Contractor expense reports — what to include before you submit

If you bill a client as a freelancer but also need to claim back travel, software, or supplies from an employer or project manager, you are usually asked for an expense report — not an invoice. This article is a general business checklist for what many finance teams expect on that PDF. It is not tax advice. Employer policies and VAT rules differ; confirm with your client or a registered practitioner when amounts are large or recurring. ## Expense reports vs invoices - Invoice: money owed to you for work delivered (use InvoiceFast for client billing). - Expense report: money you spent on behalf of the business and want reimbursed. Mixing the two on one document causes rejections. Keep reimbursement claims in a dedicated layout with employee/contractor details, period, and line items. ## What many approvers want on the report | Field | Why it helps | |-------|----------------| | Employee / contractor name | Matches payroll or contractor records | | Department or project | Routes to the right cost centre | | Report period | Usually a calendar month | | Date per expense | Supports timing questions | | Category | Travel, software, meals, etc. | | Description | Short note — what and why | | Amount in ZAR | Default currency for most SA teams | | Receipt backup | Often required above a threshold | A one-page PDF with subtotals by category and a grand total is easier to approve than a raw spreadsheet paste. ## Records to keep before you export 1. Photo or PDF of each receipt soon after purchase — not at month-end scramble. 2. One line per expense — avoid lumping unrelated items. 3. Match dates on receipts to the line date. 4. Note the business purpose in the description (e.g. “client site visit — Cape Town”). 5. Save a copy of the submitted PDF in case finance asks again. ## Faster handoff to your manager Many contractors still email a PDF manually. A focused expense report generator can: - Show a live preview before you export - Default to ZAR and SA-friendly categories - Share on WhatsApp when your manager wants the file in chat - Attach receipt images on Pro when policy requires proof on the PDF - Export a spreadsheet (.xlsx) if finance wants both PDF and data You do not need a full accounting suite for a monthly reimbursement PDF — you need a clear, repeatable format. ## Free vs paid tiers (honest) Expense Report offers 10 free watermarked PDFs per month after a 14-day Pro trial (no card). Pro adds unlimited PDFs, receipt images, spreadsheet export, and email delivery for R49/month incl. VAT — cheaper than all-in-one billing tools if you only need reimbursement reports. ## Related tools from AuraStudioZa - [InvoiceFast](/invoicefast) — client invoices and payment tracking - [Vehicle Logbook](/logbook) — business vs private km when travel is a major expense line