This page defines when receipts are required for reimbursements, plus what kind of information is required on the receipt.
When travelers pay for IU business expenses with personal funds, scanned receipts must be uploaded to the Emburse Enterprise expense report in which reimbursement is being requested. Electronic documentation such as screenshots and photos are acceptable provided the required information is present.
Only JPG, PDF, PNG, and TIFF files of at least 50 kB and no more than 10 MB can be accepted. The combined size of all files uploaded to a single report may be no larger than 100 MB.
When are receipts required?
Receipt requirements are defined by FIN-TRV-01 and are reflected by this table. Emburse Enterprise is programmed to enforce these requirements.
| Expense | Receipt Required | Details |
| Airfare | Yes, regardless of amount | Receipt must show airfare segments |
| Lodging | Yes, regardless of amount | Receipt must be itemized |
| Meals - Individual | No, regardless of amount | Expense paid as per diem |
| Meals - Student Group Travel | Yes, regardless of amount | Receipts must be itemized |
| Rental Vehicle | Yes, regardless of amount | Receipt must be itemized |
| All other travel expenses | Yes, if $75 or greater No, if under $75 | If individual expense is $75 or greater, receipt must be itemized. |
Required info on receipts
A valid receipt must be itemized and contain these four pieces of information:
- Date of Transaction
- Amount of Transaction
- Proof of funds tendered (proof that money changed hands)
- Typically, last four digits of credit card number showing payment was made
- Vendor name
The example to the right highlights the location of these four pieces of information on an Uber receipt screenshot.
What if I don't have a receipt?
Emburse Enterprise requires receipts on expenses as defined by FIN-TRV-01. When an expense that requires a receipt is entered without the receipt, an alert prompts the report creator to either explain the missing receipt or upload the receipt as an attachment.
Example: Receipt was lost/destroyed, or does not contain required info
- Submit a bank/credit card statement with critical data redacted showing when the payment cleared. Review the Knowledge Base to learn how to properly redact critical data.
- Provide context when uploading the bank statement as proof of payment to help the approver understand the entry. Add comments in Emburse Enterprise explaining the missing receipt & establishing an audit trail.
Example: Transaction was paid in cash or vendor is remote and provides no receipt
- Cash is not an acceptable means of payment for business travel expenses unless no other means of payment is available. If cash must be used, a receipt is required to substantiate the expense.
- Upload a statement of attestation signed by the vendor that contains all details described in the Required Info on Receipts section of this page.
- Provide context to help the approver understand the entry. Add comments in Emburse Enterprise explaining the missing receipt and establishing an audit trail.
Contact travel@iu.edu with additional questions.
Receipts and grant-funded travel
Travel Management Services does not define specific receipt requirements for grant-funded travel. If a sponsored research program has more restrictive receipt requirements, the more restrictive requirements take precedence. The traveler should confirm receipt requirements with the Office of Research Administration or the sponsor prior to the trip.
In some instances, the sponsored program may require a receipt for all expenditures, including those charged to IU and not paid out of pocket by the traveler. Be sure to confirm receipt requirements when traveling on grant funds. Review the Finding Travel Receipts in Egencia page to learn how to locate prepaid travel receipts.