Personal Expense Rules

Expense Rules let you automatically categorize and code your expenses based on the merchant name.

If you frequently spend at the same merchants (for example, Uber, Amazon, or Starbucks), you can create a personal Expense Rule so those expenses are categorized, tagged, and assigned correctly every time.

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What Personal Expense Rules Do

Personal Expense Rules:

• Automatically update expenses when the merchant name matches your rule
• Apply settings like Category, Tag, Tax rate, Description, Reimbursable, Billable, or Report assignment
• Only affect your expenses

This helps you save time and keep your expense reporting consistent.

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Where to Find Expense Rules

To find Expense Rules:

1. Click Account in the navigation tabs (on the left on web, and at the bottom on mobile)
2. Select Expense Rules

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How to Create an Expense Rule

To create a new Expense Rule:

1. Go to Account > Expense Rules
2. Click or tap New rule
3. Under If expense contains, enter the merchant name
4. Under Then apply these updates, configure at least one of the following:
   • Merchant name
   • Category
   • Tag
   • Tax rate
   • Description
   • Reimbursable
   • Billable
   • Add to a report
5. (Optional) Enable Apply to existing unsubmitted expenses to also apply the rule to matching expenses that haven’t been submitted yet
6. Click or tap Save rule

Note: Merchant names are case-sensitive.

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How to Edit an Expense Rule

To modify an existing Expense Rule:

1. Go to Account > Expense Rules
2. Click or tap the rule you want to update
3. Edit the fields you want to change
4. (Optional) Enable Apply to existing unsubmitted expenses to also apply the updated rule to matching expenses that haven’t been submitted yet
5. Click or tap Save rule

Changes apply to future matching expenses, plus existing unsubmitted expenses when the toggle is enabled.

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How to Delete Expense Rules

To delete one or more Expense Rules:

1. Go to Account > Expense Rules
2. Select the checkbox next to the rule(s)
3. Click the Selected dropdown
4. Select Delete rule(s)
5. Confirm deletion

Deleted rules cannot be recovered.

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How Expense Rules Are Applied

Expense Rules work as follows:

• Rules match based on whether the merchant name contains the text you entered
• Rules apply automatically when expenses are created
• If multiple rules match, they apply from top to bottom
• Personal Expense Rules override Workspace Merchant Rules

Rules apply retroactively to unsubmitted expenses only when you enable Apply to existing unsubmitted expenses while saving a rule. Submitted expenses need to be edited manually.

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How to Automatically Categorize Expenses by Merchant

If you want to automatically categorize recurring charges:

1. Create an Expense Rule using the merchant name (for example, “Uber”)
2. Set the appropriate Category
3. Click Save rule

From then on, any expense containing that merchant name will be automatically categorized.

This is helpful for subscriptions, travel vendors, software tools, and recurring purchases.

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FAQ

What if I have rules in both Expensify Classic and New Expensify?

Personal Expense Rules are account-based. If you’ve used both experiences, your rules will continue applying to your expenses.

Can I apply an Expense Rule to existing expenses?

Yes, for expenses that haven’t been submitted yet. When creating or editing a rule, enable Apply to existing unsubmitted expenses before saving. Expenses that have already been submitted are not updated — you’ll need to edit those manually if needed.

What happens if my personal rule conflicts with a Workspace Merchant Rule?

Your Personal Expense Rule takes precedence. Workspace Merchant Rules apply only if no personal rule overrides the expense.

How do I clear a Category, Tag, or Tax rate value from an Expense Rule?

When you create or edit a rule and open the Category, Tag, or Tax rate field, select None to clear the previously selected value. Then click or tap Save rule.

How do I leave Reimbursable or Billable unset in an Expense Rule?

When you open the Reimbursable or Billable selector, it shows three options: Don’t change, Yes, and No. Don’t change is selected by default and leaves the field unset, so matching expenses keep their existing value.