Managing business expenses efficiently helps maintain clear financial records and streamline reimbursements. Pemo tracks both card expenses and expenses made without a Pemo card. Here's how they differ.
What are card expenses?
Card expenses are transactions made using a virtual or physical Pemo card. These payments are automatically recorded in your Pemo account.
Key benefits of card expenses
Real-time tracking - Transactions appear instantly in your Pemo dashboard.
No reimbursements needed - The company covers the cost upfront, so employees don't need to wait for reimbursement.
Better control & security - Set spending limits in real time and review card spend with approval policies that trigger after payment based on spend bracket or category. Card spend isn't blocked for pre-approval.
Automated receipt capture - Upload receipts directly for each transaction, reducing manual paperwork.
Example: A team member books a flight using their Pemo card. The transaction is logged automatically, and they attach the receipt in Pemo. No reimbursement is needed.
What are reimbursement expenses (out-of-pocket expenses)?
A reimbursement expense is a payment a team member makes using personal funds instead of a Pemo card. They later submit it for reimbursement. The expense can then be reviewed and repaid to the team member.
These expenses still need to be logged in Pemo for proper tracking. See Submitting reimbursements.
Key considerations for expenses not made with a Pemo card
Manual submission - Team members must enter the expense details and attach receipts.
Approval process - Admins review and approve out-of-pocket expenses before reimbursement.
Reimbursement time - The team member temporarily covers the cost before the company reimburses it.
Policy compliance - Expenses must align with company guidelines to be approved.
Example: A team member pays for a taxi to a client meeting using personal funds. They upload the receipt and submit the expense in Pemo. Once approved, they're reimbursed.
Where do these expenses appear?
Card expenses and reimbursement expenses have separate tabs in Pemo. This keeps all company spending tracked in Pemo, whether paid using a Pemo card or personal funds.
Card expenses appear automatically in the Card Expenses tab. Expenses made without a Pemo card appear after a team member submits them for reimbursement.
Which one should you use?
Use a Pemo card when possible for automatic tracking and spending controls. If a team member can't use a Pemo card, they can pay with personal funds and submit the expense for reimbursement.
Feature | Card expenses | Expenses not made with a Pemo card |
How it's paid | Pemo card | Personal funds |
Tracking | Automatic | Manual submission |
Approval needed? | No pre-approval. Approval policies can trigger a review after payment. | Yes |
Receipt upload | Required for compliance | Required for reimbursement |
Reimbursement process | Not needed | Required |
How Pemo simplifies both expense types
Automatic tracking - Card payments and cash transactions are recorded in Pemo.
Quick approvals - Admins can review and approve expenses in a few clicks.
Expense policy compliance - Keep transactions aligned with company guidelines.
Pemo Power Tip: Want to minimize expenses not made with a Pemo card? See How to issue a Pemo card to give your team members easier, more controlled spending.