Syncing reimbursements to your integration
Overview
Accounting for reimbursements is lightning-fast with our accounting integrations. Based on your ERP, certain advanced reimbursement features may be enabled, including the following:
- Reimbursements are automatically mapped to the employee’s correct entity.
- You can use mappings, rules, and manual overrides to auto-categorize each reimbursement to a GL code or other accounting fields.
- Reimbursements are exported in their funding currency.
- Reimbursements are exported in accrual accounting where available. Xero customers will be exported on cash accounting.
- Reimbursements paid from the parent entity will generate intercompany transactions.
To help speed up cash reconciliation, we’ll provide payout reports and reimbursement statements per your payment cycle configuration.
Setup
In order to get started on exporting your reimbursements from Brex, you need to first set up your ERP connection. You can click on your ERP below to learn more:
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- NetSuite
- Sage Intacct
- Workday Financials
- Oracle Fusion
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
- Custom Accounting (Other ERPs)
Exporting reimbursements
Brex allows you to export reimbursements to your ERP once you’ve connected it. You can learn more about connecting your ERP in their related articles: QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Workday Financials, Oracle Fusion, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, and Custom Accounting. Reimbursements will appear in your accounting tab in order to be synced. Once they are prepared and contain all the required accounting fields, you can export them directly to your accounting software.
Depending on your ERP or accounting software, reimbursements may be exported in different formats. Some ERP integrations let you manage this in the dashboard by going to Accounting > ERP settings > Export Types. Certain accounting software uses a fixed export behavior and doesn't support changes in Export Types.
Note: If you use Puzzle, Campfire, Rillet, or Hanover Park, your export settings are determined by them.
Export formats
Journal entries: Reimbursements appear in your ERP as journal entries. Depending on the ERP, you may be able to export them as a single journal entry per reimbursement or as batched journal entries.
When a reimbursement is created, an open liability is recorded. That liability is closed when you export the related reimbursement payments from the Accounting tab. Payments to Brex appear as a lump sum.
This format is supported for reimbursements in:
- QuickBooks Online
- NetSuite
- Sage Intacct
- Workday Financials
- Oracle Fusion
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Vendor bills: Reimbursements appear in your ERP as vendor bills. Employees who submit reimbursements in Brex must also exist as vendors in your ERP. Brex maps the employee to the vendor record by name or email during export.
Reimbursements are exported as open bills and closed automatically when you export the related reimbursement payments. Each reimbursement includes its own reimbursement payment line in the Accounting tab.
This format is supported for reimbursements in:
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- NetSuite
- Sage Intacct
Troubleshooting
Switch export formats
Some ERP integrations or accounting software let you choose how card expenses and reimbursements export from Brex. If your ERP supports this functionality, you can manage it in the dashboard by going to Accounting > ERP settings > Export Types.
We recommend avoiding frequent changes to export formats. Changing export formats mid-cycle can create inconsistencies, especially for reimbursements and reimbursement payments. Before you make a change, make sure all reimbursements and reimbursement payments from the same statement period are exported in the same format.
For example, if reimbursements from a new statement appear in the accounting tab before payment from the previous statement clears, export all reimbursements and payments from the prior statement to your ERP first. Then leave the new reimbursement in your accounting tab until you switch to the new format.
Check whether your ERP supports export type changes
Not all ERP integrations support configurable export types. Use the table below to confirm whether you can update export behavior for your ERP.
| ERP / Accounting software | How export types work |
|---|---|
| NetSuite | Configurable. You can choose different export types for card expenses and reimbursements. Card expenses can export as journal entries (single or batched), credit card transactions, or vendor bills. Reimbursements can export as journal entries (single or batched) or vendor bills. |
| Sage Intacct | Configurable. Card expenses can be exported as journal entries or credit card transactions. Reimbursements can export as journal entries or vendor bills. |
| QuickBooks Online | Partially configurable. Card expenses are exported directly as expenses or handled through bank feed workflows, depending on your setup. Reimbursements can export as journal entries or vendor bills. |
| Xero | Not configurable. Xero doesn’t support changing export types in Export Types. Card expenses are handled through bank feed or synced manually through Expense Data. Reimbursements export as vendor bills only. |
| Workday Financials | Fixed behavior. Card expenses and reimbursements export as journal entries. |
| Oracle Fusion | Fixed behavior. Card expenses and reimbursements export as journal entries. |
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central | Fixed behavior. Card expenses and reimbursements export as unposted journal entries. |
| QuickBooks Desktop | Manual export. You export data from Brex as an .IIF file and then import it into QuickBooks Desktop. |
| Custom accounting (CSV) | Manual export. You export data using a customizable CSV template based on your accounting workflow. |
Closing exported vendor bills in ERP manually
If you process your reimbursements in Brex and issue payments from Brex, we close your employee vendor bills automatically when you export the reimbursement payments. Do not manually close bills, as this will lead to an error when attempting to export reimbursement payments to them.
If you are paying reimbursements outside of Brex, then you should close those bills manually when the payments to your employees are made from the system. Brex will not close employee vendor bills that are paid outside of Brex.