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This guide will walk you through creating your account, setting up your first workspace, and submitting your first expense in New Expensify.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, you’ll need:
  • A valid email address or SSO credentials
  • A smartphone with a camera (for receipt scanning) or access to receipt images
  • (Optional) Bank account information for reimbursements

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Step 1: Create Your Account

1

Visit New Expensify

Navigate to new.expensify.com in your web browser or download the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
2

Sign Up

Click Sign Up and enter your email address or use an SSO provider like Google, Apple, or Microsoft.
Use a work email address with a + sign (e.g., yourname+test@company.com) if you’re creating a test account. This marks the account as a test account in the system.
3

Verify Your Email

Check your email for a verification link from Expensify. Click the link to activate your account.
4

Complete Your Profile

Fill in your personal details including your name, phone number, and timezone preferences.

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Step 2: Set Up Your First Workspace

Workspaces (also called policies) are where you manage expenses for your team or organization.
1

Create a Workspace

From the home screen, click the + button and select New Workspace.
2

Name Your Workspace

Give your workspace a descriptive name (e.g., “Acme Corp”, “Marketing Team”, or “Personal Expenses”).
3

Configure Basic Settings

Set your workspace currency, default reimbursement settings, and expense approval requirements.
You can customize these settings later from the workspace settings page.
4

Invite Team Members (Optional)

Add team members by entering their email addresses. They’ll receive an invitation to join your workspace.

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Step 3: Submit Your First Expense

1

Take a Photo

Tap the + button and select Submit Expense. Take a photo of your receipt or select an existing image from your photo library.
2

SmartScan Processing

New Expensify’s SmartScan technology will automatically extract:
  • Merchant name
  • Transaction date
  • Total amount
  • Currency
SmartScan works best with clear, well-lit photos of the entire receipt.
3

Review and Edit

Verify the extracted information. You can edit any field by tapping on it. Add additional details like:
  • Category (e.g., Meals, Travel, Office Supplies)
  • Description or memo
  • Attendees (for meals)
  • Tags (if configured in your workspace)
4

Submit

Tap Submit to add the expense to your account. The expense will be automatically added to a report.

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Step 4: Create and Submit a Report

Expenses are automatically grouped into reports, but you can also create custom reports.
1

View Your Expenses

Navigate to the Reports tab to see all your expenses grouped by report.
2

Add Expenses to Report

By default, expenses are added to your current open report. You can move expenses between reports by:
  • Opening the expense
  • Clicking Move to Different Report
  • Selecting the destination report
3

Submit Report for Approval

When you’re ready to submit your expenses:
  1. Open the report
  2. Review all expenses
  3. Click Submit Report
  4. Add any comments for your approver
  5. Click Confirm
Your approver will be notified in the report’s chat thread and via email.

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Step 5: Connect Your Bank Account (Optional)

To receive reimbursements directly, connect your bank account using Plaid.
1

Open Settings

Click your profile icon and select Settings → Wallet.
2

Add Bank Account

Click Add Bank Account and select your bank from the list.
3

Authenticate with Plaid

Enter your bank credentials securely through Plaid’s interface. Plaid uses bank-level encryption to protect your information.
Never share your bank credentials directly with anyone. Plaid’s secure connection ensures your credentials are never stored by Expensify.
4

Verify Account

You may need to verify small deposits or complete additional verification steps depending on your bank.

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What’s Next?

Now that you’ve created your first expense, explore these features:

Distance Tracking

Track mileage for reimbursement automatically

Split Expenses

Divide expenses among multiple people

Approval Workflows

Set up multi-level approval processes

Accounting Integrations

Connect QuickBooks, Xero, or other accounting software

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Troubleshooting

Ensure your receipt photo is:
  • Well-lit and in focus
  • Shows the entire receipt
  • Has clear, readable text
  • Taken straight-on (not at an angle)
If SmartScan still fails, you can manually enter the expense details.
Check that:
  • All expenses have required fields filled (merchant, date, amount, category)
  • No expenses have validation errors (marked with a red icon)
  • You have permission to submit reports in your workspace
  • The report has at least one expense
If your bank isn’t available through Plaid:
  1. Contact your workspace admin to add manual bank account details
  2. Or receive reimbursements via check or alternative payment methods
  3. Some banks may require you to enable third-party access in your banking app
  • Check your spam/junk folder
  • Verify you entered the correct email address
  • Click Resend Verification Email on the sign-up page
  • Wait a few minutes—emails can sometimes be delayed

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Get Help

If you need additional assistance:
  • In-App Help: Click the question mark icon to chat with Concierge
  • GitHub Issues: Report bugs at github.com/Expensify/App/issues
  • Community: Join discussions in the #expensify-open-source Slack channel

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Next Steps

Workspace Settings

Configure categories, tags, and policies

Invite Team Members

Add and manage workspace members

SmartScan Tips

Get the most out of receipt scanning

Expensify Card

Issue corporate cards to your team