Submit expenses
This page explains how to claim business expenses. It reflects POL-FIN-002 Travel and Expense, version 2, effective 2025-07-01. The policy is the source of truth.
Current limits
| Item | Limit (POL-FIN-002 v2) |
|---|---|
| Meals | $75 per day |
| Hotel | $220 per night |
The meal cap was $60 per day in version 1; it was raised to $75 per day in version 2. The hotel cap is $220 per night in both versions. If you find a document that says $60, it is out of date, such as the old draft described in Expenses quick guide (old draft).
Who approves
| Claim amount | Approver |
|---|---|
| Up to $1,000 | Your manager |
| $1,001 to $5,000 | Finance Controller (Dan Whitfield) |
| Above $5,000 | CFO (Priya Raman) |
How to submit a claim
- Collect itemised receipts for every item. Photos are fine if they are legible.
- Open the expense system and create a new report. Give it a clear title, for example "Austin to client site, 10 to 12 Sept".
- Add each expense with date, category, amount and the customer or project code.
- Attach the receipts.
- Check that no day exceeds the meal cap of $75 and no night exceeds the hotel cap of $220.
- Submit within 30 days of the trip or purchase.
- Your approver reviews it. Accounts Payable (Kavya Menon) pays approved claims in the next payment run.
Out-of-policy expenses
If an expense exceeds a limit, explain why in the claim. Approval for the excess needs the next approver in the table above. Do not split a large expense into smaller claims to avoid approval.
Billing expenses to customers
Pass-through costs may be billed to the customer only if the SOW allows it, see Pricing guidelines and SOW process. Mark the claim with the project code.
What is not reimbursable
- Alcohol outside client entertainment approved in advance.
- Personal travel extensions.
- Fines.
- Software or equipment that should be bought via Raise a purchase request.
Questions
For claim status ask Kavya Menon; for policy questions ask Dan Whitfield. See also Who to ask and the FAQ.
Example report summary
Report: Customer workshop, Austin
Dates: 2026-08-10 to 2026-08-12
Hotel: 2 nights x $210 = $420.00
Meals: 3 days x $70 = $210.00
Total: $630.00 -> manager approval
Owner: Dan Whitfield - Last updated: 2026-07-22