Expenses

Expenses

Overview

The Expenses module in Octayne PSA allows team members to log, track, and submit project-related expenses for approval and eventual invoicing. Expenses can be created manually, imported from integrated platforms such as Ramp, and categorized as billable or non-billable. Each expense entry supports receipt uploads (stored in Amazon S3), project assignment, and a full approval lifecycle.

This guide covers everything from creating your first expense entry to advanced integrations and troubleshooting.

[Screenshot: Expenses list view showing columns for Date, Project, Category, Amount, Status, and Receipt]

Creating an Expense Entry

To create a new expense entry:

1. Navigate to Expenses from the main Navigation Menu.
2. Click + New Expense in the upper-right corner of the Expenses page.
3. Fill in the following fields in the expense form:

• Date — Select the date the expense was incurred.
• Project — Choose the project this expense should be attributed to from the dropdown.
• Expense Category — Select the appropriate category (e.g., Travel, Software, Meals). Categories are configured by your organization admin.
• Amount — Enter the expense amount in your organization's default currency.
• Description — Provide a brief description of the expense (e.g., "Client dinner at downtown restaurant").

1. Optionally upload a receipt (see the next section).
2. Click Save to create the expense entry.

[Screenshot: New Expense form with Date, Project, Expense Category, Amount, and Description fields]

Tip: If you frequently log expenses for the same project, the Project dropdown remembers your most recently used projects at the top of the list.

Note: The Date field defaults to today's date. Make sure to adjust it if you are logging an expense from a previous day.

Uploading Receipts

Attaching a receipt to an expense entry provides documentation for reviewers and auditors.

1. In the expense entry form (or when editing an existing expense), locate the Receipt Upload section.
2. Click Upload under Receipt Upload.
3. Select the receipt file from your local file system. Supported formats include PDF, PNG, JPG, and JPEG.
4. The file is uploaded to S3 and a confirmation indicator appears once the upload completes.

[Screenshot: Receipt Upload section showing the Upload button and a successfully uploaded receipt thumbnail]

Tip: Keep receipt file sizes under 10 MB for the fastest upload experience. If your receipt is a multi-page document, PDF format is recommended.

Warning: Once a receipt is uploaded and the expense is submitted, the receipt cannot be replaced unless the expense is returned to Open status.

Submitting Expenses

After creating and saving an expense entry, you must submit it for review before it can be approved and invoiced.

1. Navigate to Expenses to view your expense entries.
2. Locate the expense you want to submit.
3. In the Status column, click the dropdown for that entry.
4. Select Submit.

The expense status changes from Open to In Review, and designated reviewers are notified.

[Screenshot: Status column dropdown on an expense entry showing Open, Submit, and other options]

Note: You can only submit expenses that are in Open status. If an expense was previously rejected, it returns to Open and can be edited before resubmission.

Expense Status Lifecycle

Every expense entry follows a defined status lifecycle:

Status	Description
Open	The expense has been created but not yet submitted. It can be freely edited or deleted.
In Review	The expense has been submitted and is awaiting review by a designated approver.
Approved	The expense has been reviewed and approved. It is now eligible for invoicing.
Rejected	The expense has been reviewed and rejected. It is returned to the submitter in Open status for correction.

[Screenshot: Expense status lifecycle diagram showing Open > In Review > Approved or Rejected]

Tip: Rejected expenses include a rejection reason from the reviewer. Check the expense details to see feedback before resubmitting.

Viewing and Filtering Expenses

The Expenses list view provides several tools to locate and organize your expense entries:

• Search — Use the search bar at the top to search by description or expense details.
• Date Filters — Filter expenses by a specific date range using the date picker controls.
• Project Filters — Filter by one or more projects to see only expenses attributed to those projects.
• Status Filters — Filter by status (Open, In Review, Approved, Rejected) to focus on expenses at a specific stage.

[Screenshot: Expenses list view with active filters for date range, project, and status]

Tip: Combine multiple filters to narrow down results quickly. For example, filter by a specific project and "In Review" status to see all pending expenses for that engagement.

Expense Categories

Expense categories define the type of expense being logged (e.g., Travel, Meals, Software Licenses, Office Supplies). Categories are managed at the organization level.

Configuring Expense Categories (Admin)

1. Navigate to Organization Settings from the Settings menu.
2. Select Expense Categories.
3. Add, edit, or remove categories as needed.
4. Click Save to apply changes.

[Screenshot: Organization Settings > Expense Categories configuration panel]

Note: Removing a category does not delete existing expenses assigned to that category. Those expenses retain their original category label.

Warning: Only users with admin permissions can modify expense categories. If you need a new category, contact your organization administrator.

Billable vs Non-Billable Expenses

Each expense entry can be marked as Billable or Non-Billable:

• Billable expenses are charged to the client and included on invoices. These are typically project-related costs such as travel to a client site or software purchased specifically for a project.
• Non-Billable expenses are internal costs that are not passed on to the client. Examples include internal team meals or general office supplies.

