Business Expense Report Template
Itemised expense report for reimbursement or Schedule C deduction, with receipts attached.
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EXPENSE REPORT
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Employee: Jordan Alex Taylor ID: EMP-1138
Department: Sales — West Coast
Employer: Acme Corporation
Period: May 1–15, 2026
Submitted: June 19, 2026
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OVERALL BUSINESS PURPOSE
West-coast prospect tour, Portland and Seattle: 3 client meetings (Acme, BlueLine, RiverTech), 1 industry conference (PNW Summit). Trip generated 2 active proposals.
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LINE ITEMS
A. TRAVEL Subtotal
Round-trip flight PDX-SEA: $268.40
Uber to/from PDX: $54.20
Uber Seattle: $68.10
Hotel — 2 nights Seattle Marriott: $432.00
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$822.70
B. MEALS & ENTERTAINMENT (50% deductible for employer) Subtotal
Client lunch — Acme team: $112.40
Client dinner — BlueLine: $148.20
Individual breakfast (per diem): $18.00
Individual dinner (per diem): $36.00
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$314.60
C. LODGING (detail)
Marriott Seattle Downtown — 2 nights @ $216/night, taxes included.
D. SUPPLIES / EQUIPMENT Subtotal
Conference materials printing: $42.50
USB drive for client deliverable: $19.99
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$62.49
E. MILEAGE
88 miles × $0.73/mi $63.80
F. OTHER Subtotal
Conference registration (PNW Summit): $245.00
Parking — Marriott garage: $48.00
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$293.00
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TOTALS
Total expenses: $1,556.59
Less: cash advance previously received: ($0.00)
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REIMBURSEMENT DUE: $1,556.59
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CERTIFICATIONS
I certify that:
(a) The expenses above were actually incurred by me on behalf of the business;
(b) Each expense had a valid business purpose stated above;
(c) Receipts are attached for every expense exceeding $75 (and for all lodging regardless of amount), per Treas. Reg. §1.274-5;
(d) None of these expenses has been or will be reimbursed by another party;
(e) I have not received personal benefit beyond what is incidental to the business purpose.
_______________________________ Date: ____________________
Jordan Alex Taylor
APPROVAL
_______________________________ Date: ____________________
Priya Patel — VP Sales
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ATTACHED RECEIPTS
□ All receipts > $75 (or all receipts under an "all receipts" company policy)
□ Lodging receipts (always required, regardless of amount)
□ Conference registration confirmations
□ Boarding passes / itineraries (for travel)
□ Mileage log excerpt (for the period covered)
About this template
An expense report serves two distinct audiences. For employees of a W-2 employer, the report is reimbursement documentation — the employer typically pays back actual expenses dollar-for-dollar (an "accountable plan" under IRS rules) and deducts them as a business expense at the entity level. For self-employed filers, the same template captures Schedule C deductible expenses for the business. The two cases follow the same documentation rules: each expense needs a receipt for amounts over $75 (lodging requires a receipt at any amount), and each expense must have an articulable business purpose. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended unreimbursed employee expenses through 2025, meaning W-2 employees cannot deduct expenses their employer fails to reimburse — making the reimbursement step important rather than the tax deduction. The 50% meals-and-entertainment limitation applies to most business meals; under TCJA, entertainment (sports tickets, concerts, etc.) is no longer deductible at all. The temporary 100% meals deduction (2021-2022 COVID provision) has expired. The standard mileage rate is published annually by the IRS (recent rates: 67¢/mi for 2024, 70¢/mi for 2025; check irs.gov for the current year). Under an accountable plan, expense reimbursements are not taxable income to the employee; under a non-accountable plan or for amounts above the IRS rate without proper substantiation, the excess becomes taxable wages.
When to use it
- Employees seeking reimbursement for company travel or expenses.
- Self-employed filers documenting Schedule C deductions.
- Multi-day business trips with mixed expense categories.
- Conference attendance with travel, lodging, and registration costs.
- Client meetings involving meals or entertainment.
What to include
- Employee identification and reporting period.
- Articulated overall business purpose.
- Line items by category with subtotals.
- Mileage calculation (miles × IRS rate).
- Cash-advance offset (if any).
- Employee certification + supervisor approval.
- Receipts attached for all items > $75 (or all per company policy).