How to Set Up Employee Expense Cards in Apron

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How to Set Up Employee Expense Cards in Apron

Apron Cards make it easier for employees to pay for business expenses while helping you stay in control of company spending.

Each employee can have their own physical or virtual card. You can set spending limits, monitor transactions and keep receipts together in Apron, ready for your bookkeeping.

Prefer to learn visually?

Watch our step-by-step YouTube video

apron card instruction video

OR

Follow our visual Scribe guide

apron expense card

Before You Start

To create and manage Apron Cards, you will usually need to be the business Owner or an Admin on the Apron account.

You will also need:

  • The employee’s name and email address
  • Their mobile telephone number, if available
  • An active and verified Apron company account
  • Money available in your Apron Wallet before the card can be used

Step 1: Sign In to Apron

Sign in to your Apron account and select the correct business.

This is particularly important when you have access to more than one company in Apron.

Step 2: Invite the Employee to Apron

Before you can assign a card to an employee, they must be added as a member of the company.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Company Settings.
  3. Select Members.
  4. Click + Add Member.
  5. Enter the employee’s email address.
  6. Add their full name and telephone number.
  7. Select the appropriate role.

For most employees who only need to use their card, upload receipts and submit expenses, choose the Employee role.

Check the employee’s permissions carefully and only give them access to the parts of Apron they need.

Step 3: Send the Invitation

Once you have entered the employee’s details and selected their role, click Add Member.

Apron will send an invitation to their email address.

The employee will need to open the email, accept the invitation and create or sign in to their Apron account.

Ask them to check their junk or spam folder if the invitation does not arrive.

Step 4: Open the Cards Section

Once the employee has been added to Apron:

  1. Go to Expenses.
  2. Select Cards.
  3. Click Get Card if this is your first Apron Card.
  4. For an additional card, click Create.

You can also create and manage cards through the Cards section of the Apron mobile app.

Step 5: Choose the Card Type

Choose whether you would like to create a:

Virtual Card

A virtual card can be used for online purchases and can be added to a compatible mobile wallet.

It can be useful for:

  • Online subscriptions
  • Software costs
  • Advertising expenses
  • Regular supplier purchases
  • Employees who do not need a physical card

Physical Card

A physical card can be used for online and in-person business purchases.

It can be useful for:

  • Travel expenses
  • Fuel
  • Materials and supplies
  • Meals while working away
  • Everyday employee expenses

Apron may charge a one-off fee for issuing a physical card.

Step 6: Select the Employee

Choose the employee who will use the card from the list of company members.

If the employee does not appear, check that:

  • They have been added to the correct company
  • Their full name has been entered correctly
  • Their name does not contain unsupported special characters
  • Their invitation and account setup have been completed

A team member can be assigned more than one Apron Card where required.

Step 7: Name the Card

Give the card a clear and recognisable name.

For example:

  • Sarah’s Expenses
  • Fuel Card
  • Marketing Expenses
  • Site Materials
  • Office Purchases

Clear card names make transactions easier to identify and reconcile.

Step 8: Set the Spending Limit

Choose an appropriate spending limit for the employee or purpose of the card.

Set a limit that gives the employee enough flexibility to do their job without providing unnecessary access to company funds.

You can review and change card controls later if the employee’s responsibilities change.

Step 9: Check and Create the Card

Review the information carefully, including:

  • The employee’s name
  • The type of card
  • The card name
  • The spending limit
  • The delivery details for a physical card

Once everything is correct, click Create Card.

The card should then appear in the Cards section of Apron.

Step 10: Add Money to the Apron Wallet

Apron Cards use money held in your company’s Apron Wallet.

Before an employee can use their card, make sure there is enough money available in the Wallet.

You can add money using Open Banking or by making a bank transfer to your Apron Wallet account.

All company cards share the available Wallet balance, so remember to monitor the total balance as well as the limits on individual cards.

Step 11: Ask the Employee to Download the Apron App

The employee should download the Apron mobile app and sign in using the email address you invited.

Through the app, they can:

  • View their card
  • Check their transactions
  • Upload receipts
  • Add a virtual or physical card to a compatible mobile wallet
  • Submit information about business expenses

A physical card will need to be activated before it can be used for certain in-person purchases.

Step 12: Upload Receipts After Every Purchase

Ask employees to upload their receipt as soon as they make a purchase.

Receipts can usually be photographed and uploaded through the Apron mobile app.

Employees should also add a helpful description, especially when the business purpose of the purchase may not be obvious.

For example:

  • Fuel for customer visit
  • Materials for Smith project
  • Lunch while attending Manchester trade show
  • Monthly website software subscription

Uploading receipts promptly helps avoid missing paperwork and makes the bookkeeping process quicker and more accurate.

Keeping Employee Expenses Under Control

We recommend that business owners regularly:

  • Review card transactions
  • Check for missing receipts
  • Review employee access and permissions
  • Adjust spending limits when responsibilities change
  • Cancel or freeze cards when an employee leaves
  • Keep enough money in the Apron Wallet
  • Make sure purchases are correctly recorded in Xero or your accounting software

Need More Help?

Watch the full process in our video:

How to Set Up an Expense Card in Apron and Invite a User

You can also follow each screen visually using our:

Step-by-Step Apron Scribe Guide

At Biking Bookkeeper, we help businesses use Apron, Xero and connected apps to reduce paperwork, automate routine tasks and save valuable time.

Visit www.bikingbookkeeper.co.uk to learn more about our bookkeeping and business support services.

Please note that Apron may update its menus, features, prices or screen layouts. The wording on your account may therefore look slightly different from the examples shown in this guide.