Managing employee reimbursements can quickly get messy without a clear system. A simple Google Sheets template helps you track expenses, approvals, and payment statuses—all in one place.
No fancy software needed. Just a well-structured sheet and a few helpful formulas can make the process smooth for both the team and the finance department.
Why Is Reimbursement Approval Important?
Approval matters because it keeps things fair, accurate, and accountable. Employees need to feel confident they’ll be paid back for valid business expenses. Managers need to be sure those expenses are legit.
Without a clear approval system, things can get delayed, missed, or worse—abused. A Google Sheets template can keep everything transparent and organized, especially for small businesses or teams that don’t need a full finance system.
Step 1. Set Up a New Google Sheet
Open Google Sheets and create a new blank spreadsheet. Name your file something like Employee Reimbursement Approval Tracker.
Step 2. Create Basic Column Headers
On the first rows, add these headers:
- Date Submitted
- Employee Name
- Department
- Expense Category
- Expense Description
- Amount
- Approval Status
- Approved By
- Date Approved
- Payment Status
- Remarks
Use bold text and maybe freeze the first row so it stays visible when scrolling. To freeze, click View > Freeze > 1 row.
Step 3. Use a Dropdown Menu
Make it easier for users to select options by adding drop-downs. For Expense Category, go to Insert > Dropdown, then add options like: Travel, Meals, Supplies, Other. Do the same for Approval Status (Pending, Approved, Rejected) and Payment Status (Unpaid, Paid). This avoids typos and keeps entries consistent.
Step 4. Use Formulas to Calculate Totals
You’ll want to see how much is being requested and approved. Below your last row, in the Amount column, type:
=SUM(F2:F100)
This adds all expense amounts. Adjust F100 as needed for more rows.
To show only approved expenses, try:
=SUMIF(H2:H100, “Approved”, F2:F100)
This adds only amounts where the Approval Status is Approved.
Step 5. Protect Approval Columns
To avoid accidental edits, select the Approval Status, Approved By, and Date Approved columns. Go to Data > Protect sheets and ranges. Set permissions so only managers or finance staff can edit.
Click Share in the top-right corner. Give edit access to managers and finance staff. Give view or comment access to employees, depending on your setup.
Get the Free Employee Reimbursement Approval Template
Get a copy of the Free Employee Reimbursement Approval Template. I’ve populated some cells as examples, but you can customize them as needed.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes the simplest tools are the most effective. A clean Google Sheet with the right structure can save hours of back-and-forth emails. If your team is still growing and you’re not ready for fancy expense tools, this method gets the job done without a learning curve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I lock certain cells so only some people can edit them?
Use Data > Protect sheets and ranges. You can restrict editing by user or role.
What formula adds up only approved reimbursements?
Use: =SUMIF(H2:H100, “Approved”, F2:F100). This looks for “Approved” in the Approval Status column and adds the matching Amount.
How do I keep the header row visible while scrolling?
Click View > Freeze > 1 row. This keeps your headers pinned at the top.
The Bottom Line:
One keeps you awake. The other gets work done.
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