Approval for LCR Expenses/Reimbursements

Newly called Clerk here. The old clerk was explaining reimbursement to me, but I had some questions:

1. As far as I can tell, LCR only gives me the option to attach receipts and enter the purpose and choose a category. The old clerk was saying we needed documentation for approval, but I don't see that option. Is this not a thing in LCR? If the expense gets "approved" via the clerk then bishop's online approval, does it matter if the bishop gave written approval, and do they need to show that? Do I need to keep the approval for an audit (if they have it?)
2. The handbook simply states that

Expenditures must be approved by the stake presidency or bishopric before they are incurred. Expenditures should never be approved unless they are accompanied by supporting documentation.

How does this reconcile with the inability to attach any documentation about approval in LCR? Is this all taken care of by the online approval of clerk and bishop?
3. Similarly, there are instructions for handling paper receipts, but those simply indicate you should upload a digital copy of the receipt and enter it into LCR, and then paper documentation can be shredded. Is this true? Old clerk was saying they needed to be kept for audits...

Just a bit confused, I know there's a transition from MLS to LCR going on, and maybe that is contributing to my confusion, but if anyone could help me see what the expense reimbursement process should look like on LCR, that would be much appreciated!

1. You can upload any document including the payment request with the bishop's signature if you want. However, if the Bishop is the one to approve the online expense or if he marks his approval on the Bishop's Review list then that satisfies the requirement that the bishop has approved the expense. In this case the system records the approval and automatically marks the associated audit questions as satisfied when the audit is performed.
2. Two things here. First, the bishop must approve all expenses before they are incurred but that approval can be verbal and doesn't have to be recorded beforehand. However, the bishop must record that he did approve the expense either by signing the physical document, approving the expense online or marking it on his Bishop's Review list. But that can happen after the expense has been paid. Second, when it says no expense should be approved without supporting documentation it's talking about the receipts.
3. Yes, if the documentation has been uploaded then you can shred the physical documentation. However, I tend to recommend still keeping the physical documentation until after the audit just in case something isn't legible or something didn't get uploaded and the approvers missed it.

eblood66 wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 10:14 am Yes, if the documentation has been uploaded then you can shred the physical documentation. However, I tend to recommend still keeping the physical documentation until after the audit just in case something isn't legible or something didn't get uploaded and the approvers missed it.

I'd wait a little bit just to make sure the system doesn't burp and lose the document. Until after the audit should be sufficient.

I see. Thank you for your help!

If I understand correctly, the process should be as follows:

1. Approval (verbal or written) is given for the expense
2. Expense made
3. Expense Reimbursement Form submitted to Clerk (online or paper copy)
4. Clerk submits on LCR (1st approval)
4a. Clerk uploads images if needed, including (but not necessary) written approval
5. Bishop approval on LCR (2nd approval)
6. Hang on to paper copy (if provided)

I guess my last question would be if I should ask for requestors to submit paper copies of receipts to me even if they submit online?

emielke12 wrote: Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:04 am I see. Thank you for your help!

If I understand correctly, the process should be as follows:

1. Approval (verbal or written) is given for the expense
2. Expense made
3. Expense Reimbursement Form submitted to Clerk (online or paper copy)
4. Clerk submits on LCR (1st approval)
4a. Clerk uploads images if needed, including (but not necessary) written approval
5. Bishop approval on LCR (2nd approval)
6. Hang on to paper copy (if provided)

That's pretty much it. If for some reason one of the councilors does the second approval in line 5 then the bishop needs to also mark the expense on the Bishop's Review page when he has the chance.

emielke12 wrote: Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:04 am I guess my last question would be if I should ask for requestors to submit paper copies of receipts to me even if they submit online?

I don't but I usually keep a copy of the files they sent at least for a little while.

emielke12 wrote: Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:04 am 5. Bishop approval on LCR (2nd approval)

The second approval may be a counselor in the bishopric. That is enough to authorize the payment. If that is the case, the bishop will eventually do a final approval.

Expenditures must be approved by the stake presidency or bishopric before they are incurred. Expenditures should never be approved unless they are accompanied by supporting documentation.

As you're new and will definitely encounter this, I'd also point out the apparent conflict here, in that you can't incur an expense without approval, and approval requires supporting documentation which is often generated when the expense is incurred. Not to open another can of worms about expenditure approval, just wanted to point out that since you reference the GHB (always the right thing to do!), in this case it can lead to a bit of grey area if you try and follow the instructions exactly. And there's plenty of forum threads about this as well

BrianEdwards wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:57 am I'd also point out the apparent conflict here, in that you can't incur an expense without approval, and approval requires supporting documentation which is often generated when the expense is incurred.

Different approvals. I'd also point out there's a difference between "approval" and "documented approval".

Expense Checklist

1. Authorize by Bishop.
-Signed reimbursement form/Text message image captured
2. Approved by 2 authorized signers.
-One must be Bishop or Counselor.
-Approve expense and verify it is appropriate.
-Sign check or authorize EFT.
3. Reviewed by Bishop on LCR


DOCUMENTATION IS EITHER UPLOADED ON LCR OR FILED.

In our Stake we must have either a signed reimbursement form or a text message from the bishop authorizing the expense before we can initiate a reimbursement. Failure to have the documentation will result in an audit failure.

1. Authorize, 2. Approve, 3. Review

Should the request be created by the 1st counselor for purchases by his wife without a pre-signed by the bishop payment request form?

Can one change who approved the expense online after the fact? Our Bishop accidentally approved a receipt he submitted. He has received his return and it shows in the LCR as complete. Anyway to go in after the fact and change his approval to that of a bishopric member?

I'm afraid not. The best you can do is probably to write up an explanation and have the bishop and a counselor sign it and file it with your expense documentation or even upload it to the expense. The auditor may still write up an exception but he might not.

Did the counselor actually approve it?

If I understand the system, uploading is considered an approval. I'd think the system would require someone beside the uploader to approve before it goes to payment.

However, this could be an issue in a case where the bishop is a payee. It may require someone else to upload to avoid having him approve his own expense.

My understanding is that uploading documentation has (technically) nothing to do with approval of the expense. For example, a counselor in the Elders Quorum presidency can upload documentation and ask for approval of the expense. However, it still needs to be approved by a bishopric member or clerk.

If a bishopric member or clerk submits the request for payment (and uploads documentation at the same time), the bishopric member or clerk will approve the expense at the same time.

There are two different actions here.

An Elders Quorum presidency member (or other organization presidency member) can submit a Payment Request in Member Tools or on the Budget page in LCR. This does not constitute an approval and the expense must still be reviewed and submitted by a clerk or bishopric member and then approved by a second clerk or bishopric member (and one of the two has to be a bishopric member). A bishopric member can also make a payment request and it will be treated the same way and still requires that a review and submit by one person followed by a second approval by another.

A clerk or bishopric member can also submit an Expense directly on the Expense page and upload documentation. In this case it is considered the first approval and then must be followed by a second approval.

So for a clerk or bishopric member it depends on whether they use the Payment Request or just create the expense directly.