Controlling Employee Expenses
Expense report approval workflows ensure policy compliance, receipt validation, and proper authorization before reimbursement. NetSuite supports multi-level approval and policy checking.
Step 1: Define Expense Policy
Document spending limits per category, receipt requirements, and approval hierarchy. Who approves reports under $500? Over $500? What about travel vs. T&E?
Step 2: Create Workflow on Expense Report
Trigger on submit. Add conditions: if total amount > X, route to manager; if > Y, route to director. Use custom fields for cost center or project if approval depends on them.
Step 3: Receipt Validation
Use workflow to check that required receipts are attached. A saved search or script can validate receipt count or total. Block approval if missing.
Step 4: Multi-Level Approval
Configure sequential approvals: first manager, then finance. Use "Initiate Approval" with different approvers per stage. Set SLA for each level.
Best Practices
- Require receipts for expenses over $25 (or your policy)
- Use expense categories aligned with your chart of accounts
- Integrate with corporate card feeds when possible
Contact us for help with NetSuite expense management workflows.