Compt: How To Submit a Business Expense - Employees

Employees submit work-related expenses in Compt from the Business expenses page in the side nav. Click New expense report, add one or more expenses to the report, and click Submit for approval. The Business expenses page also has a Single expense button.

You can save a report as a Draft and change it until you submit it. After you submit a report, you can no longer edit the expenses in it. Your company's reviewers approve or reject each expense, and they can adjust details, such as the amount, during review.

Approved expenses that you mark for reimbursement are paid back to you in your paycheck. Reimbursement is processed through payroll. For exact timing, Employees should check FAQs in Compt for company-specific details.

OVERVIEW

Compt is a platform employers use to manage stipends, reimbursements, and Business Expense programs for Employees.

A stipend is employer-provided funding you can use for eligible purchases. You use a stipend from the My stipends page by clicking Submit a claim.

Business Expenses are different. They are work-related costs, such as a client meal, software, office supplies, travel, or mileage. Your company approves them and either pays you back or records them.

A Business Expense report groups one or more expenses into a single submission for review. Depending on your company's approval workflow, your report may be reviewed by your manager, a finance reviewer, or both.

The Business expenses page lists your reports with:

• A report number that starts with EXP-
• Title
• Report total
• Status
• Date submitted and Time submitted
• Report summary

Use Filter to narrow the list.

Expense types:

• Business Expense: a standard single expense, such as a client meal, software subscription, office supplies, or a rideshare trip.
• Mileage: miles driven for a work-related trip. Enter the number of miles. Compt calculates the amount using your company's mileage rate.
• Per Diem: a daily allowance for work travel. Compt calculates the amount using your company's per diem rate and the number of days you enter.

Reimbursement types:

• Reimbursed: you paid for the expense and want to be paid back through payroll.
• Reported only: your company already paid for the expense another way, such as a company card. The expense is recorded, but you are not paid back.

WHEN TO USE

Use this process when you need to:

• Get paid back for a work-related expense that isn't being reimbursed through a stipend
• Record a work-related expense your company already paid for
• Submit mileage or per diem for work travel
• Group several expenses into one report
• Save a report as a draft and finish it later

Use Submit a claim on My stipends instead when you are spending your stipend on an eligible stipend.

BEFORE YOU START

Make sure you have:

• The Business expenses tab in your side nav. If you don't see it, your company may not have given you Business Expense access. Reach out to support@compt.io for assistance.
• A clear title and description for the report.
• Your receipts or supporting documents.
• The details for each expense, such as the amount, number of miles, or number of days.
• Your cost center, if your company asks you to select one.
• The client the expense relates to, if your company tracks expenses by client.

About receipts:

• Your company decides whether receipts are required for standard, mileage, and per diem expenses.
• Receipts must show vendor, date, and total.

About cost centers:

• A cost center is a code your company uses to track Business Expense spending.
• If your cost center is missing or wrong, please contact support@compt.io.

VIDEO

This interactive demo shows the employee experience for creating an expense report and submitting expenses for reimbursement, walking through each step from start to finish.

Employee View Video

HOW TO

To create a Business Expense report

1. Log into Compt.
2. Click Business expenses in the side nav. The Business expenses page opens.
3. Click New expense report.
4. Enter an Expense Report Title.
5. Enter a Description that explains what the expenses are for.
6. Click Create. The report details screen opens.

To add an expense to the report

1. On the report details screen, click Add Expense.
2. Select the expense type: Business Expense, Mileage, or Per Diem.
3. Complete the required fields for that expense type.
4. If a cost center or client field appears, select the correct option.
5. Upload your receipt or supporting document.
6. Enter a description that explains the business purpose of the expense.
7. In the Reimbursement Type field, select reimbursed or reported only.
8. Click Save. You return to the report details screen.

To add another expense right away, click Save and create another instead of Save in step 8. Repeat these steps until every expense is on the report.

To submit the report

1. On the report details screen, review each expense.
2. Click Submit for approval. The report is sent for review.

Before you submit, you can still edit or delete individual expenses from the report details screen. After you submit, you can't.

To save, rename, or delete a report (before it is submitted)

1. Open the report from the Business expenses page.
2. Click Options.
3. Select the action you need: edit the report title, edit the report description, save the report as a draft, or delete the report.

