Guidance

• Attaching receipt images
• Email memo transactions
• Receipt image specifications: summary
• Approvals

Attaching receipt images

Receipt images may be uploaded as a PDF, JPG or PNG. As always, receipts may be emailed or faxed to be attached to your expense report. If you choose to upload receipts, the maximum size for a single upload is 5 MB, and maximum size for images submitted via email is 100 MB. Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), the system can determine the expense type of an uploaded receipt, crop an image of multiple receipts into individual receipt images, and even attach a receipt to the correct line item automatically.

Upload receipts

For draft and new expenses, you can upload PDF, JPG or PNG receipt images from the Expense Entry Screen.

UPLOAD FROM THE EXPENSE ENTRY SCREEN

On the Expense Entry Screen, click on the RECEIPTS tab. Click on UPLOAD IMAGES to attach your file(s).

• Add to image: Add a new file or additional files. If images are already attached, they will be appended.
• Replace image: Replace your existing file(s). This will also overwrite any images attached to the expense except those attached via a transaction or a Google mileage map.
• Delete image: Completely remove an image from the expense.

The image(s) will appear immediately in the Receipts tab.

MULTI-IMAGE CROPPINGFor direct upload only, Emburse's OCR software allows you to upload multiple receipts in a single image—for example, if you snapped a photo of three receipts on your desk. The software will automatically crop the uploaded image into separate images for each receipt. These will replace the original image in the system. If you wish to uncrop the images and revert to the original shot of multiple receipts, simply highlight the image in your Receipts tab and click UNCROP. (Note: This functionality is still a work in progress.) 

Email or fax receipts

To attach receipt images directly to an expense report via email or fax, you must submit them with a cover page that will route them to the correct expense report. This cover page can be generated from several places within the interface.

HTML receipts

Another way to create an expense memo is by using Emburse's HTML Receipts function to generate an image of the body of an email to use as the receipt. For example, you could forward an HTML email confirmation for a rental car to have it converted into a receipt image available on your Items tab.

To do so, forward the HTML Receipt (with NO attachments) to expensememo@chromefile.com to have it converted into a receipt image. Emburse’s OCR data will extract the following data: amount, currency, item type, date and vendor.

Google mileage receipts

When users create a mileage expense via Emburse’s Google Maps tool, the image of the corresponding map is automatically attached to the expense report’s image pack.

Attaching receipts to line items

By default, all receipt images attached to a report are associated with the entire report. However, we now have the ability to associate receipts to specific line items. These images will even appear below each line item in the resulting Approval Notification Email sent to approvers. It is possible to associate multiple receipts with the same line item, but it is not possible to associate the same receipt with multiple line items.

Email memo transactions

Emburse EXPENSE allows you to create new expense items via email for later attachment to an expense report in the online application. You can send a plain text email containing the pertinent details, forward an HTML email like a confirmation or receipt, or attach a receipt image to an email. If you know the Report ID of the expense report to which you want to add the expense item and/or image, you can email it directly to that report. Once it is received, you will be able to view the expense memo in the Offline folder of the Items tab when creating a new expense.

Expense memos can also be accessed via the Home Dashboard of Emburse online. Under New Items Available, click >>DETAILS and then select the OFFLINE tab.

Sending a plain text email memo

If you want to create an expense item on the go but don't have a receipt, you can send a plain text email of the details to Emburse and an item will be created for you in the Offline folder of your Items tab.

1. Draft a new message containing the following information.
   
   To: expensememo@chromefile.comFrom: your.name@your.company.comSubject: xx.xx [dollar amount] Body: Description of expense
2. The "From" email address must be the one associated with your account in Emburse EXPENSE online.
3. The Subject should be the amount of the expense with no symbols—the corresponding currency code is optional. If you neglect to put the expense amount in the Subject line, the amount will be 0.00 when the expense appears in Emburse online.
4. The body should contain the description of the expense. It will appear in the Description section of any PDF reports generated.
5. Send the message to expensememo@chromefile.com.
6. The expense will appear in the Offline folder of the Items tab.

Sending an HTML email memo

If you have received an HTML email confirmation or receipt for an expense, you can forward it directly to expensememo@chromefile.com to have it converted into a receipt image. The email must not have any attachments. The image created from the HTML email you forwarded will be found in the Offline folder of the Items tab.

Emburse's imaging software will extract valid OCR data from as many of the following criteria as possible and use it to populate the corresponding fields of the line item created from the email memo:

• Amount
• Currency
• Item Type
• Date
• Vendor

If you replace the subject line of the email with an amount, that number will override the amount extracted via OCR.

