Bills & expenses
Bills & expenses captures supplier invoices, site receipts, and employee reimbursements on the job. A purchase order is optional. Approval and Xero handoff come after the record is complete.
Job finances → Bills & expenses Receipt Inbox
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When to use this
Use this for money the business pays out on a job.
Do not use it to bill the customer. Use Invoices. For the workspace list of what you owe, use Payables.
Before you start
- Settings → Features → Enable bills & expenses is on.
- You can write expenses. Approvers need approve permission.
- On a phone, Expense on My Work opens this flow (works offline).
Record types
| Type | Use for | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier bill | Supplier or subcontractor invoice | Supplier, invoice number, attached invoice before submit |
| Everyday expense / receipt | Card, fuel, small tools | Receipt when you have one |
| Employee reimbursement | Someone paid personally | A claimant |
Purchase orders are optional. Link one when you use procurement.
Capture the file
On Receipt Inbox, upload or drop photos and PDFs. They queue for review. If workspace AI is on, SiteHut may suggest supplier, date, and amount. Correct them before you save.
Complete the record
Open All records (or save from the inbox). Set type, job (already this job), cost type, and description. Submit for approval, or Submit & approve if you are the only eligible approver.
Expense sheet: type, amount, submit
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On the job, tabs are Receipt Inbox, All records, and Approvals. Workspace Approvals shows the same submitted items across jobs.
What done looks like
- Status moves to Approved (then partially paid or paid when you record payment).
- Approved spend feeds Job Costs actuals and workspace Payables.
- If workflows lock approved expenses, you cannot edit after sign-off. See Workflow settings.
Common mistakes
- Approving with the wrong job or a vague supplier name (hurts Xero matching).
- Submitting a supplier bill without the invoice number or attachment.
- Entering the same bill in SiteHut and only in Xero with no matching process.
PO matching, CIS, and retention
Linking a supplier bill to a PO enables matching against ordered and received quantities. Price tolerance defaults to the greater of 1% or one currency unit per line. Quantity tolerance defaults to 0% above received. Tax-rate differences always need review. Admins change tolerances under Settings → Workflows. Overrides need an approver, a reason, and a time; if the bill changes, the override does not carry.
Supplier bills can split CIS labour and materials, calculate a CIS deduction, apply domestic reverse charge, and hold retention. CIS materials cannot exceed the bill net. Confirm the statutory treatment in Xero or with your accountant. The CIS monthly filing workflow is not in the public Finances nav.