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Enable expense claims and configure staff allowances

Enable expense claims, grant staff access and configure allowance types.

Written by Ben Walker

Before we can start using Drum's Expense Claims feature we must first enable it in Settings. This tutorial will guide you through the simple process.

Already enabled the Expense Claims feature? You can go directly to the Create and manage expense claim items or Add and manage staff allowances.

Step 1: Enabling Expense Claims

  1. Open the dropdown menu by clicking on your profile image or initials

  2. Click on Settings

  3. Click on Features under the FUNDAMENTAL DATA heading

  4. Click on the toggle next to Enable 'Expense Claims' functionality for projects

Step 2: Creating Staff Allowances

  1. Click on Staff Allowances under the FUNDAMENTAL DATA heading

  2. You can see existing Staff Allowances listed here

  3. Click 'Create New Staff Allowance' to add a new Staff Allowance

  4. Enter a Name e.g. Travel per kilometre

  5. Enter an optional Description

  6. Enter the Unit of measurement e.g. km

  7. Enter the Rate e.g. $1.25

  8. Select a Finance Account

  9. Set the Status as Active

  10. Optionally set this staff allowance as the Default

  11. Click Save Staff Allowance to finish.

These staff allowances will now appear as valid allowance options for staff in the expense claim system.

Set staff permissions

In Settings → Roles, grant the expense-claim permissions each role needs. Staff who enter claims need the relevant view, create and edit access; give approval and deletion permissions only to the roles responsible for those actions.

  • Claims managers who add items to other members' claims need Update Expense Claims plus View All Expense Claims. Update Expense Claims alone is not enough if those claims are outside their scope. Approval permissions do not unlock every claim.

  • Only people with Update Expense Claims can choose the Employee on a claim. Without it the select is disabled and a new claim belongs to the person who creates it.

  • Cost file uploads (project Costs tab or the unallocated upload on Expenses) need Create Costs. Update Costs alone is not enough.

See the permissions reference for claim scope, receipts after approval, and related rules.

Staff allowances are payroll items. Drum does not integrate them with Xero payroll; arrange payment through your payroll process outside Drum.

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