Sending an email memo with a receipt image

To submit receipts with your email memo expense, simply attach the images to a plain text message. For example, you can use your mobile device to take a photo of a receipt, then attach it to an email sent to expensememo@chromefile.com from the device.

Image files must be 5 MB or less—500 KB is ideal—and JPG, PNG and PDF files are all acceptable.

Emburse's imaging software will extract valid OCR data from as many of the following criteria as possible and use it to populate the corresponding fields of the line item created from the email memo:

• Amount
• Currency
• Item Type
• Date
• Vendor

If you enter the amount in the subject line of the email, that number will override the amount extracted via OCR.

The images will appear with the expense in the Offline folder of the Items tab. Each image will appear as its own email memo in the Items tab containing the corresponding information about the expense. Click >>RECEIPT to view the image.

Note: If you email the image without a subject line or a description, the expense will still appear in the offline folder, but the amount will be 0.00 and the only other data will be the date of the email.

Receipt image specifications: summary

Emburse gives users multiple options for attaching receipt images to an expense reports.

Attaching receipts via Emburse EXPENSE

The Emburse application allows users and their delegates to upload receipt images in PDF, JPG and PNG format. The maximum size for a single upload is 5 MB. If you wish to add a file greater than 5 MB, either split it into sections or send it via email or fax. The total size of all images uploaded via email must be 100 MB or less.

Attaching receipts by fax or email

Users also have the option to attach receipt images by fax or email, which allows you to bypass the file-size limitation on images uploaded through the application. It is also the only way to submit images as TIFF files. Only JPGs, PDFs, PNGs and TIFFs can be accepted.

To attach receipts directly to a specific report, the Emburse cover page with unique report QR code must be included as the first page, in front of the receipts. Users may submit receipts for multiple reports simultaneously by placing the Emburse cover page for each expense report at the start of its corresponding receipt packet, like this: Cover Page A, Receipt Packet A, Cover Page B, Receipt Packet B, etc.

Attaching receipts via a mobile device

Users have the option to snap a photo of receipts with a mobile device and email it directly to Emburse. Here are a few guidelines to ensure that your image can be read by the system:

• Hold the device steady when taking the photo.
• Be sure there is no glare on the receipt that obscures the data.
• During the image-attachment process, select the size (Small, Medium, Large, Actual Size) that’s closest to 500 KB.

Troubleshooting

Submission fails: Faxed/emailed receipts trigger a confirmation email that reports the success or failure of the submission. If the submission fails, the email will list the reason—for example, no cover page or illegible QR code.

Attachment fails: Occasionally, a receipt image will not attach properly. If this occurs, the application will return the file by email to either the submitter or the firm administrator. If the file is larger than 5 MB, it will not be included as an attachment in the email.

QR code issues: If a receipt is returned but appears to be formatted properly, make sure the QR code is clear and not obstructed. In some cases, the QR code may contain a significant amount of “noise”—the variation of brightness or color information in an image that appears as randomly occurring black or white pixels. If the QR code is not able to be read by the Emburse QR code reader, it may reject the file.

Rescanning or reprinting the cover page and receipts at a higher resolution with the quality controls set at “fine” will typically resolve this issue. Emburse’s recommended settings are Black and White, 300 dpi, and the accepted file types are JPG, PNG, TIFF and PDF.

Approvals

Emburse’s line-item image functionality is especially helpful for approvers because it takes them directly to the receipt image corresponding to each line item.

In-app approval

When an approver clicks on a line item that has an image attached to it, that image will automatically appear in the Receipts tab. If there are numerous images attached to the expense report, this saves the approver from having to click through all of them to find the relevant receipt. Conversely, as the approver clicks through the images on the Receipts tab, their corresponding line items will be highlighted on the report.

Email approval

Approval emails for expense reports containing line-item images have a VIEW link in the Expense Details section for each line item with a corresponding receipt. The link opens the receipt pack PDF and scrolls directly to the corresponding receipt.

• Pre-Approval Request Tracking (Emburse)
• Inquiry: My Approvals (Emburse)
• Open Approvals (Emburse)
• Submitted Expense Reports (Emburse)
• Unsubmitted Expense Reports (Emburse)
• Expense Report Tracking (Emburse)
• Expense Analysis (Emburse)

Pre-approval request tracking (Emburse)

1. Log into Emburse and launch reporting.

   1. Log in to Emburse. (Bookmark this page for quick access)
   2. In the menu at the top, select Advanced > Analytics Reporting.

