Creating and Submitting Expenses

New Expensify offers multiple ways to create expenses, from quick manual entry to scanning receipts with SmartScan. This guide covers all methods for creating and submitting expenses.

Creating an Expense

From the Global Create Button

The fastest way to create an expense:

Click the green + button in the bottom-right corner (mobile) or top navigation (desktop)
Select Submit expense or Track expense
Choose your expense type from the tabs:
- Manual: Enter amount and details manually
- Scan: Capture or upload a receipt
- Distance: Track mileage (for travel expenses)
- Per Diem: Record daily allowances (if enabled)

function IOURequestStartPage({
    route,
    route: {
        params: {iouType, reportID},
    },
    navigation,
    defaultSelectedTab = CONST.TAB_REQUEST.SCAN,
}: IOURequestStepAmountProps) {
    const tabTitles = {
        [CONST.IOU.TYPE.REQUEST]: translate('iou.createExpense'),
        [CONST.IOU.TYPE.SUBMIT]: translate('iou.createExpense'),
        [CONST.IOU.TYPE.SPLIT]: translate('iou.splitExpense'),
        [CONST.IOU.TYPE.TRACK]: translate('iou.createExpense'),
    };

    return (
        <OnyxTabNavigator
            id={CONST.TAB.IOU_REQUEST_TYPE}
            defaultSelectedTab={defaultSelectedTab}
            onTabSelected={onTabSelected}
            tabBar={TabSelector}
        >
            <TopTab.Screen name={CONST.TAB_REQUEST.MANUAL}>
                {() => (
                    <IOURequestStepAmount
                        shouldKeepUserInput
                        route={route}
                        navigation={navigation}
                    />
                )}
            </TopTab.Screen>
            <TopTab.Screen name={CONST.TAB_REQUEST.SCAN}>
                {() => (
                    <IOURequestStepScan
                        route={route}
                        navigation={navigation}
                        isMultiScanEnabled={isMultiScanEnabled}
                        setIsMultiScanEnabled={setIsMultiScanEnabled}
                    />
                )}
            </TopTab.Screen>
        </OnyxTabNavigator>
    );
}

From a Chat

Create an expense directly in a conversation:

Open a chat with a coworker or workspace
Click the attachment icon or + button
Select Request money or Submit expense
Follow the expense creation flow

Via Drag and Drop

Quickly create expenses by dragging receipts:

Drag a receipt image or PDF onto the app
Drop it on the workspace or chat
The expense is automatically created with SmartScan processing

Drag and drop is available on desktop web and desktop apps.

Manual Expense Entry

Step 1: Enter Amount

Start by entering the expense amount:

function IOURequestStepAmount({
    report,
    route: {
        params: {iouType, reportID, transactionID, backTo, action},
    },
    transaction,
}: IOURequestStepAmountProps) {
    const {translate} = useLocalize();
    const {getCurrencyDecimals} = useCurrencyListActions();
    
    const [selectedCurrency, setSelectedCurrency] = useState(originalCurrency);
    const decimals = getCurrencyDecimals(selectedCurrency || CONST.CURRENCY.USD);
    
    return (
        <MoneyRequestAmountForm
            isEditing={isEditing}
            currency={selectedCurrency}
            amount={transactionAmount}
            decimals={decimals}
            onSubmitButtonPress={onSubmitButtonPress}
        />
    );
}

Features:

Type the amount using the numeric keypad
Click the currency to change it
Support for negative amounts (when enabled)
Automatic decimal formatting based on currency

Recently used currencies appear at the top of the currency list for quick access.

Step 2: Add Merchant

After entering the amount, add the merchant name:

Type the merchant name or select from recent merchants
The field auto-suggests previously used merchants
You can skip this step and add it later

Step 3: Select Date

Choose when the expense occurred:

Defaults to today’s date
Click to open the date picker
Use the calendar to select any date
Date range may be restricted by policy settings

Step 4: Add Category (if required)

Categorize your expense:

Select from available categories in your workspace
Some policies require categories before submission
Categories may have spending limits or rules
Recent categories appear first

Step 5: Add Description (optional)

Provide additional context:

Add notes about the expense
Explain the business purpose
Include any relevant reference numbers
This field is optional but recommended

Step 6: Add Tags (if enabled)

Apply custom tags:

