Managing business expenses shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. Yet for many businesses, outdated spreadsheets, lost receipts and lengthy approval chains continue to make expense management unnecessarily complicated.
A slow and disorganised process can frustrate employees, delay reimbursements and create additional work for managers and finance teams. The good news is that with the right systems in place, simplifying expense claims and approvals can be much easier than many businesses expect.
In this guide, we explore how businesses can streamline expense management, reduce admin time and improve accuracy across the entire expense approval process…
What are expense claims and approvals?
Expense claims and approvals are the process employees use to reclaim money they have spent for work-related purposes. This could include travel, meals, accommodation, entertainment or other business expenses.
In most cases, employees submit a claim along with supporting evidence, such as receipts, which is then reviewed and approved by a manager.
While the process itself is fairly simple, many businesses still rely on outdated systems that can lead to delays, confusion and unnecessary admin.
Why businesses struggle with expense claims and approvals
Many businesses still manage expense claims and approvals using spreadsheets, paper forms or long email chains. While this may work at first, these processes often become slow and difficult to manage as a business grows.
Missing receipts, delayed approvals and unclear authorisation processes are all common problems. Managers can end up spending valuable time chasing paperwork, while employees are left waiting for updates or reimbursements.
Without a clear and organised system in place, managing expenses can quickly become time-consuming and frustrating for everyone involved.
The benefits of simplifying expense claims and approvals
Simplifying expense claims and approvals can make a huge difference for both employees and the business as a whole.
Employees can submit claims more quickly and keep track of their progress without constantly chasing updates, while managers can approve requests faster and avoid unnecessary delays to reimbursements.
For businesses, a more organised process means fewer manual errors, better visibility over spending and less time spent dealing with paperwork. Keeping everything stored securely in one place can also make reporting and compliance much easier for HR and finance teams.
How can UK SMEs simplify expense claims and approvals?
1. Move away from manual processes
Paper-based systems and spreadsheets create unnecessary complexity. Receipts can easily be misplaced, calculations may be entered incorrectly and approval requests often get buried in inboxes.
Switching to a digital process allows employees to submit claims online and upload supporting evidence instantly. This helps create a more organised and efficient process from the start.
2. Create clear expense categories
Having defined expense categories helps employees submit claims correctly and gives businesses better visibility over spending trends.
Typical expense categories may include:
- Travel
- Food and drink
- Accommodation
- Entertainment
- Mileage
Choosing software that allows businesses to create unlimited expense types gives organisations greater flexibility as they grow.
3. Set designated and back-up authorisers
One of the biggest causes of delays in expense claims and approvals is uncertainty around who is responsible for approving claims.
Assigning designated authorisers ensures claims are directed to the correct person immediately. It’s also important to have back-up authorisers in place during annual leave or absences to help avoid unnecessary bottlenecks.
4. Give employees more control
Modern expense management should empower employees to handle their own submissions easily.
When employees can create claims, upload receipts and track approval progress themselves, the entire process becomes faster and more transparent. It also reduces the amount of manual administration required from HR and finance teams.
5. Use automation where possible
Automated workflows can dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of expense claims and approvals.
Claims can be routed automatically to the correct approver, while notifications and reminders help keep everything moving smoothly. Automation also creates a clear audit trail, making reporting and compliance much easier to manage.
What to look for in expense claims and approvals software
The right expense management software should simplify processes rather than create additional work.
Businesses should look for a solution that is easy to use, flexible and accessible from anywhere. A good platform should also support multiple approval levels, provide secure document storage and reduce the need for manual admin tasks.
Most importantly, the system should make life easier for both employees and managers.
Simplify expense claims and approvals with HR Planner
HR Planner makes it easier for businesses to manage expense claims and approvals without the hassle of paperwork, spreadsheets or long email chains.
Employees can quickly create and submit expense claims, upload supporting evidence such as receipts and keep track of their claims all in one place. This helps make the approval process quicker and reduces admin for managers and finance teams.
HR Planner also allows businesses to:
- Set designated authorisers
- Add back-up authorisers where needed
- Create unlimited expense types including travel, food and entertainment
- Improve visibility over expense claims and approvals
- Reduce delays caused by manual paperwork and email chains
By simplifying expense claims and approvals, HR Planner helps businesses save time, stay organised and create a smoother experience for employees and managers alike.
Start your 14-day free trial today with no credit card or long-term commitment required. Alternatively, call 01252 636070 or email support@hrplanner.uk to speak with the team and find out how HR Planner can support your business.