Shared cards & funds for tracking group spend

Overview

This feature allows admins to issue or employees to request funds that multiple employees can spend from. Whether it's for events, software purchases, or any team-related expenditure, shared funds ensure that all authorized employees can spend from the same pool of funds while allowing the funds owner to have visibility and control over who is spending what. This feature is available on both web and mobile.

Use cases

Below are a few sample opportunities to use shared funds:

1. Events and projects : I'm the Head of Marketing, and I have allocated $20k to plan an event. I want my Marketing Events Managers to be able to access this budget amount to spend on the event.
2. Software : I want anyone who is a vendor owner on the Data team to be able to spend from our software budget for the quarter.
3. Executive Assistants: I want my EA to be able to spend on my behalf.

Key features

1. Requesting/issuing/approving shared funds: A simple checkbox during the funds request/issue process will turn a funds request into a shared funds limit with the requestor as the owner. Approvals remain the same based on the policy, which can be viewed in the Funds tab and in the individual funds.
2. Co-owner role: Funds owners can promote members to become a Co-owner. Funds owners can also demote a Co-Owner back to a Member. Co-Owner permissions:

• Full visibility of fund total and other member’s transactions
• Add / Remove Members
• Invite Members via Shareable Link

3. Adding members: Admins, Fund owners and Co-owners can add/remove members from Shared Funds by entering their name in a dropdown or inviting via a shareable link. Members cannot add / remove other members from Shared Funds.
4. Virtual Card Number : If members choose to generate a unique card number, each member will have their own card number associated with the shared funds. No member will have the same card number.
5. Transaction visibility : Members are allowed to see only their own transactions. Funds owners and Co-owners can see everyone's transactions. However, only Admins can click on an expense for additional details. Members clicking on their own expenses can also see additional details.
6. Export to CSV: Everyone can export transactions to a CSV directly from the Shared Funds drawer

• Owners + Co-Owners can see everyone’s transactions and can export it to CSV
• Members can only see their own transactions and can export it to CSV

7. Notifications and locking : Notifications, missing items, and funds locking apply only to the person who made the purchase using the shared funds. The overall funds will not be affected if one person doesn't submit missing items and has their funds locked.
8. Funds Table: Shared funds are clearly marked, making it easy to distinguish them from individual funds.

How to issue, edit, and use shared funds as an Admin

To issue shared funds as an Admin or Manager, you can do so in the regular funds issuing flow. Spend Programs can also issue shared funds.

1. In your "Home" tab, click "Issue funds"
2. Select "General expenses" for funds or pick a Spend Program that issues shared funds
3. Enter the names of the funds owners. Each person listed here will receive distinct shared funds that they can add additional members to.
4. Under "Advanced," click on “Sharing”, toggle on the sharing functionality.
5. Follow the funds or program creation flow as usual, the fund locking and approval flow processes for funds, transactions, and reimbursements remain the same.
6. Once the funds have been issued and shared with other members, each member will be responsible for their missing items and only the member's funds in question will lock if their items are not submitted in time.

To turn sharing on or off for existing funds, click on the funds or program. Turning off shared funds terminates every member's funds except the funds owner.

1. Click “Edit.”
2. Under “Sharing,” toggle the functionality on or off again
3. Click “Save” to confirm your changes

To view spending on shared funds:

1. Click on the funds and open the “Overview” tab
2. Scroll down to the most recent activity
3. Admins can click on any transaction or view funds details for any member of the shared funds
4. You can also Export to CSV the transactions

To add or remove members of shared funds: Admins can add or remove members from the shared funds on the “Sharing” tab

To invite members via a Shareable Link:

1. Turn Shareable toggle on
2. Click 'Copy Share Link'
3. Share it in communication channels (e.g. Slack, Email, Google Docs, Notion)
4. When a user clicks on the link it will route them to a Request page
5. They can click on a button to “Request to join”
6. Their request shows up on the Request tab
7. Owners / Co-Owners can approve or deny the request to join
8. Turn Shareable toggle off to turn off link sharing. It will disable all join requests moving forward.