Tags are defined by your workspace admin
Multiple tag levels may be available
Some tags may be required by policy
Tags help with reporting and analysis

Step 7: Set Billable (if enabled)

Mark expenses for client billing:

Toggle the Billable switch
Billable expenses can be invoiced to clients
This setting is workspace-specific

Step 8: Review and Submit

The confirmation screen shows all expense details:

function IOURequestStepConfirmation({
    report,
    route: {
        params: {iouType, reportID, transactionID, action},
    },
    transaction,
}: IOURequestStepConfirmationProps) {
    const onConfirm = useCallback(() => {
        if (iouType === CONST.IOU.TYPE.TRACK) {
            trackExpenseIOUActions({
                report,
                transaction,
                policy,
                isASAPSubmitBetaEnabled,
            });
        } else {
            requestMoneyIOUActions({
                report,
                transaction,
                policy,
                isASAPSubmitBetaEnabled,
            });
        }
    }, [iouType, report, transaction, policy]);

    return (
        <MoneyRequestConfirmationList
            transaction={transaction}
            onConfirm={onConfirm}
            isReadOnly={false}
        />
    );
}

Review checklist:

✓ Amount is correct
✓ Merchant name is accurate
✓ Date is set properly
✓ Category is selected (if required)
✓ All required fields are filled

Expenses with missing required fields cannot be submitted. The system will highlight any issues.

Receipt-Based Expenses

Uploading a Receipt

Select the Scan tab when creating an expense
Choose your upload method:
- Take Photo: Use your device camera
- Choose File: Upload from your device
- Drag & Drop: Drop a file onto the screen
Wait for SmartScan to process the receipt
Review and adjust extracted details
Add any missing information
Submit the expense

SmartScan automatically extracts amount, merchant, date, and currency from receipts. See the SmartScan documentation for details.

Supported Receipt Formats

src/CONST.ts

const API_ATTACHMENT_VALIDATIONS = {
    ALLOWED_RECEIPT_EXTENSIONS: [
        'jpg',
        'jpeg',
        'png',
        'pdf',
        'gif',
        'bmp',
        'svg',
        'webp',
    ],
    MAX_SIZE: 10485760, // 10MB
};

Supported formats:

Images: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, SVG, WebP
Documents: PDF
Maximum file size: 10MB per receipt

Receipt Requirements by Amount

Some policies require receipts for expenses over a certain amount:

Under threshold: Receipt optional
Over threshold: Receipt required
Missing receipt: Expense may be rejected or flagged

Editing Expenses

You can edit expenses before they’re approved:

Edit Draft Expenses

Open the expense from your chat or expenses list
Tap any field to edit it
Make your changes
Changes save automatically

Edit Submitted Expenses

For submitted expenses:

Open the expense details
Click Edit expense
Modify the necessary fields
Click Save to update

Once an expense is approved or reimbursed, you cannot edit it. Contact your admin if changes are needed.

Quick Action Shortcuts

For faster expense creation, use quick actions:

Skip Confirmation

Workspace admins can enable Skip Confirmation for:

Personal workspace expenses
Track expenses
Specific expense types

When enabled, expenses skip the confirmation screen and submit immediately.

const shouldSkipConfirmation: boolean = useMemo(() => {
    if (isSplitBill || !skipConfirmation || !report?.reportID) {
        return false;
    }
    return !(isReportArchived || isPolicyExpenseChat(report));
}, [report, isSplitBill, skipConfirmation, isReportArchived]);

ASAP Submit

With ASAP Submit enabled:

Expenses submit immediately after creation
No manual submit action required
Available for certain workspace configurations
Streamlines the expense workflow

Common Scenarios

Submitting to a Workspace

Create the expense from a workspace chat
The expense automatically associates with that workspace
Workspace-specific categories and tags appear
Policy rules are applied automatically

Tracking Personal Expenses

Select Track expense instead of Submit expense
Tracked expenses go to your personal workspace
They don’t require approval or reimbursement
Perfect for tax deductions or personal records

Requesting Money from a Friend

Open a chat with the person
Click Request money
Enter the amount and details
They’ll receive a payment request
They can pay directly through the app

Expense Violations

The system checks for violations during creation:

Automatic Checks

Duplicates: Detects similar expenses
Policy limits: Verifies amount is within limits
Required fields: Ensures all mandatory fields are filled
Receipt requirements: Checks if receipt is needed
Category rules: Validates category selection

Resolving Violations

If violations are detected:

Review the violation message
Fix the issue (edit amount, add receipt, etc.)
Resubmit the expense
Contact your admin if you need assistance

Some violations are warnings and won’t block submission, while others must be resolved.

