How we replaced a broken Excel expense process with a custom PowerApps solution - featuring smart validation, automated calculations, and real-time status tracking that keeps employees informed from submission to payment.
The Excel-based expense process was creating friction across the entire organisation:
The Excel template was frequently filled in incorrectly - missing receipt dates, wrong project codes, broken formulas. Finance spent hours chasing corrections instead of processing claims.
Multiple versions circulated via email. Finance couldn't tell which was the latest. Employees would resubmit, creating duplicates. There was no single source of truth.
Claims sat in inboxes for weeks, sometimes getting lost entirely. Employees had no way to track status and constantly chased Finance for updates - or gave up and absorbed the cost.
Employees submitted claims into a black hole. They had no idea if their claim was received, approved, or queued for payment. The only way to know was to email Finance directly.
Finance was spending 6+ hours per week just on expense administration - chasing corrections, finding lost claims, answering status queries. Employees were frustrated, some avoiding claiming legitimate expenses entirely. The Finance Manager described it as "the most complained-about process in the company."
We replaced the Excel template with a custom PowerApps expense management solution that guides employees through correct submission, validates everything upfront, and provides complete visibility through to payment.
We built bespoke PowerApps Component Framework (PCF) controls that go beyond standard Power Apps capabilities:
Camera integration with automatic date and amount extraction using AI. Receipts are cropped, enhanced, and attached directly to the expense line.
Address-to-address mileage lookup with HMRC rate application. No more manual distance calculations or disputes about claimed miles.
Expense type selection that automatically applies correct VAT treatment, GL codes, and policy rules. Wrong codes become impossible.
The app prevents incorrect submissions before they happen:
Power Automate handles approval workflow based on organisational hierarchy and claim value:
Employees can see exactly where their claim is at any time:
Automated email notifications keep employees informed at each stage - submission confirmation, approval notification, payment processing, and payment complete with expected date.
All expense data is stored in SharePoint with proper structure and retention. Finance has dashboard views for pending approvals, payment queue, and reporting. Full audit trail captures every action for compliance purposes.
No more chasing corrections
Every claim tracked to completion
Was 2 weeks previously
Per week on administration
"The old Excel system was a constant headache - wrong codes, missing receipts, people chasing me for updates. Now claims come in clean, route automatically, and I'm not the bottleneck anymore. The team actually thanks me for making their lives easier. That's never happened with an expenses process."
Standard PowerApps components couldn't deliver the user experience this project required. Custom PCF (PowerApps Component Framework) controls let us build exactly what users needed:
PCF controls provide a native, polished feel that standard components can't match. The receipt scanner and mileage calculator feel like purpose-built features, not workarounds.
Mileage calculation with address lookup, VAT handling across expense types, and receipt OCR require logic that's cleaner in custom code than Power Apps formulas.
Once built, PCF controls can be reused across multiple apps. The mileage calculator we built here is now used in two other client solutions.
Custom controls execute client-side, making the app faster and more responsive than equivalent Power Apps formula logic.
Dedicated expense tools like Expensify offer polished, ready-to-use solutions - but come with per-user licensing costs and limited customisation. A Power Apps solution costs nothing extra if you already have Microsoft 365 licenses, and can be tailored exactly to your policies, approval workflows, and integration requirements. For organisations already invested in Microsoft 365, Power Apps often provides better value and flexibility.
PCF (PowerApps Component Framework) controls are custom-built components that extend Power Apps beyond its standard capabilities. They're not always necessary - many expense solutions work well with standard components. We recommended PCF here because the client wanted specific functionality (receipt OCR, mileage lookup) that would have been clunky or impossible otherwise. Simpler requirements can often be met without custom development.
This project took 6 weeks including custom PCF controls. A simpler expense app using standard components might take 3-4 weeks. Timeline depends on complexity - number of expense types, approval routing rules, integration requirements, and whether you need custom controls. We can give you a realistic estimate after understanding your specific requirements.
Yes. Power Automate supports integration with most accounting platforms including Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and others - either through native connectors or custom API integration. Approved expenses can automatically create journal entries, supplier invoices, or bank transactions depending on your requirements.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call to discuss how a Power Apps expense solution could eliminate your Excel headaches.