Getting Started

You access TrackStar by clicking on a browser link. The system provides multiple levels of security and encryption, so your data is safe and secure.

Each employee logs on to TrackStar using their unique ID and password. Once signed on, a menu system is presented that reflects the capabilities that have been granted each user. Though simple to use, multiple levels of help are provided to assist users if needed.

Account Maintenance

This form is used to setup the accounts that are used on your expense sheet.  You can associate each one with a GL account number, and can identify the order that each will appear on the expense form.

Review the Expense Spreadsheet (below) to see the effect of these account entries.

 

 

Account Lookup

An account lookup table is provided to allow you to relate industry standard codes (SIC's) to your expense accounts.  This lookup table is used when importing credit card transactions (described below).

 

Business Rule Setup

This form is used to setup the business rules for editing expenses.  You may define multiple rule sets so that different groups of employees can have different rules.  For example, you might have one rules set for the US, and another for Canada.

Once a rule set is created, you may define individual rules, such as "require receipts for more than $25".  The tool allows you to enforce your business policies through automation.

 

Credit Card Import

This form is used to import credit card transactions provided by your credit card company.  Once transactions are loaded, TrackStar matches them based on the name and account lookup to make them ready for expense reporting.

Employees are notified via email of transaction assignment.  They can them import these transactions into their expense report, and provide additional detail of needed.

Expense Review

Employees use this form to review historical records of past expense reports they have entered and submitted.  The record is permanent, and can be easily searched by status or date.

The form is also used to create new expense sheets, to delete existing sheets (that have not been approved), and to submit sheets for management approval.

Expense Spreadsheet

This form is used to enter or edit expense items.  The accounts that appear, and the order where they appear are both setup using the Account Maintenance tool described previously.

To enter an expense, you simply enter the dollar amount in the proper cell.  Each entered item will assume the attributes described in the "Input Specifications" section.  Once expenses are entered, each individual item can be edited.

Expense reports can span multiple weeks if needed.

Expense Details

The detail form can be used to enter expense items, but is more commonly used to edit details about items.  You first select the expense item, and then use the detail section to specify Customer, Category, or various other parameters.

For Mileage expenses, the dollar amount is calculated automatically based upon a standard mileage rate entered by the administrator.

 

Expense Summary

The Summary tab summarizes the expense information for the current report.  It shows total expenses, as well as calculating the amount to be billed, and reimbursed to the employee.

The optional description field is used to describe the purpose of the expenses.

 

 

 

Expense Report

A printable version of the report shows a day-by-day view of the expenses by account.  If the report spans multiple weeks, each week's information is displayed on a separate page, and is totaled by week.

This report replaces the expensive and cumbersome multi-part forms that many companies use.

 

 

Expense Approval

Once expenses have been submitted for approval, managers use the system to review and approve them.  A search form quickly shows reports that require management attention.

When integrated with other TrackStar modules, this form is used to select Timesheets, PTO Requests, and other items that require approval.

 

 

Approval Actions

Managers can review expenses using a form that is similar to the entry form.  Individual items can be reviewed, and in some cases, edited.

The message area shown is used to respond back to the employee if a problem exists with the expense report.  Messages entered here are automatically routed to the originator through your standard email system.

 

 

Expense Item Approval

TrackStar also supports an approval model where project managers or owners do approvals.  When setting up projects, and project manager is identified.  Any expenses associated with the project must be approved by the project manager.  The Expense Item Approval tool facilitates this by showing all expense items that a project manager "owns".  This makes approval fast and simple, and give the responsibility to the appropriate manager.  Project Manager Approval is a setup option. 

 

 

Expense Acceptance

An optional second level approval is also supported.  This is typically used by your accounting department to review expenses for policy adherence, and to make a final judgment on the expense report.

The form allows you to list all Approved reports that have not yet been accepted, and to then review and Accept or Reject them.

 

Employee Expense Summary

TrackStar includes many useful reports that help to manage employee expenses.  All reports can be exported to Excel, or can be viewed or printed.

This report shows Expense reports by employee, and shows their status, amount and description.  This report can be filtered by employee or department.

 

 

Account Balance Report

This report shows the number of items billed to each account for a specified period.  It can be used to enter GL information, or to reconcile expense reports.

Reports can be scheduled to run at predefined intervals, and to be emailed to specified employees.

Also, a built-in report writer is included to facilitate ad hoc reporting.

Email Notifications

Email is used for  notifications. You can configure the system to send an email whenever an expense report is submitted.  This makes it easy for managers to stay on top of reports that need to be approved.

 

 

 

Administration Tools

TrackStar includes a robust set of administration tools to help you configure and tailor the system.  You use the admin tools to load and maintain employee, department, account, and various other data tables in the system.  It also includes a scheduling tool that can be used to generate background jobs or tasks, such as data extracts and reports.  For example, you can setup a job to email a balance report to your accounting group weekly.

 

 

Outstanding Support

ISC provides world-class support for its software.  When you have a question or problem, our staff provides the answers you need, when you need them.  For ASP customers, the support fees are built-in to the monthly fee.  This includes updates, bug fixes, and periodic enhancements.  For in-house customers, our support plan is required in the first year and optional thereafter.

Expense Tracking Pricing

TrackStar Expense Tracker is priced on a per Active user basis.  An active user is one who has been entered in to the software and has the ability to log on.  Employees who terminate can be marked inactive, and no longer consume one of your licenses.

A small number of administrative licenses are needed to perform setup and maintenance.  Admin licenses are priced separately from Expense Tracker licenses.