Tracking employee costs and expenses means systematically monitoring and recording all expenses related to employees. From the perspective of small and medium-sized businesses, this typically means:
- expenses paid by the company on behalf of the employee
- or costs assigned to a specific employee
- so it does not include wages, but additional expenses
What costs do SMB companies typically track per employee?
Based on our experience, small and growing companies most commonly track these costs and expenses.
1. Travel & Mileage
- Business trips (flights, hotels, transportation)
- Daily allowances and meal expenses
2. Training & Development
- Training sessions, workshops, onboarding programs
- Certifications (e.g., OSHA, PMP, IT training)
- E-learning platforms (LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, etc.)
3. Work Equipment & IT Costs
- Laptop, phone, office supplies
- Software licenses assigned to employees
4. Reimbursements
- Reimbursements for home office expenses, purchases, parking, etc.
5. Employee Benefits (non-payroll)
- Contributions to wellness, meals, public transportation
- Recreational activities, company events
6. Work Equipment & PPE
- Protective equipment, workwear, tools
- Often tracked in operations, warehouses, construction sites
How can Aptien help track employee costs?
- Record training costs by employee
- Track costs related to onboarding a specific new employee
- Monitor travel expenses
What else can you use?
- Keep track of who has which work equipment, when they received it, and when they returned it