Streamlining Receipt Tracking for Small Churches: A Software Solution

Managing expenses in a small church can often be a cumbersome task, especially when it comes to tracking receipts for payroll employees. Currently, many small organizations, like the church in question, face the challenge of manual expense reporting—an inefficient process that can lead to inaccuracies and potential issues with both internal and external fraud.

The Current Process

At this particular church, a team of 5-10 paid employees utilizes a shared credit account, specifically a Chase Ink card. Every month, these employees log into their account to manually compile a worksheet of their expenses. This includes attaching printed receipts, which are then submitted to an Accounting staff member for approval before reaching a second approver. This traditional paper-based method, while functional, can be both time-consuming and prone to error.

The Quest for an Efficient Solution

The church is looking for a more streamlined and cost-effective solution for receipt tracking. Ideally, they want a system that allows employees to easily link their receipts and expenses directly from their mobile devices—akin to the functionality offered by American Express cards.

Despite utilizing QuickBooks Online Plus for their Accounting needs, the current setup does not link their credit card accounts. Instead, only their bank accounts are connected. There’s also the consideration that the QuickBooks Plus plan allows a maximum of three users, which raises concerns about accessibility and whether it’s feasible to create separate accounts for each employee.

Another important question is whether it’s possible to restrict user permissions so that employees can only add receipts to their respective transactions, maintaining control over the overall financial data while still enhancing usability.

Potential Solutions

To enhance the expense tracking process, there are several options to consider. Here are a few software solutions that could accommodate the church’s requirements:

1. Receipt Scanning Apps: Applications such as Expensify or Receipt Bank can help employees snap photos of their receipts and automatically input the data, linking them to credit card transactions. These platforms can often integrate with QuickBooks, providing a seamless flow of financial information.

2. Dedicated Expense Management Software: Look for software focused on expense management that offers user-friendly mobile interfaces and integration with existing Accounting systems. These applications often feature customizable user permissions, allowing the church to control what employees can see and do.

3. Cloud-Based Solutions: There are various cloud-based accounting solutions that offer receipt tracking and expense management features. These often come with flexible user settings and allow for better