Expense Report Template
An expense report gets employees reimbursed and keeps the books clean. This template logs each expense by date and category, tracks whether a receipt is attached, sums the total to reimburse, and leaves an approval line — the Excel version totals automatically so finance can approve fast.
Last reviewed 2026-07-08
Template preview
- Employee:
- Name · Dept
- Period:
- Jun 1–30, 2026
- Report #:
- EXP-0090
- Manager:
- Approver name
- Purpose:
- Client visit — Chicago
| Date | Category | Amount | Receipt? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12 | Airfare | $320.00 | Yes |
| Jun 12 | Taxi / rideshare | $48.00 | Yes |
| Jun 12–13 | Hotel (1 night) | $185.00 | Yes |
| Jun 13 | Meals | $62.00 | Yes |
| Total to reimburse | $615.00 | ||
| Advance deducted | −$200.00 | ||
| Net reimbursement | $415.00 | ||
How to fill in each field
Category
Categorize each expense (travel, meals, supplies) for accounting and policy checks.
Common mistake: Uncategorized lump expenses that finance can't code.
Receipt tracking
Mark whether a receipt is attached; most policies require them over a threshold.
Common mistake: No receipt column, so unbacked claims slip through or get rejected.
Totals & advances
Sum the total and deduct any cash advance to get the net reimbursement.
Common mistake: Forgetting to deduct an advance and over-reimbursing.
Approval
Include an approver line; reimbursement needs sign-off.
Common mistake: No approval field, stalling the payment.
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Frequently asked questions
What should an expense report include?+
The employee and period, a purpose, each expense with date, category and amount, whether a receipt is attached, the total to reimburse, any advance deducted, and an approval line.
Does the Excel expense report total automatically?+
Yes — the .xlsx sums the amount column and nets out any advance, so the reimbursement total updates as you add rows.
Do I need receipts for an expense report?+
Most company policies and tax rules require receipts above a small threshold. The template's receipt column helps you confirm each claim is backed up.
Sources & further reading
- Expense report: definition, examples, templates (Moss)— getmoss.com
- Business expense report template: key fields (FanRuan)— fanruan.com
We review authoritative guidance when building each template. Links are for reference only.