Streamlining Receipt Tracking for Small Churches: A Practical Solution

Managing expenses and receipts can often be a cumbersome task for small organizations, such as churches, especially when it comes to tracking expenses from various staff members. If you’re part of a church managing around five to ten payroll employees, you might be familiar with the current process: employees log into their credit card accounts, fill out spreadsheets detailing their expenditures, and then submit these along with physical receipts for approval. While this method works, it can be time-consuming and prone to errors, not to mention the potential for internal and external fraud.

As technology continues to advance, there are more efficient ways to monitor spending and streamline Accounting tasks without drastically increasing costs. Here’s a look at how you can simplify receipt tracking for your church.

Seeking Efficient and Affordable Solutions

One possible solution is to implement an expense tracking software that integrates seamlessly with your church’s credit card system. Ideally, a solution that allows employees to input receipts directly from their mobile devices would substantially reduce the need for paper submissions and simplify the approval process.

Currently, the church uses Chase Ink for business credit cards, and with some quick research, there are several platforms available that work similarly to American Express, allowing users to log their expenses directly as they occur.

Exploring Compatibility with Existing Systems

Your church currently utilizes QuickBooks for Accounting, specifically the Online Plus plan. However, since the credit cards are not linked directly to QuickBooks—only bank accounts are—the integration would need to be considered carefully. One question that arises is whether an individual account for each employee would be necessary, as the Plus plan only allows three users.

Additionally, it’s essential to determine if it’s possible to restrict user accounts to only allow them to add receipts to existing transactions. This functionality could ensure that employees manage their expense reports without gaining access to critical financial data.

Conclusion

Transitioning from a manual, paper-driven system to a digital expense management solution can not only save time but also enhance transparency and accountability within your church. Researching affordable expense tracking software that meets your needs and integrates with QuickBooks will be crucial in streamlining this process. As you explore these options, keep in mind the objective of minimizing fraud risks while maintaining thorough oversight on expenditures.