Emburse Spend allows your organization to give users the following roles:
- Member
- Manager
- Admin
Each role comes with specific permissions that are managed via the People screen.
Assign Member Role Permissions
Members are standard users who need to submit expenses for approval and reimbursement. They have the most limited access level in Emburse Spend. Unless they have been assigned as a delegate, they can view and manage only their own reimbursable expenses and corporate card transactions. Members cannot access or approve expenses for other users, change account settings, or invite new users.
| Permission | Members can | Members cannot |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Management | Create, edit, and submit reimbursable expenses for approval | View, edit, or approve other users’ expenses unless assigned as a delegate |
| Expense Tracking | View the status of submitted expenses and reimbursements | Create or modify expense rules or approval workflows |
| Receipts and Documentation | Add receipts and supporting documentation to expenses | Access company-level settings, integrations, or bank information |
| Corporate Card Management | View and categorize their own corporate card transactions | Invite or deactivate users |
| Account Access and Profile | Edit personal account information such as profile and payment details | Approve or initiate payments for any expenses |
1. In the Emburse Spend sidebar, select the Admin tab, then select People.
2. Find the user and select the 
Edit button to the right of their name.
Alternatively, you can select multiple users by clicking the checkboxes to the left of their names, and then selecting Edit.
3. Use the Role drop-down to select Member,
4. Select Save.
Assign Manager Role Permissions
Managers are users who have the ability to approve the expenses of the employees who report to them directly. Admins may assign a Manager role to other members of the team to create an additional layer of approval in the expense flow.
Managers may also be assigned as a delegate in order to view and manage other users' reimbursable expenses and corporate card transactions.
Assign a Manager to One User
1. On the People screen, select the Edit button to the right of the user's name.
2. On the Edit User Profile screen, select the desired manager in the Managed By drop-down, then select Save.
Assign One Manager to Multiple Users
To assign one manager to multiple users, check the box to the left of each user and then use the Managed By dropdown at the top of the People screen to search for and select the desired manager.
Assign Admin Role Permissions
Admins have access to all account information and settings, including:
- Admin approval will trigger payment for reimbursable expenses
- Admin approval completes the approval flow for card transactions
- All Final Approvers will see expenses that need final approval
- Invite new users to the Emburse Spend account
- Company bank account and bank transfer history
- Accounting integrations
- Customizable feature settings
- App integrations
- All expenses submitted by members of the organization
- Billing information
1. In the Emburse Spend sidebar, select the Admin tab, then select People.
2. Find the user and select the Edit button to the right of their name.
Alternatively, you can select multiple users by clicking the checkboxes to the left of their names, and then selecting Edit.
3. Use the Role drop-down to select Admin, then select Save.
What If I Have Both Admin and Manager Permissions?
The expenses of the people you manage will go directly to your Reimbursements screen or Card Transactions screen, and your approval will be final. This means the payment process for reimbursable expenses will begin, and corporate card expenses will be synced with your accounting software.
Remove Final-Approval Permission for Admins
If you have an accountant you want to invite to Emburse Spend or you need someone else to be able to invite users but do not want them to approve expenses, you can add these users to your account as admins and then turn off their Final-Approval permission via the Approval Permission toggle.
Admins who do not have Final-Approval can do everything that admins can do, including creating standard expense rules and policies, with the following exceptions.
- They cannot approve expenses for payment.
- They can approve an expense if they are a manager, but it will still require approval from an admin with Final-Approval permission.
- They cannot complete the approval flow for card transactions via approval.
- They cannot create auto-approval rules.
- They can invite users and edit other information about them, but they cannot make users admins.
- They cannot deactivate users.
1. Find the admin on the People screen and select the Edit button to the right of their name.
2. On the Edit User Profile screen, toggle off Approval Permission to remove the admin's Final-Approval permission.
Which Roles Can Act as Delegates?
- Members and managers can submit both corporate card transactions and reimbursable expenses on behalf of their delegators.
- Admins cannot work as delegates for other users, but they can submit corporate card transactions for any user via the Card Transactions screen.
See How to Assign a Delegate for complete details.