Create a workspace for yourself

Overview

Welcome to Expensify! If you are a freelancer or tracking your personal expenses, follow the steps below to get started.

1. Download the mobile app

Upload your expenses and check your reports right from your phone by downloading the Expensify mobile app. You can search for “Expensify” in the app store, or tap one of the links below.

iOS | Android

2. Meet Concierge

Your personal assistant, Concierge, lives on your Expensify Home page on both desktop and the mobile app.

Concierge will walk you through setting up your account and also provide:

  • Reminders to do things like submit your expenses
  • Alerts when more information is needed on an expense report
  • Updates on new and improved account features

You can also get support at any time by clicking the green chat bubble in the right corner. This will open a chat with Concierge where you can ask questions and receive direct support.

3. Create a workspace

All Expensify accounts automatically come with an individual workspace already set up. You can use this space for your personal expenses, or you can create a group workspace—even if you will be the only person in the group.

Here’s how to determine whether a personal or group workspace might be best for you:

  • A personal workspace is a private workspace just for you.
  • A group workspace allows you to use the workspace individually or add additional members. You can also create expense approval flows and connect accounting, HR, and travel integrations.

Set up your individual workspace

  1. Hover over Settings, then click Workspaces.
  2. Click the Individual tab on the left.
  3. Select the policy type that best fits your needs.
  4. Set up your workspace details including the workspace name, expense rules, categories, and more.

Create a group workspace

  1. Hover over Settings, then click Workspaces.
  2. Click the Group tab on the left.
  3. Click New Workspace.
  4. Set up your workspace details including the workspace name, expense rules, categories, and more.

4. Add an expense

You can create an expense automatically by SmartScanning a receipt, or you can enter them manually.

SmartScan a receipt

You can upload pictures of your receipts to Expensify and SmartScan will automatically capture the receipt details including the merchant, date, total, and currency.

  1. Click the Expenses tab.
  2. Click the + icon in the top right and select Scan Receipt.
  3. Upload a saved image of a receipt.
  1. Open the mobile app and tap the camera icon in the bottom right corner.
  2. Upload or take a photo of your receipt.
    • Upload a photo: Click the photo icon in the left corner and select the image from your device.
    • Take a photo: Click the camera icon in the right corner to select the mode, make sure all of the transaction details are clearly visible, and then take the photo.
      • Normal Mode: Upload one receipt.
      • Rapid Fire Mode: Upload multiple receipts at once.

You can open any receipt and select Fill out details myself to add or edit the merchant, date, total, description, category, or add attendees who took part in the expense. You can also split the expense if multiple expenses are included on one receipt.

You can also email receipts to SmartScan by sending them to receipts@expensify.com from an email address tied to your Expensify account (either a primary or secondary email). SmartScan will automatically pull all of the details from the receipt, fill them in for you, and add the receipt to the Expenses tab on your account.

Manually enter an expense

  1. Click the Expenses tab.
  2. Click the + icon in the top right.
  3. Select the type of expense and enter the expense details.
    • Manually create: Manually enter receipt details.
    • Scan receipt: Upload a saved image of a receipt.
    • Create multiple: Upload expenses in bulk.
    • Time: Create an expense based on hours.
    • Distance: Create an expense based on distance.
      • Manually Create: Manually enter the distance details for the expense.
      • Create from Map: Enter the start and end destination and Expensify will help you create a receipt for the trip.
  4. Click Save.
  1. Tap the ☰ menu icon in the top left.
  2. Tap Expenses.
  3. Tap the + icon in the top right.
  4. Tap the correct expense type and enter the expense details.
    • Manually create: Manually enter receipt details.
    • Time: Enter work time and rate.
    • Manually create (Distance): Manually enter trip details by total distance.
    • Odometer: Manually enter trip details by start and end odometer readings.
    • Start GPS: Track distance while using the Expensify app to automatically calculate the distance in real time during the trip.
  5. Tap Save.

5. Connect your expense accounts

You can connect your bank account(s) and personal credit card(s) to import and track your transactions in Expensify. This will:

  • Automatically sync your bank/card transactions with your Expensify account
  • Merge any expenses added with SmartScan with the tracked bank expense
  • Generate IRS-compliant eReceipts (if enabled for the workspace)
  1. Hover over Settings, then click Account.
  2. Click the Credit Card Import tab on the left.
  3. Click Import Bank/Card.
  4. Choose your bank from the list or use the search box.
    • If your bank isn’t listed, you can import your expenses as a CSV by clicking the X and selecting Import Transactions from File.
  5. Select a transaction start date (up to 90 days), then click Take me there.
  6. Enter the username and password you use to sign into the bank online.
  7. Select the account(s) you want to import.
  8. Once you have successfully imported your card(s), you can click Update to refresh the latest transactions.
  1. Tap the ☰ menu icon in the top left.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Tap Import a Card.
  4. Choose your bank from the list or use the search box.
    • If your bank isn’t listed, you can import your expenses as a CSV by clicking the X and selecting Import Transactions from File.
  5. Select a transaction start date (up to 90 days), then click Take me there.
  6. Enter the username and password you use to sign into the bank online.
  7. Select the account(s) you want to import.
  8. Once you have successfully imported your card(s), you can click Update to refresh the latest transactions.

6. See your spending insights

The Insights dashboard allows you to monitor all aspects of company spend across categories, employees, projects, departments, and more. You can see trends in real time, forecast company budgets, and build unlimited custom reports with help from our trained specialist team.

This process is currently not available from the mobile app and must be completed from the Expensify website.

  1. Click the Insights tab.
  2. Use the To and From filters to select a specific date range. The current month is shown by default.
  3. Use the other filters to select the data you want to view insights for.
    • To view your expense insights across all workspaces, tags, employees, etc., ensure “All” is selected for each filter.
    • To view expense insights for specific workspaces, tags, employees, etc., select the desired data for each applicable filter.
  4. Scroll down to see the various data graphs.
  5. To view the specific expenses that are included in the graph, click the ☰ icon in the View Raw Data column.

7. Secure your account

Add an extra layer of security to help keep your financial data safe and secure by enabling two-factor authentication. This will require you to enter a code generated by your preferred authenticator app (like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator) when you log in.

  1. Hover over Settings, then click Account.
  2. Under the Account Details tab, scroll down to the Two Factor Authentication section and enable the toggle.
  3. Save a copy of your backup codes. This step is critical—You will lose access to your account if you cannot use your authenticator app and do not have your recovery codes.
    • Click Download to save a copy of your backup codes to your computer.
    • Click Copy to paste the codes into a document or other secure location.
  4. Click Continue.
  5. Download or open your authenticator app and either:
    • Scan the QR code shown on your computer screen.
    • Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app into Expensify and click Verify.

When you log in to Expensify in the future, you’ll be emailed a magic code that you’ll use to log in with. Then you’ll be prompted to open your authenticator app to get the 6-digit code and enter it into Expensify. A new code regenerates every few seconds, so the code is always different. If the code time runs out, you can generate a new code as needed.

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