How to Use Expense Tracker 365 for Managing Reimbursement process in Microsoft 365

May 28, 2025
9:00 pm

7 min read

he future of the financial management market is being shaped by key innovations, including the rise of subscription-based platforms and the growing integration of automated expense categorization. Between 2025 and 2035, the industry is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1%. This growth will be propelled by rapid technological advancements, increasing digital financial literacy, and the surging demand for real-time financial tracking solutions among individuals and small businesses.

An advanced expense management system typically offers comprehensive tools to track and maintain accurate records. However, not every business has the budget or bandwidth to implement a standalone enterprise-grade solution. That’s where Expense Tracker 365, built to work natively within the Microsoft environment, steps in.

Expense Tracker 365 allows you to store critical financial data—from expense reports to department-wise spending—all within the tools your team already uses. Leveraging native integration with Microsoft 365, the platform provides your finance team a centralized hub to oversee and manage expenses efficiently.

But how do you fully capitalize on Microsoft’s environment with Expense Tracker 365 to avoid financial mismanagement and maintain an organized system?

This article will walk you through how to use Expense Tracker 365 within the Microsoft ecosystem to centralize your expense records, minimize errors, and track key information at every stage of the process.

Why Is Tracking Expenses So Important?

Tracking your business expenses and maintaining detailed records about spending, performance, and allocation helps you:

1. Allocate Resources Effectively

Know exactly what funds are being used and where, allowing seamless distribution and reallocation without confusion or delays.

2. Control Costs

By tracking purchase and reimbursement costs, you can manage your budgets, avoid unnecessary spending, and ensure every transaction is justified.

3. Improve Planning & Forecasting

Understanding the current state of your finances enables accurate forecasting for future expenditures and avoids unexpected cash flow issues.

4. Simplify Employee Offboarding

Easily retrieve outstanding reimbursements or approvals during offboarding, reducing errors and administrative overhead.

5. Make Smarter Financial Decisions

Track patterns, approval timelines, and spending habits to make informed and cost-effective budgeting choices.

Why Choose Expense Tracker 365 for Expense Tracking in the Microsoft Environment?

Here’s what makes Expense Tracker 365 a smart option to start managing expenses—right from within your existing Microsoft 365 setup:

1. Quick Deployment with Minimal Setup

Get started in minutes using built-in templates. No complex software installation—just intuitive workflows and list-based tracking.

2. Seamless Microsoft Integration

Expense Tracker 365 works flawlessly with Microsoft Teams, Excel, Power BI, Power Automate, and OneDrive. This allows easy reporting, collaboration, and workflow automation with tools your team already knows.

3. No Additional Cost

Already have Microsoft 365. You’re ready to go! Expense Tracker 365 leverages your existing environment, saving you the cost of a separate tool.

4. Version Control for Accuracy

Keep track of every change with versioning functionality. This ensures you always have access to historical records and can revert when needed.

How to Build an Expense Tracking Workflow in the Microsoft Environment Using Expense Tracker 365

With pre-built templates and customizable lists, Expense Tracker 365 allows you to manage expenses efficiently across your organization.

Step 1: Start with the Built-In Expense Template

Open Expense Tracker 365 from your Microsoft dashboard

Choose “New Expense List” using the Expense Manager template

This list comes with standard columns to track category, amount, requester, status, and more

Step 2: Customize Your Fields

While the default template is powerful, you may want to track more detailed information. Consider adding columns for:

Approval Date: Track approval timelines and ensure accountability

Reimbursement Due Date: Schedule reminders for timely disbursements

Invoice (File Upload): Upload invoice copies for each transaction

Vendor Info: Store payee details and contact info

Department: Assign expenses by business units for better tracking

Step 3: Create Smart Views

Custom views allow you to filter and focus on key information, such as:

Expenses pending approval

High-value reimbursements

Vendor-specific spending views

Automate Your Expense Tracking with Power Automate

Expense Tracker 365 pairs perfectly with Power Automate to create workflows and reduce manual efforts. Here are some automation examples:

Track Reimbursement Due Dates

Trigger: Weekly on Monday

Action: Check due date and send Teams alert for reimbursements due in the next 5 days

Monitor Changes to Expense Lists

Trigger: When an item is modified

Action: Send notification in Teams channel with expense title and updated info

Automate Monthly Expense Summary Reports

Trigger: First day of every month

Action: Compile and send summary to finance lead via email or Teams

Add Expenses via Mobile Entry

Use Power Apps to submit expense on the go

Auto-fill category, date, and amount

Create or update the entry in Expense Tracker 365

Limitations to Keep in Mind

While Expense Tracker 365 within the Microsoft environment is ideal for SMBs and growing teams, it may not fully meet enterprise-level needs. As your organization scales, you may face challenges such as:

Lack of native integration with financial systems or ERPs

Limited audit trails for recurring expenses

Less automation for policy compliance and multi-level approvals

For such advanced use cases, a full-scale solution like Expense Tracker 365 can offer robust tracking, compliance, and financial workflows.

Final Thoughts

Tracking and managing business expenses doesn’t have to be complex or costly. Expense Tracker 365 lets you leverage the Microsoft ecosystem to manage your expenses—smartly and affordably. From real-time tracking to automated workflows, it’s a powerful way to organize your financial operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Expense Tracker 365?

Expense Tracker 365 is a smart expense management solution built to work seamlessly within the Microsoft environment. It helps businesses track, manage, and automate expense reporting using familiar Microsoft tools like Teams, Excel, Power BI, and SharePoint.