Receipt collection policies in Relay tell your team when to attach receipts to card transactions, and let Relay automatically track and follow up on missing documentation.
Before you start
You will need:
Administrator or Super Administrator permissions on the Relay account
Access to the Relay web dashboard or the Relay mobile app
The name of the team member you want to designate as receipt admin
What is a receipt policy in Relay?
A receipt policy is an account-level rule that sets when cardholders on your Relay account must submit receipts for their card transactions. Once you turn a policy on, Relay watches transactions against the rule, flags anything that needs a receipt, and sends reminders to cardholders until documentation is attached.
Which receipt policy should I choose?
Relay offers three receipt policy options. Choose the one that matches your bookkeeping standards:
No receipts required. No documentation is requested for any transaction. Best if your business does not need receipt records for expense management.
Receipts required for transactions over $75. Matches IRS documentation guidelines and is a good starting point for most small businesses.
Receipts required for all transactions. Every card transaction requires a receipt. Best for teams with strict bookkeeping or audit requirements.
If you are not sure which to pick, start with the $75 threshold. You can change the policy later, and new thresholds apply only to future transactions.
How do I set a receipt policy from the Relay web dashboard?
Set or change a receipt policy from the web dashboard in six steps:
Sign in to your Relay account on desktop.
Click the Expenses tab in the left navigation.
Click the three-dot menu in the top right of the Expenses view.
Click Receipt policy.
Choose your preferred policy from the dropdown, then assign a receipt admin.
Click Save.
The policy takes effect immediately for all future card transactions on the account.
How do I set a receipt policy from the Relay mobile app?
Set or change a receipt policy from the mobile app in five steps:
Open the Relay mobile app and sign in.
Tap the Settings gear icon.
Tap Receipt policy.
Select your preferred policy.
Tap Save.
Who should I assign as receipt admin?
The receipt admin is the team member who receives alerts when receipts are missing and follows up with cardholders. This is usually your bookkeeper, office manager, or the person who reconciles expenses each month. Only one receipt admin can be assigned at a time, and the admin can be changed anytime from the same Receipt policy screen.
What happens after I set a receipt policy?
Once a policy is active, Relay does four things automatically:
Tracks every card transaction against the rule and flags any that need a receipt
Sends SMS or email reminders to cardholders when receipts are missing
Shows missing-receipt counts on the Expenses dashboard so the receipt admin can follow up
Lets you filter transactions by date, amount, and receipt status
Transactions stay on the dashboard until receipts are submitted or marked as ignored.
Can I run multiple receipt policies at once?
No. Only one receipt policy can be active per Relay account at a time. If you change the policy, the new rule applies only to future transactions. Past transactions continue to follow the policy that was in effect at the time of the transaction.
Can I attach more than one receipt to a transaction?
Yes. You can attach multiple receipts to a single transaction, which is useful for split purchases, itemized receipts, or transactions with separate documentation for tax and reimbursement.
Common issues
The Receipt policy option is missing from the menu. You do not have Administrator or Super Administrator permissions on the account. Ask an existing admin to update your role or set the policy on your behalf.
Cardholders are not receiving reminders. Check that each cardholder has a verified mobile number or email on file, and confirm the transaction meets the policy threshold (transactions under $75 will not trigger a reminder if the policy is set to the $75 threshold).
A transaction is still showing as missing a receipt after upload. Refresh the Expenses dashboard. If the receipt still does not attach, see Troubleshooting Receipt Upload Errors.
Past transactions are showing under a new policy. They should not. Only future transactions follow a newly saved policy. If historic transactions appear to be flagged incorrectly, contact the Customer Experience team.
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