One co-worker with a missing receipt can clog up even the most efficient A/P department. Here are three ways to fight back.

You can never eliminate all errors from T&E processing — people are human after all. But a few proactive steps on your part can greatly reduce the number of errors that start in other departments and then worm their way into Accounting.

1. Send a reminder — regularly. Many of your co-workers don’t do T&E on a regular basis, so it’s not surprising they forget certain details. Once or twice a year, circulate a “friendly reminder” e-mail outlining the basics of your company’s policies. Bonus points: Send the memo electronically and on paper to increase the number of folks who actually see it.
2. Put up an FAQ page. Chances are you answer the same five questions on a regular basis. Write down the answers in a Q&A format and post it where it’ll get noticed, like the break room or the company intranet. Another option: Include it in your “reminder” memo.
3. Inform ‘em of “breaking news.” When you’ve made a policy change or IRS has changed something like the mileage rate, post the news clearly near where everyone who needs to see it will. If you have a bin in A/P for “incoming expenses,” that’s the perfect spot for a “Make sure you double checked….” reminder. If that’s not convenient for you, consider sending it as a heads-up to all approvers.

Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for getting co-workers to get T&E right the first time? Share the wisdom with your colleagues by commenting below.

Tags: A/P, Best practices, Communication, T&E