Most corporate expense systems require receipts for purchases over $25-$75 (the threshold varies by company). The receipt must be itemized — a credit card slip showing only the total is not sufficient. Finance teams want to verify that the $85 lunch was a team meal, not a personal shopping trip.
This guide covers what makes a receipt valid for an expense report, how to handle missing receipts, how different expense systems (Concur, Expensify, Brex, Ramp) process documentation, and how to use the receipt generator when you need to recreate a receipt.
What Expense Reports Require on Receipts
Corporate expense policies vary, but most require these elements on any submitted receipt:
- Date of purchase
- Vendor name (restaurant, hotel, store)
- Itemized breakdown of what was purchased
- Total amount paid
- Payment method (corporate card, personal card, cash)
- Business purpose (you add this when submitting)
- Attendees for business meals
| Receipt Type | Accepted for Expense Report? |
|---|---|
| Itemized restaurant check | Yes |
| Hotel folio with charges broken out | Yes |
| Online receipt PDF (Uber, Amazon) | Yes |
| Photo of paper receipt (clear) | Yes |
| Credit card slip only (no itemization) | Usually rejected |
| Bank statement entry | Rejected (no item detail) |
| Handwritten receipt from contractor | Yes (if itemized) |
| Receipt from generator like ReceiptEdit | Yes (for recreated lost receipts) |
Expense Report Thresholds by Company Type
| Company Type | Typical Receipt Threshold | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | $25 and above | Strict — receipts required for almost everything |
| Mid-size (200-5000 employees) | $25-$75 | Varies by department |
| Small business / Startup | $75-$100 | More flexible but still required for high amounts |
| Government contractor | $25 (per FAR) | Federal Acquisition Regulation minimum |
| Non-profit | $25 | Donor accountability requires strict documentation |
Check your specific company expense policy. Most are listed in the employee handbook or accessible through your expense system (Concur Help, Expensify Policy page, etc.).
How Different Expense Systems Process Receipts
Concur (SAP)
Concur uses OCR to extract receipt data automatically. Upload a clear photo or PDF. Concur identifies vendor, date, amount, and category. Manually add the business purpose. Concur flags rejected receipts in the report; common rejection reasons include blurry images, missing itemization, and personal items mixed with business.
Expensify
Expensify SmartScan reads receipt details from photos. Email forwarding works too (receipts@expensify.com from your registered email). Expensify auto-categorizes based on vendor (e.g., "Uber" = ground transportation). Approval policies can require itemization above set thresholds.
Brex
Brex integrates corporate cards with receipt capture. Every Brex card transaction prompts you to text/email a receipt. Brex flags transactions missing receipts in your dashboard. The system auto-matches receipts to transactions when both are submitted.
Ramp
Ramp does similar real-time receipt collection via SMS prompts. Ramp also auto-extracts data and matches to transactions. Ramps strength is automation rules: "auto-approve under $25, require receipt for $25+."
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online has receipt capture for small businesses. Photograph the receipt, QuickBooks extracts data and creates an expense entry. Works with the QuickBooks mobile app or by emailing receipts to a unique QuickBooks email address.
All systems share the same underlying requirement: itemized receipts that prove what was bought. For more on what counts as itemized, see our itemized receipt guide.
Common Expense Categories and Receipt Requirements
Business Meals
Required: itemized restaurant check (not credit card slip), attendees list, business purpose. Brand templates available for major restaurants like McDonalds, Starbucks, and chain restaurants — browse all restaurant receipt templates.
Travel: Flights
Required: full itinerary showing flight class, dates, and total cost. Boarding pass alone is not sufficient because it does not show the price. Get the email confirmation from the airline or travel booking site.
Travel: Hotels
Required: hotel folio (not just the confirmation email). The folio breaks out room rate, taxes, parking, room service, etc. Some expense policies require attaching the folio AND the credit card statement to verify the charge matched. Browse hotel receipt templates for the standard format.
Travel: Ground Transportation
Uber, Lyft, taxi, rental cars. Uber and Lyft auto-email receipts. Taxi receipts come at the end of the ride. Car rentals provide an email receipt at return. Taxi templates cover all formats.
Office Supplies and Equipment
Receipts from Office Depot, Staples, Amazon Business. Itemized receipts are standard from these retailers. Equipment over $2,500 may need separate capital expenditure approval, not just an expense report.
Software Subscriptions
Receipts from QuickBooks, Adobe, Microsoft 365, etc. The monthly auto-billing email is your receipt. Most companies prefer annual subscriptions on one receipt vs monthly billing for cleaner expense tracking.
