This guide will walk you through the essential one-time setup steps required to enable and configure the expense claims functionality in your Drum account. Completing these three steps will prepare your workspace for your team to begin submitting claims.
Step 1: Enable the Expense Claims Feature
By default, the expense claims module is turned off. To begin, you must first activate it in your settings.
Click on your profile icon in the top corner and select Settings.
Scroll down to the Features section.
Under the Projects sub-heading, locate the option Enable expense claims functionality.
Toggle the switch to the On position.
Step 2: Configure User Permissions for Expense Claims
Next, you need to grant your staff the appropriate permissions to use the new feature. This is managed within your user roles.
While still in Settings, navigate to Roles.
Select the user role you wish to modify (e.g., a standard staff role with no finance access).
Scroll down to the new Expense Claims permission set.
Toggle the specific abilities you want to grant to this role. Common settings for a standard user might be:
View, Create, Edit: Allowed
Delete, Approve: Disallowed
Click Save Role. Repeat this for any other user roles that require access.
Step 3: Set Up Staff Allowances
Allowances are pre-defined rates for non-receipted costs, such as travel or meal stipends, that staff can add to their claims.
From the main Settings menu, click on Staff Allowances.
Click the New Staff Allowance button to create a new type.
Fill in the details for the allowance. For example, to create a vehicle travel allowance:
Name:
Travel per kilometerUnit:
per kilometerRate: Enter the rate (e.g.,
$0.91).Account: (Optional) Assign a default finance account, like 'Travel'.
Click Save. You can create multiple allowances for different needs (e.g., overnight accommodation, meal allowances).
Once these three steps are complete, your Drum account is ready. Your team will now see the "Expenses" option and can begin creating and submitting claims.