip.

Sarah’s manager, Mike, reviews everything over his morning coffee. Each expense is documented, the business purpose is clear, and the numbers match policy. Approving the trip takes him less than three minutes.

What Makes This Work

• Automatic Data Capture: Why type what’s already on the receipt? The app reads dates, amounts, and vendor names automatically.
• Adaptable Categories: Every business has unique needs. Our system lets you create categories that make sense for your company.
• Approval Workflows: Managers can approve, reject, or request more information. Large expenses can require extra sign-off. The workflow matches your actual decision-making process.
• Seamless Integration: Once approved, expenses are exported directly to accounting. No more duplicate entries or reformatting.

The Results

• Expense submissions are 70% faster. Employees spend less time wrestling with paperwork.
• Approvals happen 60% faster. Clean, organized submissions mean less back-and-forth.
• Accuracy improves. With receipts captured immediately, details are fresh and clear.
• Reimbursements are quicker. Employees get paid back promptly, which boosts satisfaction and cash flow.

For IT and Finance Teams: These are web-based tools—no installation headaches. They integrate with your existing systems and meet enterprise security standards. The learning curve is minimal by design.

For Employees: Just take a photo, add a note, and submit. No more hoarding receipts or filling out endless forms.

Ready to Move Past Expense Headaches?

Expenses will always be part of business. The frustration doesn’t have to be. With the right tools, expense management becomes just another quick task—no longer a dreaded chore.

Your employees can get back to their real work. Your finance team gets the data they need, organized and accurate. Managers have oversight without micromanaging.

See what happens when your tools finally fit the way you work. Most teams notice the difference in the very first week. Business operations should help you move forward—not hold you back.

Our Philosophy

Expense management is just one piece of our broader vision. At Erply, we believe in building focused, best-in-class tools for each business process. Need inventory control? There’s an app for that. Want to manage sales? We have you covered. Restaurant management? Point-of-sale? Each workflow gets its own specialized solution. You use only what you need!