To change the owner of the shared funds: Only Admins can change the owner of the shared funds.

1. Click on the funds you would like to change the owner for and click “Edit”
2. In the owner field, select the name of the new owner

How to request, edit, and use a new shared funds as a funds Owner

To request a shared funds as an employee, you may do so by requesting a new funds or by requesting funds from a Spend Program that allows sharing.

1. Click the "Request funds" button in your homepage
2. Select "General expenses" or a Spend Program (if it is a program with sharing enabled)
3. Enter the relevant funds details
4. Under "Advanced" > “Sharing,” toggle on the sharing functionality and add members to the Fund. You can also add members after Fund creation.
5. Following the funds request flow as usual. Funds locking and approval flow processes for funds, transactions, and reimbursements remain the same.

To turn sharing on or off for existing funds, click on the funds or program

1. Click “Edit”
2. Under “Sharing,” toggle the functionality on or off again
3. Click “Request Edits.” The funds approval flow will follow the same logic

To view spending on shared funds:

1. Click on the funds and open the “Overview” tab
2. Scroll down to the most recent activity
3. You can also Export to CSV the transactions

To promote a Member to Co-Owner:

1. Click on the "3 dot" menu next to the Member's name
2. Click "Make Co-Owner" and hit confirm.
3. You can click on the same menu to demote a Co-Owner back to a Member
4. Co-Owner permissions:

• Full visibility of fund total and other member’s transactions
• Add / Remove Members
• Invite Members via Shareable Link

To add or remove members of shared funds: Owners and Co-Owners add or remove members from the shared funds on the “Sharing” tab

To invite members via a Shareable Link:

1. Turn Shareable toggle on
2. Click 'Copy Share Link'
3. Share it in communication channels (e.g. Slack, Email, Google Docs, Notion)
4. When a user clicks on the link it will route them to a Request page
5. They can click on a button to “Request to join”
6. Their request shows up on the Request tab
7. Owners / Co-Owners can approve or deny the request to join
8. Turn Shareable toggle off to turn off link sharing. It will disable all join requests moving forward.

Frequently asked questions

• Will guests be able to access a shared funds? Yes, they can be added as members to funds or own one if provided with funds that has sharing functionality.
• Can any user role be a shared funds owner? Yes, any user role can be an owner. If you can be issued funds, you can be the owner of it
• Can there be multiple shared funds owners? There is one Funds Owner, but they can promote other Members to become Co-Owners. Co-Owners are allowed to add/remove members and can see everyone's transactions on the Fund.
• Will each member be using the same card number or a different card number? Each member will have their own card number.
• Where can members view their card details? Card details can be viewed by clicking the image of the card and clicking on the 'Shared' tab.
• What happens when I turn off the sharing function? The other members' funds will be terminated, however, the owner's funds will remain unaffected. If you want to invite the same members to the shared funds after turning it off, they will be issued a new card number.
• Does deleting shared funds behave the same way as deleting a normal funds? Yes, it does. You will have access to the expense history of deleted funds.
• If an employee requests for their existing funds to become shared funds, does this default them to being the shared funds owner? Yes, the original funds owner will become the owner of funds that turn into shared funds.
• What happens if one of the members of the shared funds doesn’t submit missing items within the auto-lock date? Only that member’s funds will lock. The overall shared funds won't be affected, and other users will still be able to access their shared funds card numbers. Admins and managers can unlock funds by dismissing requirements.
• What happens when a manager locks a shared funds? The shared funds will only lock for their direct report. The other members' funds won't lock.
• Can co-owners edit or attach receipts to other members' transactions? No. Co-owners can view all members' transactions, but can only edit or attach receipts to their own. To manage receipts or edit expenses on behalf of another user, that user should assign you as their Assistant . Assistants can submit receipts, fill out memos, and code accounting fields on behalf of their assigned users.