Expense report template

What an expense report is

An expense report is a form that lists the business costs a person paid out of pocket, so the company can pay them back. Each line records one expense: what it was, when it happened, how much it cost, and proof that it was real. Once the report is filled in and receipts are attached, a manager reviews it, approves it, and finance issues the reimbursement.

The report does two jobs at once. It gets an employee their money back, and it gives the business a clean record of what was spent and why. That record matters at tax time and if the books are ever reviewed, which is why reports ask for detail and receipts rather than just a total.

A tidy expense report also protects you. When every line has a clear description and a receipt, there is nothing to question and nothing to send back. When lines are vague or receipts are missing, an approver has to guess, and guessing usually means delay. A few minutes of care while you fill in the report is what turns a slow, back-and-forth reimbursement into one that clears on the first try.

The columns of an expense report

A good report is really a small table, one row per expense. These are the columns that make each line complete and easy to check.

• Date. The date the expense happened, not the date you filled in the form.
• Category. The type of cost, such as travel, meals, lodging, supplies, or mileage. Categories help finance sort spending.
• Description. A short note on what it was for, such as "client lunch" or "taxi to airport."
• Merchant. Where you spent the money, such as the airline, hotel, or shop.
• Amount. What you actually paid, including tax, in the currency the company reimburses in.
• Payment method. How you paid, such as personal card, cash, or company card, so nobody is reimbursed for a company-card charge.
• Receipt attached. A simple yes or no, so the approver can see at a glance which lines have proof.
• Total. The sum of every line, which is the amount you are claiming.

Keeping the columns consistent makes the report easy to approve. A reviewer can scan down the receipt column, check the total, and sign off in minutes.

Per diem versus actual expenses

Companies reimburse travel costs in one of two ways, and it helps to know which one applies before you file. With actual expenses, you claim exactly what you spent and attach a receipt for each item. This is precise but means keeping every receipt from the trip.

With a per diem, the company pays a fixed daily amount to cover things like meals and incidentals, no matter what you actually spent, so you often do not need receipts for those items. Per diem is simpler but follows a set rate. Check your employer's policy, because many use actuals for large costs like flights and hotels while paying a per diem for daily meals. The template below fits both: list actual items line by line, or enter a per diem as its own line with the number of days.

Expense report template you can copy

Copy the template below as your starting point, or open it in the fill tool and type your details straight onto the page. Every blank line is a field you complete, and the bracketed labels tell you what goes there.

EXPENSE REPORT

Name: _______________________________________
Department: _________________________________
Report period: __________ to __________
Purpose / trip: _____________________________

======================================================================
 Date       | Category   | Description        | Merchant   | Amount | Rcpt
======================================================================
 __________ | __________ | __________________ | __________ | $______ | Y/N
 __________ | __________ | __________________ | __________ | $______ | Y/N
 __________ | __________ | __________________ | __________ | $______ | Y/N
 __________ | __________ | __________________ | __________ | $______ | Y/N
 __________ | __________ | __________________ | __________ | $______ | Y/N
 __________ | __________ | __________________ | __________ | $______ | Y/N
======================================================================

Per diem (if used): ______ days x $______ per day = $ ______

Payment method used: [ ] personal card  [ ] cash  [ ] company card

                                     Subtotal: $ ______________
                          Less company-card items: $ ______________
                          TOTAL TO REIMBURSE: $ ______________

Receipts attached: [ ] yes, ______ receipts  [ ] none

Submitted by: ______________________   Date: ____________
Approved by: _______________________   Date: ____________

How to fill out the template

1. Open the template in the fill tool. Copy the text above, or start from the ready-made form templates and load it into the fill a PDF tool so the layout is in place.
2. Fill the header. Add your name, department, the report period, and the reason for the expenses, such as the trip or project they relate to.
3. Enter one expense per row. Work through your receipts in date order and complete each column: date, category, description, merchant, amount, and whether a receipt is attached.
4. Handle per diem separately. If your policy uses a per diem for meals, enter the number of days and the daily rate on the per diem line rather than listing individual meals.
5. Subtract company-card charges. If any items were paid on a company card, note them and subtract them, so you are only reimbursed for what you paid yourself.
6. Add the total. Sum the lines to get the amount you are claiming, and double-check it against your receipts.
7. Attach receipts and sign. Attach or scan your receipts, sign and date the report with the sign a PDF tool, then download a clean PDF with no watermark to send for approval.

Attaching receipts

Receipts are what turn a claim into a record the company can trust, so they matter as much as the numbers. Attach one for every line that needs it, and make sure each is readable, showing the merchant, the date, the items, and the total. Keep receipts as you go rather than hunting for them at the end of the month, since a lost receipt often means an expense you cannot claim. Photographing each receipt the day you get it is a reliable habit, because paper receipts fade and go missing. If a receipt is genuinely lost, note it on the report and explain, rather than leaving a blank a reviewer cannot check.

The approval flow

Most expense reports follow the same path. You fill in the report and attach receipts, your manager reviews it and approves or asks questions, and finance then issues the reimbursement, often on the next pay run or payment cycle. A clean, complete report moves through this flow quickly. A report with missing receipts, unclear descriptions, or a total that does not add up gets sent back, which delays your money. The way to get paid faster is simply to make the approver's job easy: clear lines, attached receipts, and a correct total.

Common mistakes that delay reimbursement

Most reports that get sent back share the same handful of problems. Check for these before you submit and you will usually get paid on the first pass.

• Missing receipts. A line with no receipt and no explanation is the top reason a report bounces. Attach proof or note why it is missing.
• Vague descriptions. "Lunch" tells an approver nothing. "Lunch with client, project kickoff" explains why the cost was business.
• Claiming company-card charges. If the company already paid, do not claim it again. Note and subtract any company-card items.
• Math that does not add up. A total that disagrees with the lines makes a reviewer recheck everything. Sum carefully and confirm it.
• Wrong period or old expenses. Submit costs within your employer's window, and put each on the report for the period it belongs to.
• Mixing personal items in. Claim only genuine business costs. Personal purchases on the same receipt should be left off.

None of these take long to catch. A quick review against your receipts before you submit is the simplest way to avoid a report coming back and holding up your money.

Records and taxes

Businesses keep expense reports and their receipts because they support the company's books and its tax filings. A business can generally only deduct costs it can prove, and the report plus receipts is that proof, so tidy reports help the whole organization at tax time. For that reason, keep a copy of every report you submit along with its receipts, even after you are reimbursed, in case the records are reviewed later.

This is general information, not tax advice. Which expenses are deductible and how long records must be kept vary by country and by situation, and the rules differ between the United States and Canada, so check your local rules or a qualified professional. When your report is ready, open the fill tool, complete it, and download a clean PDF you can submit today. Because everything runs in your browser, a report with private financial details stays on your own device.