To finish a draft report later

1. Click Business expenses in the side nav.
2. Find the report with the Draft status.
3. Open the report.
4. Add or change expenses using the steps above.
5. Click Submit for approval.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

After you click Submit for approval, your report is routed for review based on your company's approval workflow. It may be reviewed by your manager, a finance reviewer, or both.

Reviewers check each expense. They can approve it, reject it, or edit its details, such as the amount, before approving it.

The report's Status on the Business expenses page updates as it moves through review. Draft means the report has not been submitted yet. Other statuses, such as Reviewed, show the report's progress through review.

If an expense is rejected, you receive an email with the reason. A rejected expense can't be edited. If the expense is still valid, submit it again as a new expense.

Approved expenses marked as reimbursed are included in an upcoming paycheck from your company. Reported-only expenses are recorded and not paid back to you.

Reimbursement is processed through payroll. For exact timing, Employees should click When will I get paid? on the Stipend activity page, or check FAQs in Compt for company-specific details.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you don't see Business expenses in the side nav:

• Your company may not have given you Business Expense access.
• Contact support@compt.io to see if you should have access to the Business Expense tab.

If you can't edit your report:

• Check the report's Status on the Business expenses page.
• Only reports that have not been submitted can be changed.
• If a submitted expense is wrong, contact your reviewer. Reviewers can edit expense details during review.

If you can't find the right cost center:

• Your company's Compt Admin sets up and assigns cost centers.
• Contact support@compt.io to correct your cost center.

If you are asked for a receipt:

• Your company requires receipts for that expense type.
• Upload a receipt that shows vendor, date, and total.

If you can't enter a mileage amount:

• This is expected.
• Enter the number of miles. Compt calculates the amount using your company's mileage rate.

If you're not sure which reimbursement type to choose:

• Choose reimbursed if you paid and want to be paid back through your paycheck.
• Choose reported only if your company already paid for the expense, such as with a company card.

If an expense was rejected:

• Read the rejection reason in your email.
• Submit the expense again as a new expense if it is still valid.

FAQS

Q: How do I submit a business expense in Compt?

A: Click Business expenses in the side nav, click New expense report, add your expenses, and click Submit for approval.

Q: What's the difference between a business expense and a stipend claim?

A: A stipend claim uses your stipend balance for the stipends you are eligible for on your My Stipends tab and starts from clicking Submit a claim. A business expense is a work-related cost your company approves and either pays you back for or records.

Q: Do I have to create a report for just one expense?

A: A report can hold a single expense. The Business expenses page also has a Single expense button.

Q: Can I save my expense report and finish it later?

A: Yes. Save the report as a draft and return to it from the Business expenses page before you submit it.

Q: Can I edit an expense after I submit the report?

A: No. After you submit a report, you can't edit the expenses in it. If something is wrong, contact your reviewer. Reviewers can edit expense details during review.

Q: Can I delete an expense before I submit the report?

A: Yes. Before you submit, you can delete individual expenses from the report details screen.

Q: Do I need a receipt?

A: It depends on your company's settings for each expense type. When a receipt is needed, it must show vendor, date, and total.

Q: How do I submit mileage?

A: Add an expense, choose Mileage, and enter the number of miles or choose the google maps mileage option in the drop down. Compt calculates the amount using your company's mileage rate.

Q: What does reported only mean?

A: Reported only records an expense your company already paid for another way, such as a company card. You are not reimbursed back for it.

Q: What is a cost center, and which one do I pick?

A: A cost center is a code your company uses to track business expense spending.

Q: Who approves my expense report?

A: Your company's approval workflow decides. Your report may be reviewed by your manager, a finance reviewer, or both.

Q: Where can I see the status of my expense report?

A: On the Business expenses page, in the Status column.

Q: My expense was rejected or denied. What do I do?

A: Check your email for the rejection reason. A rejected expense can't be edited, so submit it again as a new expense if it is still valid.

Q: When will I get reimbursed for my business expense?

A: If your expense on the Business Expense page shows "Processed" that means reimbursement will be processed through payroll. You can see the date it was processed by clicking the expense. For exact timing on when to expect to see the reimbursement in your paycheck, employees should check FAQs in Compt for company-specific details.