Once you create an expense report, you will be taken to an empty expense report detail screen (Figure 1). From here, there are two ways to add expense items to an expense report:
If the Expense Markup feature has been enabled in your workspace, you will also be able to specify a markup amount for expense as part of creating expense items.
Manual Expense Item Creation
From the expense report screen (Figure 1), you can click on the New Expense Item button to add an expense item to the report.
Figure 1 - Expense Report Detail is where you add Expense Items
Clicking this button will open the New Item drawer (Figure 2). From the drawer, you can provide the expense item details, including these fields:
- Expense Category - Each new workspace comes with a default set of expense categories (such as Airfare, Mileage, etc.). A Workspace Admin can modify this set of categories to match your company standards.
- Vendor Name - The name of the vendor that provided the good or service. Note that some expense categories, such as mileage, will not need a vendor.
- Expense Date - The date the expense was incurred.
- Expense Amount - The amount of the expense.
- Project - The client and project associated with this expense. Even if an expense on a project is not billable, it is important to associate it with the project for budget tracking purposes. For internal expenses, this field can be left blank or it can be associated with an internal project.
- Reimburse to me - A checkbox that denotes whether or not you should be reimbursed for the expense. If you paid for the expense personally, this should likely be checked.
- Bill to client - A checkbox that denotes whether or not the client should be billed for the expense. If the billing type of the project is set to non-billable, then this checkbox will be disabled.
- Notes - Any details about the expense.
Figure 2 - Enter the Details for an Item in the New Expense Item Drawer
In addition to the fields described above, some conditional fields may be shown depending on the expense category selected. Specifically, these fields are conditionally shown:
- Attendees - Certain types of expense categories may require you to list the names of the people in attendance. By default, the "Client/Prospect Entertainment" and "Client/Prospect Meal" categories require attendees. This setting can be configured for each expense category by a Workspace Admin.
- Number of Units - Expense categories can be set up as a "unit" expense category. These types of expenses will require a number of units and a cost per unit. For example, the "Mileage" expense category will require the number of miles to be provided as well as the cost per mile.
- Cost per Unit - As stated above, when an expense category is set up as a unit type, it will require a cost per unit. Each unit expense category can be set up with a default cost per unit by a Workspace Admin.
Expense Markup
When marking up expenses in Ruddr, you will have an Expense Amount, which represents the cost outlay associated with purchasing the item(s). As such, the Expense Amount will be tracked as Expense Cost on a project. Additionally, Ruddr will calculate a Total to Bill, which represents the amount that you will bill the client when invoicing the expense. As such, the Total to Bill will be tracked as Expense Revenue on a project.
When the Expense Markup feature is enabled, a Markup Expense field (Figure 3) will be available on the New Item drawer if the Bill to Client fields is selected and an Expense Amount has been specified.
Figure 3 - For Billable Expenses, Specify if the Expense Should be Marked Up
When the Markup Expense field is selected, an Expense Markup section (Figure 4) will be presented in the New Item drawer. Here, you will have the ability to specify whether you want to markup the expense by a percentage of the original expense amount or if you want to markup the expense by a fixed dollar amount.
Figure 4 - Specify How You Want to Markup the Expense
When marking up by percentage (Figure 5), specify the percentage and Ruddr will calculate the Total to Bill the client for the expense.
Figure 5 - Markup the Expense by a Percentage of the Expense Amount
When marking up by fixed amount (Figure 6), you specify the amount of markup you want to apply and Ruddr will calculate the Total to Bill the client for the expense.
Figure 6 - Markup the Expense by a Specific Fixed Amount
As mentioned above, marking up an expense will result in an Expense Amount and a Total to Bill. The Expense Amount is what will be tracked as the expense cost. The Total to Bill will be tracked as expense revenue.
Importing Expense Items
In addition to, or in lieu of, creating individual expense items, members can upload expense items to an expense report. On the expense report screen (Figure 1), members can access the New Expense Item action menu (Figure 7) and select Import Expenses.
Figure 7 - Click Import Expenses to Add Multiple Expense Items to the Expense Report
Selecting the Import Expenses action item will present a dialog box (Figure 8) that prompts the member to upload a file containing the expense items to be added to the expense report.
Figure 8 - Specify an Expense Item File to Import for an Expense Report
Uploading the file of expense items will add these items to the expense report (Figure 9). Note that a sample file is available for download by clicking the expenses.csv link on the dialog box. The uploaded file will need to conform to the format of the sample file. Once expense items have been uploaded, the member can edit these items to provide additional details or to upload receipts for the expense item.
Figure 9 - Expense Items on the Expense Report
Uploading Receipts
As you create new expense items, or as you edit existing ones, you may want to attach receipts to the item. On the receipts tab of the expense item drawer (Figure 10), you can upload one or more receipts that correspond to this expense item. Simply drag expense images to the form or click on the upload box to select a file from your computer. Note that receipt images can be no larger than 10MB in size.
Figure 10 - Upload Receipt Files to the Expense Item
Once all of the fields and receipts are correct, click the Save & Close button to create the expense item. You should now see the item on the expense report.