2. Load the report and specify filters.

   1. Under the Standard Reports tab, in the Reports list at the left side of the screen, select Pre-Approval Request Tracking.
   2. Specify the selection criteria, such as the Submit Date, Expense Owner, and/or Status. Tip: Type in a few characters and click on the magnifying glass to see the available options for a specific filter.
   3. Click the Find Requests button. This loads a list of pre-approvals. Keep the default selection ("All") or select a specific pre-approval (Ctrl+ or Shift+ for multiple items). 

3. Select an output type, view report results, and refine.

   1. Select the output type HTML Active Report. This report type opens quickly within a new browser tab and provides additional options to filter and sort. 
   2. Click the Tracking button to view report results.
   3. Click on the triangle to the right of any column name (such as Approver or Approval Status) to sort or filter. 
   4. Additional functions such as charting, pivot tables, and export options are also available by right-clicking on the triangle.

Inquiry: My Approvals (Emburse)

Use Inquiry to show My Approvals (Approved and Returned). Employees who have profiles within Emburse, and have approval responsibilities, can run Inquiry reporting to see approved and returned expense items for selected date ranges, and specific expense owners. Inquiry: My Approvals also allows you to View Expense Reports, Receipts, and copy expenses to paste into other documents.

1. Log into Emburse and select inquiry.

   

2. From your Inquiry Dashboard, select → My Approvals and click Run Report.

   

3. Determine the criteria you would like Emburse to search.

   

4. You have a series of options available for each expense report. Click on the specific line item for further information.

   1. View Expense Report PDF:  Cover Page, Full Report, Report with Notes

      

   2. View Receipts for accompanying expense report.

      

   3. If you choose to use the Group Option, the Copy to Clipboard and View PDF features are available for use.

      

      Summary: An overview of Spent and Approved Amounts
      All and Details: Expense Owner, Expense, Report Name, Submit Date, Action Date, Action, Spent Amount, Approved Amount (for each line in the specified report)

   4. View PDF

      

      Summary: a basic view of the Expense Report name, spent amount, and approved amount.

      

      All and Details: an advanced PDF of expense owner, expense type, report name, submitted date, action date, action, spent amount and approved amount. 

      

Open Approvals (Emburse)

1. Log into Emburse and launch reporting.

   1. Log in to Emburse. (Bookmark this page for quick access)
   2. In the menu at the top, select Advanced > Analytics Reporting.

2. Load the report and specify filters.

   1. Under the Standard Reports tab, in the Reports list at the left side of the screen, select Open Approvals.
   2. Specify the Office Code (the three-digit code that represents your school or business unit in Banner) or Department Code (four digits). Alternately, leave these filter fields blank to view all results, noting that this may result in a longer run time for the report.
   3. Remove unnecessary report columns (such as Rule ID) by selecting the column name in the Included Columns pane and clicking the Left Arrow button. Columns can also be rearranged using the Up and Down Arrow buttons.
   4. Select a Group Column, such as Approver or Department (optional).

3. Select an output type, view report results, and refine.

   1. Select the output type HTML Active Report. This report type opens quickly within a new browser tab and provides additional options to filter and sort. 
   2. Click the Run Report button to view report results.
   3. Right-click on the triangle to the right of any column name (such as Approver Name or Department) to sort or filter.
   4. Additional functions such as charting, pivot tables, and export options are also available by right-clicking on the triangle.

Submitted Expense Reports (Emburse)

1. Log into Emburse and launch reporting.

   1. Log in to Emburse. (Bookmark this page for quick access)
   2. In the menu at the top, select Advanced > Analytics Reporting.

2. Load the report and specify filters.

   1. Under the Standard Reports tab, in the Reports list at the left side of the screen, select Submitted Reports.
   2. Select a date range from the drop-down menu or specify a custom date range.
   3. Add additional Report Columns, such as Owner Office or Expense Creator Name, if desired.
   4. Select a Group Column, such as Expense Owner Name or Expense Creator Name (optional).

3. Select an output type, view report results, and refine.

   1. Select the output type HTML Active Report. This report type opens quickly within a new browser tab and provides additional options to filter and sort. 
   2. Click the Run Report button to view report results.
   3. Review expense report detail (scanned receipts, allocation summary, and business purpose) by selecting View (in the last column) for any line item. Note that if you select Cover Page or Full Report from this dropdown, the allocation summary represents the index that is specified within Emburse. Always refer to Banner for final allocation amounts, indexes, and accounts.
   4. Additional options such as filters, charts, pivot tables, and sort are available by right-clicking on the triangle to the right of the column name.

