Expense report template: getting reimbursed without argument
An expense report exists to get back what you paid out of pocket. It gets challenged almost always for the same reason: a missing receipt, or no link between the expense and the work. Two extra minutes writing it saves two emails of clarification.
What it must contain
- The period covered and the date the report was prepared.
- Who incurred the expense and for which job, customer or project.
- One line per expense: date, description, category, amount, tax if recoverable.
- A reference to the attached receipt (receipt number, invoice number).
- Car travel with distance, route and the rate applied.
- A subtotal per category and the grand total to be reimbursed.
- The account details for the reimbursement.
Mistakes we see most often
- Bundling several expenses into one line — the first thing you will be asked to split.
- Attaching receipts without tying them to the lines.
- No customer or job reference, so the expense cannot be allocated and sits unpaid.
- Mileage with no route, which gets trimmed on review.
- Mixing personal and business spending in the same report.
Typical structure
| Header | Name, period, customer or job |
| Lines | Date · Description · Category · Amount · Receipt |
| Travel | Distance · route · rate · total |
| Summary | Subtotal per category |
| Total | Total to be reimbursed |
| Payment | Account details |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to attach every receipt?
Yes, and number them to match the report's lines. An attachment nobody can match to a line is as good as a missing one.
How do I calculate mileage?
Use the agreed rate, or your country's reference rate, multiplied by the actual distance. Always state origin, destination and the reason for the trip.
Is an expense report a tax document?
No, it is an internal reporting document. The tax documents are the receipts attached to it.
Can I prepare it on my phone?
Yes: in Workio you add lines as the expenses happen and produce the PDF at the end of the period, instead of reconstructing everything from memory.