Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: receipts for reimbursement

[Diana Carroll (dianaecarroll]

I'm the bookkeeper/finance gal so I set the policy for my own convenience.
:)

I used to only allow paper receipts for the reason you state -- it makes
sure I have everything all in one place.  However, I found that some people
submitted their receipts more promptly if they had the electronic option so
now I take both, and just have everything in one of two places. Electronic
ones are stored in Quickbooks along with the entry for the reimbursement.
Paper ones are...um...put in a big box of paper. I'm a terrible filer.

Honestly it seems like you have a process problem more than a receipt
problem. With a pre-approved expense, why do you need two signatures AND
another person to execute the reimbursement? In fact, with just 11
households, couldn't you do it more informally? I have a little form people
fill out when they submit receipts that asks what the receipt is for. If
it's within a team's budget, or it's been approved separately at a meeting,
I just handle it. If I have some question, I ask for clarification from the
submitter, from the team it's for, or from the Trustees. I ask by email and
they can just let me know -- no signature needed.

In short, our process is:
- Submitter fills out a short form, signs it, and attaches receipts. This
can be done electronically or by paper. If paper, they put it in an
envelope I keep for that purpose in the common house, otherwise they email
it to a special email account for this purpose.
- I handle it directly it if it's obvious (community approved expense, team
budget expense, etc.), otherwise I send email to the relevant parties to
get more info
- I pay them and enter the info in Quickbooks, along with the electronic
form and receipt if available, otherwise I drop the paper in my Big Box o'
Paper
- And it's a done deal

ALL THAT SAID!!! I hear that you are disgruntled by the process you have
now. I surely recommend talking to the various parties involved in the
transaction to see if another approach might be acceptable. BUT...have
mercy if they say it won't work the way you want it to. Keeping track of
reimbursement requests, receipts, bills, etc. is a job that takes a lot of
mental energy to do right. I have a regular workflow that is the ONLY way I
can make sure everything is done in order, correctly, and promptly.  Any
variation to that workflow (e.g. people try to hand things to me personally
at a common meal or something -- don't do that!!!) is likely to introduce
mistakes that are hard to fix later.    I've been our community's
bookkeeper for about 14 years...even predating our move-in. I've tried many
many approaches, and the most important thing is just finding ones that
work and that I can stick to!

Diana, Mosaic Commons, Central MA




On Thu, Dec 2, 2021 at 11:52 AM Mabel Liang <mabel [at] twomeeps.com> wrote:

> Hi Fern,
>
> We have not solved this particular problem.  _However_, what we have
> typically using during COVID is our internal mailboxes or, as some
> people call them, our mail slots.  Paper is passed back and forth via
> the slots, not by face-to-face contact.
>
> But while writing this, one thing _did_ occur to me.  Forms _can_ be
> filled out and signed electronically - I've done it with my Mac,
> including tax returns.  For our expense forms, Ive been filling them out
> on the computer and then printing them out for someone to sign.  Would
> it work, for those who have the capability, to do the forms
> electronically, e-mail it all (form and digital receipt) to the finance
> committee, and let _them_ print it out so they can have their paper
> copies?
>
> Hope that helps!
>
> -- Mabel :-)
>
>   mabel [at] twomeeps.com
>   Mabel Liang
> Cornerstone Village Cohousing
> Cambridge, MA
>
> On 2021-11-27 17:20, Fern Selzer/US/CA/95003/NBC via Cohousing-L wrote:
>
> > Hi all,I am wondering if your community uses digital receipts or does
> > your finance committee have folders with paper receipts or little piles
> > of receipts clipped or stapled together like my community does.  For
> > example, recently receiving a digital receipt from a paid facilitator,
> > I needed to print it out, sign it and get it to another member of my
> > committee (facilitation) to sign it and then hand deliver it to a
> > member of the finance committee before they would pay the facilitator.
> >  Presumably then putting it in their folder.
> > This was a pre-approved expense.  We are a smallish community, 11
> > homes.     A couple of people have asked to allow digital receipts, but
> > the finance committee says it's too difficult because they will have
> > some paper receipts and some digital receipts.  I have more
> > disgruntlement with this policy since COVID and the exposure required
> > getting everything signed and delivered.
> > If you have a solution for this waste of paper and time, could you
> > please let me know it?  ThanksFernNew Brighton CohousingAptos, CA
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