Streamlining Receipt Tracking for Small Churches: Finding the Right Software Solution

In today’s digital age, many organizations, including small churches, are seeking efficient ways to manage their financial records. A common challenge faced by many is the manual tracking of receipts and expenses. A faithful reader recently reached out with a request for recommendations on software that could simplify this process for a church with a small team of paid employees.

Currently, the church employs between five to ten staff members, each equipped with a credit card tied to a central business credit account (Chase Ink, to be precise). At the end of each month, employees manually log into their Chase account, fill out a worksheet detailing their expenses, print and attach receipts, and then submit the entire packet to the Accounting department for approval. This traditional, paper-intensive method not only consumes valuable time but also presents opportunities for errors and fraud, whether internal or external.

The objective is straightforward: to enhance oversight of expenses while reducing reliance on paper processes. Ideally, the church would benefit from a software solution that allows employees to link their credit card transactions directly, enabling them to submit receipts from their mobile devices—similar to how American Express facilitates expense tracking for its users.

Currently, the church utilizes QuickBooks for their Accounting needs, specifically the Online Plus plan. However, they face a limitation: while their bank accounts are linked for easy access, credit card transactions are not. Additionally, with a maximum of three users allowed on the Plus plan, managing expenses efficiently poses a challenge. The question arises: Can they set up separate accounts for each employee solely for the purpose of adding receipts to transactions?

Exploring Affordable Receipt Tracking Options

To address these challenges, here are several software options that could significantly enhance receipt tracking for small churches:

1. Expensify: This user-friendly app allows employees to import transactions directly from their credit cards and upload receipts on the go. Expensify’s features include approval workflows, making it easier for churches to monitor expenses while ensuring accountability.

2. Receipt Bank: Now known as Dext, this platform not only allows for receipt scanning but also integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks. Employees can easily upload receipts from their smartphones, which can then categorize transactions for Accounting purposes.

3. Zoho Expense: This is a budget-friendly solution that offers robust expense management features including receipt scanning, direct bank feeds, and automated approval workflows. It can be accessed via desktop and mobile, facilitating easy expense submission from anywhere