How to submit an expense or mileage reimbursement

Summary: On assignments where expense entry is turned on for you, you can submit a reimbursement in the Ascen portal by choosing your assignment, uploading an itemized receipt, and entering the amount, category, and business purpose. On some assignments your agency or client enters expenses for you instead. Mileage is submitted as a regular reimbursement using a dollar amount you calculate yourself.

Many assignments allow you to submit business expenses for reimbursement directly in your portal. On some assignments this is turned off, and your agency (staffing partner) or client enters expenses on your behalf. This article explains how to tell which applies to you, and how to submit an expense — including mileage — when you can.

First: do you submit your own expenses?

Your agency or client decides whether you enter expenses yourself:

You submit your own expenses. You will see an Expenses area in your portal with a Create an Expense button.

Your agency or client submits expenses for you. Expense entry is turned off in your portal, and your reimbursements are entered by the people who run your assignment.

How to tell: Log in at app.ascen.com and open Expenses. If you see a Create an Expense button, you can submit your own. If not, your expenses are handled for you — contact your agency or on-site supervisor to find out how to send them your receipts.

Before you spend money you expect to be reimbursed for, it is a good idea to confirm with your agency or supervisor that the expense will be covered. Reimbursement is generally limited to reasonable, necessary, business-related costs.

How to submit an expense

When expense entry is enabled for you:
1.

Log in at app.ascen.com and open Expenses.
2.

Click Create an Expense.
3.

Choose the Assignment the expense belongs to. If you have more than one assignment, be sure to pick the correct one.
4.

Upload your receipt (PDF, JPEG, or PNG). You can drag and drop the file. If the option to extract receipt details automatically is available, the portal can read the receipt and pre-fill some fields for you — always double-check what it fills in.
5.

Choose the Type — for most workers this is a standard reimbursement.
6.

Enter the Date of the expense (it must fall within your assignment's active dates).
7.

Enter the Amount.
8.

Fill in the Category (for example, Travel, Meals, Software, Office Supplies) and a short Business purpose — a brief reason the expense was needed for your work.
9.

Add a short Description.
10.

Click Submit.

Your expense is created with a status of awaiting approval. From there it goes to your client or agency to approve before it can be paid.

Use an itemized receipt

For reimbursements, attach an itemized receipt — one that lists the individual items, quantities, and prices, not just a total. A receipt that only shows a lump-sum total may be sent back or rejected.

How to submit mileage

There is no separate "mileage" type. To be reimbursed for driving, submit a regular reimbursement and enter a dollar amount that you calculate yourself:
1.

Total the business miles you drove.
2.

Multiply your miles by the applicable mileage rate to get a dollar figure. The IRS publishes a standard mileage rate each year — see IRS Standard Mileage Rates. Your agency or client may use a different rate, so confirm which rate applies to you.
3.

Create the expense as above, entering the calculated dollar amount, choosing a travel-related category, and describing the trip (dates, route, and total miles) in the business purpose or description.

Keep a record of your trips (dates, destinations, and miles) in case it is requested.

After you submit

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Your expense shows as awaiting approval until your client or agency reviews it.

Approved expenses are paid through your normal pay cycle. Tax-free reimbursements are paid alongside your wages but are not taxed as income. For when the money actually reaches you, see When you'll be reimbursed for expenses.

You can delete an expense you submitted while it is still awaiting approval. Once it has been approved or paid, contact your agency to make a change.

Related articles

When you'll be reimbursed for expenses

How per diem and travel stipends work

Are stipends included on the W-2?

Understanding your pay stub

Frequently asked questions

I don't see a Create an Expense button. What do I do?
On some assignments expense entry is turned off and your agency or client submits expenses for you. Contact your agency or on-site supervisor to find out how to send them your receipts.

What kind of receipt do I need?
An itemized receipt that shows the individual items, quantities, and prices. A total-only receipt may be rejected.

How do I get reimbursed for mileage?
Submit a normal reimbursement with a dollar amount you calculate (miles × the mileage rate that applies to you). See the mileage section above.

Can I edit an expense after submitting it?
You can delete it while it is still awaiting approval. After it is approved or paid, contact your agency to make a correction.