Invoice capture, bill payments, and bookkeeping are essential parts of the workflow for any business. Our goal at Apron has always been to close the gap between each stage of the process, and to bring financial operations onto a single platform for business owners, accountants and bookkeepers.

One huge gap in this process which is often overlooked, is expense management. We know, from travelling the country and speaking with Apron users, expense cards are often too complicated, disconnected, and expensive to make them viable for small businesses.

That’s a shame, because without an affordable expense card that integrates with the rest of their accounts payable workflow, business owners, accountants and bookkeepers are left doing things the old way. That means:

• Chasing down missing documents and receipts from staff spending.
• Manually inputting data from loose receipts.
• Losing control over cash flow by having to reimburse staff randomly.
• Wasting hours every month reconciling and compiling expense reports.

Expense cards, the kind that allow staff to spend freely (with limits) while making life easier for business owners and finance professionals, used to be the reserve of larger companies. Not anymore.

Apron Card: The expense card designed for small businesses

Apron Card is our very own expense card, made for small businesses and the accountants and bookkeepers who back them. This is the new way.

Designed to fill the expense management gap in the workflows of business owners across the country, Apron Card smooths out spending and expenses, making it easy to see who’s spending what, when, and where.

From the start, we wanted to make sure that Apron Card would be within reach for businesses of all sizes, and that it would continue to be a viable option as that business scales.

What makes Apron Card different and valuable for business owners, accountants and bookkeepers, alongside its simplicity, affordability, and control features, is the fact that it’s integrated with the rest of Apron. Let’s explore.

An expense card connected to your main bookkeeping workflow

Most expense cards are separate from the rest of your accounts payable workflow, including invoice capture, payments, and bookkeeping.

At the very least, that’s an inconvenience. In reality, it’s a bigger problem. When expense management and employee spending live outside of the rest of the accounts payable workflow, you don’t have a single source of truth for what’s happening with the company’s finances.

That creates problems with cash flow clarity, and means that you — whether you’re a business owner or part of a practice — need to spend more time connecting the dots between employee spending, and the rest of the outgoings.

Payments made using Apron Card appear in your Apron account, and receipts will land right in Apron capture, making bookkeeping a breeze. This integration has other benefits, too, which we’ll explore further down.

Speaking of cash flow, control over spending is a big deal.

Set custom spending limits

Whenever you issue a new Apron Card to someone in your team, you can choose to set weekly and monthly spending limits. This makes overspending impossible, and ensures that those who need to, know exactly how much money is going out.

As the business grows and changes, it’s simple to adjust each card’s spending limits. But clarity and control don’t stop with spending limits.

Live view of all company spending

If you’re someone who likes to know who’s spending what, when, and where at all times, then Apron Card is a great choice.

Mobile notifications show you how much, when, and where company money is being spent. And of course, being Apron, there’s a clear record of every transaction right in your Apron account. With Apron Card, you get full visibility and a live view of company spending in real-time.

Still got documents and receipts you need to track down?

Stop chasing missing receipts

In addition to helping you stay in control of company spending, Apron’s wider expense management tools can save you hours of admin and chasing each month.

Let Apron’s powerful AI track down missing receipts for you, saving you from chasing clients and staff.

Add to your Apple or Google wallet

While we’re working on releasing physical Apron Cards soon, issuing virtual cards is a breeze and can be done in seconds.

Once issued, it’s simple to link your Apron Card to your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, so you and your employees can pay on the go using a phone.

Sticking with integration, Apron Card can speed up the bookkeeping workflow, too.

Card payments automatically reconcile

If you’ve used Apron before, you’ll know that payments — such as payroll and supplier payments — made through Apron automatically reconcile in your bookkeeping software, such as Xero or QuickBooks Online. The same is true for payments made using Apron Card.

Payments made using Apron Card flow through Apron and are reconciled automatically, making bookkeeping easier, and reducing the time spent on expense reports — perhaps even eliminating them altogether.

Combined with Apron’s invoice capture workflow, which includes the automatic extraction of payment details, and the ability to easily track down missing documents, Apron Card is a powerful addition for any growing business.

Get started with Apron Card

There are no subscription fees or contracts associated with Apron Card. They are free to issue as part of your Apron plan. For now, Apron Card is virtual, but physical cards are coming soon.

Whether you’re a business owner, and accountant, or a bookkeeper, Apron Card will make your life easier.

Get started with Apron Card today.