This article is for: employees, admins and finance teams.
Created an expense by mistake, or twice? You can delete it while it's still yours to change, so your list stays clean and nobody is paid twice. Deleting is permanent: it can't be undone.
Delete an expense you own or reported
Overview
| Status | Can it be deleted? |
|---|---|
| Draft, Changes requested | Yes, by its owner or by whoever reported it |
| Pending | Not directly. Take it back with Reset to draft first |
| Rejected | Only by people with the Can delete rejected manual expenses permission |
| Approved, In payroll, Sent to pay, Paid | No |
| Factorial card expenses | No, in any status |
How to use
On the web
- Go to My spending > My expenses and open the expense.
- Click the ⋯ menu at the top and choose Delete. The expense is deleted straight away, with no extra confirmation, and you'll see "The expense has been deleted successfully."
On the mobile app: open the expense from Expenses, tap More > Delete, then confirm.
A pending expense: open it, click Reset to draft, then Reset, and delete it as above.
Delete rejected expenses (admins and finance)
How to use
With the Can delete rejected manual expenses permission:
- Go to Spending > Employee expenses and open the rejected expense.
- Open the ⋯ menu at the top and choose Delete.
Tips and Best Practices
- Make sure you've picked the right expense. On the web, a single expense is deleted with no extra confirmation.
- Don't delete to "start over" on a pending expense. Use Reset to draft and edit it: you keep the receipt and the details.
- Card payment you shouldn't claim? You can't delete it. Leave a comment explaining why and ask your finance team how they want it handled.
- Deleting a group deletes the expenses in it, except card expenses. Card expenses are taken out of the group and kept. To keep any other expense, remove it from the group first.
- Related: How do I edit or take back an expense? · Card expenses and manual expenses · How do I handle duplicate expenses?
Troubleshooting and FAQ
Troubleshooting
I don't see the Delete icon.
The expense isn't a draft or changes requested, it's a Factorial card expense, or it belongs to someone else and you don't have permission. For a pending expense, use Reset to draft first.
I don't see Delete on a rejected expense.
You don't have the Can delete rejected manual expenses permission. Your admin grants it in Settings > Permissions.
FAQ
1. Can I get a deleted expense back?
No. Deleting is permanent.
2. Why can't card expenses be deleted?
They record a real payment made with a company card, so they stay for the company's records.
3. Can One delete an expense for me?
Yes, if you clearly ask it to delete a specific expense and you're allowed to delete it.
4. Can I delete several expenses at once?
Yes, the ones you're allowed to delete. In My spending > My expenses, select them and choose Delete. You'll be asked to confirm in Delete selected expenses, unlike a single expense on the web.
5. Why are rejected expenses still in the list?
Rejected expenses stay in the list for the record. If your company wants to clear them, people with the Can delete rejected manual expenses permission can delete them.
6. Whose rejected expenses can I delete?
The Can delete rejected manual expenses permission sets whose expenses you can delete: your own, your direct and indirect reports, the teams you lead, your legal entity, or the whole company. Your admin grants it in Settings > Permissions.
7. How do I delete a duplicate expense?
If it's a Draft, delete it as above. If it's Pending, click Reset to draft first, then delete it. If it's already approved or paid, you can't delete it: ask your finance team. A Factorial card expense can't be deleted, so if you reported a card payment by hand, delete your manual copy instead. See How do I handle duplicate expenses?.