Unsubmitted Expense Reports (Emburse)

1. Log into Emburse and launch reporting.

   1. Log in to Emburse. (Bookmark this page for quick access)
   2. In the menu at the top, select Advanced > Analytics Reporting.

2. Load the report and specify filters.

   1. Under the Standard Reports tab, in the Reports list at the left side of the screen, select Unsubmitted Reports.
   2. Specify the selection criteria, such as the Date Range, Office Code (the three-digit code that represents your school or business unit in Banner), or Expense Owner. Tip: Type in a few characters and click on the magnifying glass to see the available options for a specific filter.
   3. Remove unnecessary Report Columns (such as Currency Code) by selecting the column name in the Included Columns pane and clicking the Left Arrow button. Columns can also be rearranged using the Up and Down Arrow buttons.
   4. Select a Group Column, such as Expense Owner or Office Name (optional).

3. Select an output type, view report results, and refine.

   1. Select the output type HTML Active Report. This report type opens quickly within a new browser tab and provides additional options to filter and sort. 
   2. Click the Tracking button to view report results.
   3. Review the unsubmitted expense report detail (scanned receipts, allocation summary, and business purpose) by selecting View (in the last column) for any line item. Note that if you select Cover Page or Full Report from this dropdown, the allocation summary represents the index that is specified within Emburse. Always refer to Banner for final allocation amounts, indexes, and accounts.
   4. Additional options such as filters, charts, pivot tables, and sort are available by right-clicking on the triangle to the right of the column name.

Expense Report Tracking (Emburse)

1. Log into Emburse and launch reporting.

   1. Log in to Emburse. (Bookmark this page for quick access)
   2. In the menu at the top, select Advanced > Analytics Reporting.

2. Load the report and specify filters.

   1. Under the Standard Reports tab, in the Reports list at the left side of the screen, select Expense Report Tracking.
   2. Specify the selection criteria, such as the Submit Date, Expense Owner, and/or Approver. Tip: Type in a few characters and click on the magnifying glass to see the available options for a specific filter.
   3. Click the Find Reports button. An additional Parameters section appears.
   4. Click the Run button. This loads a list of expense reports. Keep the default selection ("All") or select a specific report (Ctrl+ or Shift+ for multiple items). 

3. Select an output type, view report results, and refine.

   1. Select the output type HTML Active Report. This report type opens quickly within a new browser tab and provides additional options to filter and sort. 
   2. Click the Tracking button to view report results.
   3. This report automatically groups by Expense Report ID, and shows each line item and each step in the approval process. The most recent step in the approval process appears on the bottom row(s) for any specific Expense Report ID. Review the expense report detail (scanned receipts, allocation summary, and business purpose) by selecting View (in the last column) for any line item. Note that if you select Cover Page or Full Report from this dropdown, the allocation summary represents the index that is specified within Emburse. Always refer to Banner for final allocation amounts, indexes, and accounts.
   4. Additional options such as filters, charts, pivot tables, and sort are available by right-clicking on the triangle to the right of the column name.

Expense analysis (Emburse)

1. Log into Emburse and launch reporting.

   1. Log in to Emburse. (Bookmark this page for quick access) Note: This report only works in Internet Explorer 9.x on the PC. If using a different platform or browser, similar data can be obtained (visually) through the Dashboard tab.
   2. In the menu at the top, select Advanced > Analytics Reporting.

2. Load the report, specify filters, and organize columns.

   1. Under the Standard Reports tab, in the Reports list at the left side of the screen, select Expense Analysis.
   2. Specify the selection criteria, such as the Submit Date, Office (school or business unit), Expense Category, and/or Report Status. This report has many filters available. Click on the edge of the Filters pane to scroll down to additional filters such as Expense Owner and Matter. Tip: Type in a few characters and click on the magnifying glass to see the available options for a specific filter.
   3. Add additional columns to this report by selecting a column name in the Available Columns pane and clicking the Right Arrow button. Rearrange columns by selecting a column name in the Included Columns list and clicking the Up or Down Arrow button. Note: the term "Matter" (Matter Number, Matter Name) refers to the VCU Banner Index.

3. Select an output type, view report results, and refine.

   1. Select the output type HTML Active Report. This report type opens quickly within a new browser tab and provides additional options to filter and sort. 
   2. Click the Tracking button to view report results.
   3. Additional options such as filters, charts, pivot tables, and sort are available by right-clicking on the triangle to the right of the column name.