The billable designation is set when creating or editing an expense entry. Billable expenses appear in the invoice creation workflow.

Tip: If your organization defaults most expenses to billable, check with your admin about configuring the default billable setting in Organization Settings.

Ramp Integration

Octayne PSA integrates with Ramp to automatically import corporate card expenses, reducing manual data entry and ensuring all spend is captured.

Connecting Ramp

1. Navigate to Settings from the main menu.
2. Select Integrations.
3. Locate Ramp in the integrations list and click Connect.
4. Follow the OAuth authorization flow to grant Octayne PSA access to your Ramp account.
5. Once connected, a green Connected badge appears next to the Ramp integration.

[Screenshot: Settings > Integrations page showing the Ramp integration with a Connect button]

Warning: Only organization admins can connect or disconnect the Ramp integration. Ensure you have the appropriate permissions before attempting this step.

Syncing Expenses from Ramp Automatically

Once connected, Ramp expenses sync automatically on a regular schedule. New Ramp transactions appear in the Expenses list with a Ramp icon indicator.

• Synced expenses are created in Open status, allowing team members to review and enrich them (e.g., assign a project, add a description) before submitting.
• The sync interval is managed by the platform and typically runs multiple times per day.

Tip: If you need an immediate sync, navigate to Settings > Integrations > Ramp and click Sync Now to trigger a manual sync.

Mapping Ramp Expenses to Projects

Ramp expenses arrive without project assignments. To map them:

1. Navigate to Expenses and filter by expenses with no project assigned.
2. Click on a Ramp-synced expense to open its details.
3. Select the appropriate Project from the dropdown.
4. Optionally adjust the Expense Category and Description.
5. Click Save.

[Screenshot: Editing a Ramp-synced expense to assign a project and category]

Note: Ramp expenses that are not mapped to a project cannot be submitted for approval or included on invoices.

Editing and Deleting Expenses

Editing an Expense

1. Navigate to Expenses and locate the entry you want to edit.
2. Click on the expense row to open the expense detail view.
3. Modify the fields as needed (Date, Project, Category, Amount, Description, Receipt).
4. Click Save to apply changes.

Note: Only expenses in Open status can be edited. If an expense is In Review, Approved, or Rejected, it must first be returned to Open status before edits are possible.

Deleting an Expense

1. Navigate to Expenses and locate the entry you want to delete.
2. Click on the expense row to open its details.
3. Click Delete (usually located at the bottom or in a menu within the detail view).
4. Confirm the deletion in the confirmation dialog.

Warning: Deleting an expense is permanent and cannot be undone. If you are unsure, consider leaving the expense in Open status rather than deleting it.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Resolution
Cannot submit an expense	Expense is missing required fields (Date, Project, Category, Amount)	Edit the expense and fill in all required fields before submitting.
Receipt upload fails	File exceeds the maximum size limit or is in an unsupported format	Ensure the file is under 10 MB and in PDF, PNG, JPG, or JPEG format.
Ramp expenses not syncing	Ramp integration is disconnected or authorization has expired	Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Ramp and reconnect if needed.
Expense category dropdown is empty	No categories have been configured by the admin	Contact your organization admin to set up expense categories in Organization Settings > Expense Categories.
Cannot edit an approved expense	Expenses in Approved status are locked	Ask your reviewer to return the expense to Open status, then edit and resubmit.
Duplicate expenses from Ramp	Same transaction imported multiple times	Delete the duplicate entry and report the issue to your admin. Ramp sync uses transaction IDs to prevent duplicates, so this may indicate a sync error.

FAQ

Q: Can I submit multiple expenses at once?

A: Currently, expenses must be submitted individually using the Status dropdown. Bulk submission is not available in the Expenses view, but your reviewer can bulk-approve submitted expenses.

Q: What happens when my expense is rejected?

A: The expense returns to Open status. The reviewer's rejection reason is visible in the expense details. Edit the expense to address the feedback and resubmit.

Q: Can I attach multiple receipts to a single expense?

A: Each expense entry supports one receipt upload. If you have multiple receipts for a single expense, combine them into a single PDF before uploading.

Q: Are Ramp expenses automatically categorized?

A: Ramp expenses are imported with the merchant name and transaction details, but the Expense Category and Project must be assigned manually within Octayne PSA.

Q: Who can see my expenses?

A: You can see all of your own expenses. Designated reviewers and admins can see expenses submitted for review on projects they are assigned to or have oversight of.

Q: Can I log an expense without assigning it to a project?

A: You can save an expense without a project, but it cannot be submitted for approval or invoiced until a project is assigned.

Q: How do I change an expense from billable to non-billable after approval?

A: The expense must be returned to Open status by a reviewer or admin before the billable designation can be changed.