Deleting Expenses

Delete Draft Expenses

Open the expense
Click the three dots menu
Select Delete expense
Confirm the deletion

Delete Submitted Expenses

For submitted expenses:

Open the expense
Click Delete expense (if available)
Add a reason for deletion
Submit the deletion request

You cannot delete approved or reimbursed expenses. These must be handled through policy adjustments.

Best Practices

Capture receipts immediately

Don’t wait until later—take a photo or upload the receipt right away to avoid losing it.

Use SmartScan for accuracy

SmartScan reduces manual entry errors by automatically extracting details from receipts.

Add descriptions for context

Brief notes help approvers understand the business purpose and process expenses faster.

Review before submitting

Double-check amounts, merchants, and dates to avoid corrections later.

Submit expenses promptly

Don’t let expenses pile up—submit them regularly to maintain accurate records.

Troubleshooting

Expense Won’t Submit

Possible causes:

Missing required fields
Policy violations
Network connectivity issues
Receipt upload still processing

Solutions:

Check for red error messages
Ensure all required fields are filled
Wait for SmartScan to complete
Try again with a stable internet connection

Can’t Find My Expense

Check these locations:

Draft expenses in your workspace chat
Submitted expenses in the report
Unreported expenses list
Search by merchant or amount

Receipt Upload Failed

Try these steps:

Check file size (max 10MB)
Verify file format is supported
Ensure stable internet connection
Try uploading again
Convert PDF to image if needed

Next Steps

SmartScan Technology

Learn how SmartScan automates expense data extraction

Distance Tracking

Track mileage for travel expenses

Split Expenses

Share costs with multiple people

Per Diem Expenses

Submit daily allowance expenses

Expenses

Reports

Chat & Collaboration

Workspaces

Subscription

Search

​Creating an Expense

​From the Global Create Button

​From a Chat

​Via Drag and Drop

​Manual Expense Entry

​Step 1: Enter Amount

​Step 2: Add Merchant

​Step 3: Select Date

​Step 4: Add Category (if required)

​Step 5: Add Description (optional)

​Step 6: Add Tags (if enabled)

​Step 7: Set Billable (if enabled)

​Step 8: Review and Submit

​Receipt-Based Expenses

​Uploading a Receipt

​Supported Receipt Formats

​Receipt Requirements by Amount

​Editing Expenses

​Edit Draft Expenses

​Edit Submitted Expenses

​Quick Action Shortcuts

​Skip Confirmation

​ASAP Submit

​Common Scenarios

​Submitting to a Workspace

​Tracking Personal Expenses

​Requesting Money from a Friend

​Expense Violations

​Automatic Checks

​Resolving Violations

​Deleting Expenses

​Delete Draft Expenses

​Delete Submitted Expenses

​Best Practices

​Troubleshooting

​Expense Won’t Submit

​Can’t Find My Expense

​Receipt Upload Failed

​Next Steps

SmartScan Technology

Distance Tracking

Split Expenses

Per Diem Expenses

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Creating an Expense

From the Global Create Button

From a Chat

Via Drag and Drop

Manual Expense Entry

Step 1: Enter Amount

Step 2: Add Merchant

Step 3: Select Date

Step 4: Add Category (if required)

Step 5: Add Description (optional)

Step 6: Add Tags (if enabled)

Step 7: Set Billable (if enabled)

Step 8: Review and Submit

Receipt-Based Expenses

Uploading a Receipt

Supported Receipt Formats

Receipt Requirements by Amount

Editing Expenses

Edit Draft Expenses

Edit Submitted Expenses

Quick Action Shortcuts

Skip Confirmation

ASAP Submit

Common Scenarios

Submitting to a Workspace

Tracking Personal Expenses

Requesting Money from a Friend

Expense Violations

Automatic Checks

Resolving Violations

Deleting Expenses

Delete Draft Expenses

Delete Submitted Expenses

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Expense Won’t Submit

Can’t Find My Expense

Receipt Upload Failed

Next Steps