Tipping Guidelines for Expense Report Receipts
Most US expense policies allow tip reimbursement, but the tip must be reasonable. Industry guidelines:
| Service | Acceptable Tip Range |
|---|---|
| Restaurant meals | 15-20% of pre-tax total |
| Uber/Lyft | 10-20% |
| Taxi | 15-20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $3-5 per night |
| Hotel bellhop | $2-5 per bag |
| Valet parking | $3-5 |
| Bartender | $1-2 per drink or 20% |
Tips above 25% may trigger expense report review. Write the tip on the receipt clearly. For Uber/Lyft, tips automatically appear on the digital receipt.
What to Do If You Lose a Receipt
Lost receipts happen. Most companies have a process for this:
- Request a duplicate from the vendor. Restaurants, hotels, and ride-share companies can typically reprint or email a copy within 30-90 days.
- Submit a missing receipt affidavit. Most expense systems (Concur, Expensify) have a form for this. You attest under penalty of expense rejection that the expense is legitimate.
- Use the credit card statement as backup. Print the relevant transaction and attach it to the affidavit.
- Create a recreated receipt. The receipt generator creates properly formatted receipts based on what you remember of the original. Submit it noting it is a recreated copy of a lost original.
Most companies allow 1-3 missing receipt affidavits per quarter before flagging the pattern. Habitually missing receipts can result in expense report denial.
Personal vs Business Expenses on Same Receipt
If you bought both business and personal items on the same receipt (e.g., bought office supplies AND a snack at Staples):
- Circle or highlight ONLY the business items on the receipt
- Calculate the total of business items separately
- Submit only that subtotal on the expense report
- Note "Partial expense — business items only" in the description
Some expense systems let you split a single receipt across business and personal categories. Use that feature if available.
Creating Recreated Receipts for Expense Reports
For legitimately lost receipts where the vendor cannot provide a copy, recreated receipts using the receipt generator work for most expense systems if:
- The transaction is verifiable through a credit card statement
- You note "Recreated copy of lost original" on the expense report
- The amount matches your card statement exactly
- The vendor and date match your records
Available templates by category: restaurants, hotels, taxi/rideshare, grocery, professional services, and department stores. Each matches the standard format for that vendor type.
Receipt for Expense Report FAQs
What is the minimum amount that requires a receipt for an expense report?
Most companies require receipts for expenses over $25. Some allow up to $75 before requiring documentation. Federal government contractors must comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) minimum of $25. Check your company expense policy in the employee handbook or expense system help section.
Do I need an itemized receipt or is the credit card slip enough?
You need the itemized receipt for restaurants, hotels, and most service-based expenses. The credit card slip only shows the total and does not prove what was purchased. Finance teams need to verify the expense was business-related. For groceries and retail purchases, the standard receipt (already itemized) is sufficient.
What if I lost a receipt?
Three options: (1) request a duplicate from the vendor (most can reprint within 30-90 days), (2) submit a missing receipt affidavit through your expense system, or (3) create a recreated receipt using a generator and submit it with your credit card statement as backup. Most companies allow 1-3 missing receipts per quarter before flagging.
Can I use a screenshot of an email receipt?
Yes, as long as the screenshot is clear and shows all required information (date, vendor, items, amount). Most expense systems prefer the actual PDF over a screenshot. To get the PDF, click "Save as PDF" when printing the email or look for a "Download Receipt" link in the email itself.
Do I need receipts for tipping?
Tips written on the receipt are typically reimbursable. For tips that are not on the receipt (cash tips to hotel staff, valet, etc.), most companies allow a reasonable amount based on industry standards. Document cash tips with a notation on a related receipt or expense report. Tips above 25% may trigger expense review.
What if my receipt has personal items mixed with business?
Circle or highlight only the business items on the receipt. Calculate the subtotal of business items separately. Submit only that subtotal on the expense report. Note "Partial expense — business items only" in the description. Some systems allow splitting a single receipt across business and personal categories — use that if available.
How long should I keep expense report receipts?
Keep digital copies for at least 3 years from submission. The IRS retention standard is 3 years from tax filing date for business expenses. Some companies require employees to retain receipts longer for internal audits. Cloud storage makes long-term retention trivial — save to a dedicated "Expense Reports YYYY" folder.
Can I submit a receipt generated by ReceiptEdit for a lost receipt?
Yes, with a note. The receipt generator creates properly formatted receipts that match real vendor formats. Submit it as a recreated copy of a lost original, with your credit card statement as supporting documentation. Most expense systems accept this when the underlying transaction is verifiable. See our IRS receipt requirements guide for the underlying compliance standards.
