Seeking Affordable Receipt Tracking Solutions for Small Churches

In the ever-evolving landscape of financial management, small organizations like our local church are always on the lookout for efficient ways to handle expenses. Currently, our church, which employs a modest team of five to ten staff members, relies on a manual process for tracking receipts linked to a master credit account with Chase, specifically utilizing their Ink for Business credit cards.

The Current Process

At the end of each month, employees log into their Chase accounts to painstakingly complete a worksheet detailing their expenses. They print and attach the corresponding receipts, subsequently submitting this paperwork to an Accounting personnel for initial approval. Following this, the documentation is sent for a second round of approval—an all-paper process that can be time-consuming and prone to human error. While the primary aim is to avoid fraud—both internal and external—the existing method leaves much to be desired in terms of efficiency.

Our Vision for Improvement

Ideally, we are looking for a cost-effective solution that allows for seamless receipt tracking directly linked to their credit card accounts. A mobile-friendly option, akin to the functionalities offered by American Express, would enable our team to easily upload receipts on-the-go, thereby simplifying the approval workflow and minimizing paper usage.

Current Tools and Limitations

At present, we are utilizing QuickBooks with the Online Plus plan for our Accounting needs. However, it’s noteworthy that while our bank accounts are connected, our credit cards remain unlinked. While QuickBooks is a robust platform for managing finances, I’m concerned that individual accounts may be necessary for each user, given that the Plus plan supports only three users. Additionally, I’m curious about whether it is possible to limit account permissions, specifically allowing users to only input receipts against transactions without granting full access to other functionalities.

The Call for Recommendations

If you have experience with receipt tracking tools suitable for small organizations or know of affordable options that integrate well with QuickBooks, I would love to hear your suggestions. Your insights could significantly enhance our financial management and help us streamline our processes for the benefit of our church community. Thank you in advance for your recommendations!