Company Credit Card Nightmares

How do you get people to get you the right paperwork?

Didn't find your answer?

Hi all,

Everywhere I've worked there's been an issue with company credit cards. People are terrible at getting the paperwork to finance. I am in a particularly annoying position as my predecessors weren't enforcing best practice so I'm having to really push people to try and work in a different way.

Does anyone have any tips that might make it easier? At the moment the main issues are:

-Receipts that don't have our company name or address on

-Receipts that don't have the supplier's name or address or vat number

-Completely missing receipts/unidentified purchases (we don't think they are fraud, just more likely no-one remembering/owning up to them)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Replies (10)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

By Moonbeam
13th Sep 2018 17:53

At the end of the day if the directors won't back you, you're on a hiding to nothing. I find star employees can do what they like, and the MD is too scared to insist they provide expense data fast if at all. If you can't get the directors' help just put in writing what you need and the possible effect on the company if they don't insist staff provide you with what you need on time. Also put in writing that you cannot provide timely and useful info otherwise. And then think about something nice (as my mother would say), because you can't win em all.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By andy.partridge
13th Sep 2018 18:40

Quite simply, access to a company credit card is a privilege. With it comes responsibility. Failure to be responsible should result in a withdrawal of the privilege.

Thanks (0)
Replying to andy.partridge:
paddle steamer
By DJKL
13th Sep 2018 20:43

Unless it is the star salesman in which case you get told to "just deal with it"

Marketing types are similar.

Audit testing of systems controls ought to be tested by letting sales and marketing types loose in the carefully planned system of checks and balances; in effect use them as human rats in the experiment to test the controls.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By WhichTyler
13th Sep 2018 21:15

Is this an occasion where 'just upload a picture of the receipt using the app' could be helpful? Have a look at webexpenses or similar

No one like paperwork

Thanks (0)
avatar
By meadowsaw227
14th Sep 2018 16:27

If they do not respond to our requests then,
No receipt whole amount put to directors drawings, no vat number no vat claimed, etc .

Thanks (0)
Replying to meadowsaw227:
paddle steamer
By DJKL
14th Sep 2018 22:36

And if not a director?

Very muddy waters with employees, you cannot just take the unvouched costs out of their after tax salary.

You need a really well thought out and detailed set of written rules both implemented and agreed with the employees, any other route is chaos.

Thanks (0)
Replying to DJKL:
RLI
By lionofludesch
20th Sep 2018 16:15

Stick it on the P11d and let them pay tax on it.

Thanks (0)
Melchett
By thestudyman
15th Sep 2018 08:09

For credit cards the expenditure is presumably all business so there should not be any consideration for deduction from salary if they don't have the exact paperwork.

However you could insert a clause in the company handbook that if an employee consistently fails to keep and provide the necessary paperwork then they may lose their privalege to a company credit card.

The alternative is for employees to pay for it and claim back on their expenses. The company will be in a stronger position to reject expenses incurred if there is no invoice etc..

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Sam Beedle
20th Sep 2018 09:53

For credit cards used mainly for personal expenditure we make our employee submit personal expense claims which must be fully receipts. Any cash expenses are also on this form. They have to be in with 3 days of month end or they don't get paid for there personal expenses.

For the credit card that gets used for everything. The person whose name it is in has the credit card on a clip board with a very basis information form on. I..e date, supplier, amount, vat, employee, receipt.

The idea is whoever takes the card fills in the form at the same time. This bit generally happened, however receipts sometimes still get forget, but at that point we have someone to chase. Eventually if you keep telling them they get it.

Unless your ordering from amazon in which case good luck getting a vat receipt we just post as gross value but exempt in such cases as its not worth the hassle.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By PChapman
20th Sep 2018 14:50

Draw up a set of rules stating what has to be done and by when
I'd include a clause that non-business expenditure will/may be reclaimed from wages or reported as BiK as appropriate.
Issue it out to employees with co credit card and to any new employees when they get one. Then nag nag nag
most will fall in to line gradually, but there will always be the odd one... for those the threat of BiK tax generally focuses the mind! While they might not like doing the paperwork, the thought of paying extra to the taxman is usually abhorrent!

Good luck

Thanks (0)