Using bank statement as documentation for expense reimbursement

[jknacnud]

Is a bank statement, with a line item for a purchase, adequate documentation for an expense reimbursement request? This has come up several times for me and I usually push back, citing the requirements listed in the help documentation.

Members requesting reimbursement should:

- Indicate the category to be charged.
- Provide an electronic receipt or invoice (a picture or scan) or a physical copy.
- Each receipt or invoice (including those provided by Venmo, PayPal, etc.) must include the vendor or place of purchase, items purchased, amount, and date of purchase.
- Each receipt includes a breakdown of any required tax amount (sales tax, value-added tax, and so forth) from the total amount.
- If a receipt or invoice was lost or a proof-of-payment for funds exchanged electronically (e.g. Venmo, PayPal or similar) does not include the vendor or place of purchase, items purchased, amount, and date of purchase, then the member must provide a written statement with this information.

[eblood66]

I try not to use just a bank statement and will always try to get a receipt or invoice for just the reasons you list. A bank statement does have the date and amount but sometimes the vendor is hard to determine and there is no indication of what was purchased or what the services were.

However, if they have lost or didn't get a receipt or invoice then I'll include a bank or credit card statement as backup documentation but I still request a note that gives the additional information and explains why there is no receipt available. And I'll let them know that in the future to make sure to have a receipt as I can't use just a note very often.

[russellhltn]

(Emphasis added)
If a receipt or invoice was lost or a proof-of-payment for funds exchanged electronically (e.g. Venmo, PayPal or similar) does not include the vendor or place of purchase, items purchased, amount, and date of purchase, then the member must provide a written statement with this information.

Seems to me that line would apply to everything except paper checks. In my book, Debit, credit, and Apple pay are "exchanged electronically". I'm not sure why they didn't list them in the examples.

[garystroble]

Probably because there are umpteen ways to pay and there will be more and more as time goes on. They cannot list every current payment type nor update the guidelines each time a new payment platform is rolled out.

[jknacnud]

Thanks for the advice.