Expense categorization and approval workflow

Purpose

1.1. Streamline the end-to-end process of categorizing, submitting, and approving restaurant expenses, from paper receipt upload or digital invoice arrival to coded accounting and manager sign-off.
1.2. Reduce manual entry by auto-classifying receipts, matching spend to accounts (e.g., food supplies, staff meals), and routing items for supervisor authorization, with compliance checks for policy alignment and report generation for analytics.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. New expense receipt uploaded via email, app, or scanner.
2.2. Digital invoice received from supplier.
2.3. Spender submits expense via mobile/web form.
2.4. Scheduled expense export/import from bank/credit card feed.

Platform Variants

3.1. QuickBooks Online
• Feature/Setting: "Create Expense" API; auto-categorize by vendor/rules and flagging for approval upon entry.
• Sample: Setup webhook to receive scanned receipts and push categorized expense.

3.2. Xero
• Feature/Setting: "Receipts API" and "Expense Claims"; integrate with mobile capture, auto-suggest categories, submit for multi-level approval.
• Sample: Parsing PDF for category mapping then submit via API.

3.3. SAP Concur
• Feature/Setting: "Expense Report API"; capture, categorize, and assign approver based on spend amount/rule.
• Sample: Auto-route bar purchase receipts to section head.

3.4. Expensify
• Feature/Setting: "SmartScan"; email/manual upload, auto-category, and submit via approval routing rule.
• Sample: Staff uploads catering receipts routed to regional manager.

3.5. Zoho Expense
• Feature/Setting: "Auto-scan Expense" + "Custom Approval Workflow."
• Sample: Bulk upload supplier bills; mapped to chart of accounts with workflow triggers.

3.6. Sage Intacct
• Feature/Setting: "Expense Reports API"; auto-categorize staff claims and configure multi-step approvals.
• Sample: Weekly expense submission flows.

3.7. Netsuite
• Feature/Setting: "Expense Reports SuiteTalk API", custom roles-based approval sequences.
• Sample: Sync from scanner service; assign general ledger code.

3.8. Receipt Bank (Dext)
• Feature/Setting: "Supplier Rules", "Product Mapping."
• Sample: Scan/forward receipts to auto-match categories then push for approval.

3.9. Google Sheets
• Feature/Setting: "Sheets API"; append line, run Apps Script for categorization & Slack alert for approval.
• Sample: Staff log daily expenses via form, categorized by script, manager notified.

3.10. Microsoft Power Automate
• Feature/Setting: "AI Builder Receipt Processing", "Flow Approval"; extract, categorize, route to Teams for sign-off.
• Sample: Email receipt triggers auto-coding, approval in Teams.

3.11. FreshBooks
• Feature/Setting: "Expense API"; submit expenses, assign category by OCR, approval sent to admin.
• Sample: Invoice PDF emailed; OCR tags vendor, routed for approval.

3.12. Slack
• Feature/Setting: "Workflow Builder," "Incoming Webhooks" for approval request, audit log posts.
• Sample: Notify channel for approval and auto-create analytics export.

3.13. Trello
• Feature/Setting: "Card Automation" via Butler; new card for expense, automated label assignment, move to approval list.
• Sample: Parse email receipt and create card for approval.

3.14. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: "Automations", "Form Submission", category auto-fill, record view for approval.
• Sample: Supplier uploads bill to form, currency/GL auto-fill, approval by finance.

3.15. Dropbox
• Feature/Setting: "File Request" + webhook push; auto-categorize via filename/AI, notify reviewer.
• Sample: Supplier uploads invoice, auto-match department.

3.16. Monday.com
• Feature/Setting: "Automations", category mapping, status automation for approvals.
• Sample: Account manager submits, status changes with reviewer action.

3.17. DocuSign
• Feature/Setting: "Recipient Routing", "DocuSign Connect"; digital signature approval for large expenses.
• Sample: Bills above $1,000 auto-route to director for e-sign.

3.18. Stripe
• Feature/Setting: "Sigma" (SQL reporting), "Webhook for Payments"; auto-export categorized spends for approval.
• Sample: End-of-day spends mapped to GL, flagged for supervisor review.

3.19. PayPal
• Feature/Setting: "Transaction Webhooks," "API notifications," feed expense data to analytics/categorization flows.
• Sample: Each payment triggers categorization logic, request for review.

3.20. Square
• Feature/Setting: "Sales Report API", "Category Webhook."
• Sample: Food purchase receipts auto-imported, categorized, routed for manager.

3.21. Zoho Books
• Feature/Setting: "Expense Creation API", category rules, multi-level approval chain.
• Sample: Expense recorded from supplier payout, routed to finance.

3.22. Oracle Fusion Cloud
• Feature/Setting: "Expense Integration API", pre-approval routing, machine learning categorization.
• Sample: Large vendor spends flagged, posted for director approval.

Benefits

4.1. Eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors in the finance process.
4.2. Enforces compliance with spend policies and approval hierarchy.
4.3. Provides instant spend analytics, accessible by management.
4.4. Accelerates reimbursement and accounting cycles.
4.5. Scalable across multiple branches, ensuring consistency and transparency.