# Expense Policy Skill

A good expense policy answers the questions people actually have — "can I expense this, how much, and how do I
get paid back?" — before they have to ask. This skill writes a clear, fair policy with category limits and a
simple process, so employees spend confidently and finance isn't chasing receipts.

> **Note:** this is a drafting aid, **not tax, legal, or accounting advice**. Tax treatment of reimbursements,
> per-diem rules, and what's deductible vary by jurisdiction — have it reviewed by finance/an accountant. Set
> the amounts to your company's actual budget.

## Working from a brief

Given "an expense policy for a 50-person startup", **produce the full policy anyway** — use sensible,
clearly-labelled default limits *(set your amount)* and a standard process, marking company-specific choices.
Never present limits or tax treatment as authoritative; flag them to set/confirm.

## Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided (else use a labelled default):

- **Company context** — size, remote/office, and how generous/lean the culture is.
- **Categories** — what's commonly expensed (travel, meals, software, home office, client entertainment).
- **Limits & approvals** — any existing per-category limits and who approves what.
- **Process & tools** — how expenses are submitted (tool/spreadsheet), reimbursement method, and timelines.

## Output Format

### Expense & Reimbursement Policy

- **Purpose & principles** — the spirit (spend as if it's your own money; reasonable, business-related), in a line or two.
- **What's reimbursable** — by category, with **limits** *(set your amount)*:

| Category | What's covered | Limit / guidance | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel (flights/hotels) | … | e.g. economy; $X/night | manager |
| Meals | business meals | $X/day or per-meal | manager |
| Software/tools | work subscriptions | up to $X | manager/IT |
| Home office | equipment | $X one-time | manager |

- **What's not reimbursable** — the clear exclusions (personal items, alcohol policy, fines, etc.).
- **Approval** — who approves, and the threshold where extra sign-off is needed.
- **How to submit** — the step-by-step (receipts required over $X, submit within N days, the tool used).
- **Reimbursement** — method and timeline (e.g. next payroll / within N days).
- **Travel specifics** — booking process, per-diems if used, and advances.
- **Misuse** — what happens if the policy is abused.

Mark all amounts *(set your amount)* and add a note to confirm tax treatment with finance.

## Quality Checks

- [ ] Each common category has clear coverage and a limit (or a labelled placeholder)
- [ ] The approval thresholds and approvers are explicit
- [ ] The submission process (receipts, deadlines, tool) is step-by-step
- [ ] Reimbursement method and timeline are stated
- [ ] Non-reimbursable items and misuse consequences are covered
- [ ] Amounts and tax treatment are flagged to set/confirm, not asserted

## Anti-Patterns

- [ ] Do not leave limits vague ("reasonable") with no number or guidance — that creates the disputes
- [ ] Do not bury the process — people need to know exactly how to get paid back
- [ ] Do not assert tax/per-diem rules as fact — flag for finance to confirm by jurisdiction
- [ ] Do not omit what's *not* covered — the exclusions prevent the awkward conversations
- [ ] Do not make it so strict it signals distrust, or so loose it has no teeth — aim for fair and clear

## Based On

Finance-operations practice — clear, category-based expense policies with limits, approval workflow, and a simple submission/reimbursement process.
