> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.smartbills.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Reject a Report

> How to reject an expense report and provide feedback to the submitter

## Overview

Sometimes an expense report cannot be approved due to missing documentation, policy violations, or incorrect information. In these cases, you can reject the report and provide a reason so the submitter understands what went wrong.

<Warning>
  **Rejection is final for that report.** When you reject a report, the submitter must create a new report or make corrections and resubmit. If you want the submitter to revise and resubmit the same report, consider using [Request Changes](/guides/web-app/approvals/request-changes) instead.
</Warning>

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Pending Report">
    Navigate to **Approvals** in the left sidebar and click on the expense report you need to review. Only reports with a **Pending** status can be rejected.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Report">
    Examine the report summary and click through the individual expenses. Look for issues such as:

    * Missing or illegible receipts
    * Amounts that do not match the receipt
    * Out-of-policy expenses without justification
    * Incorrect categories or duplicate entries
    * Expenses outside the allowed date range
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Reject">
    Click the **Reject** button in the top-right corner of the report detail view.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter a Rejection Reason">
    A dialog appears prompting you to enter a reason for the rejection. This field is **required**. Provide a clear, actionable explanation so the submitter knows what needs to be fixed.

    **Examples of good rejection reasons:**

    * "Receipt missing for the \$85 dinner expense on March 12."
    * "Hotel expense exceeds the \$200/night policy limit. Please provide manager pre-approval documentation."
    * "Three duplicate taxi entries detected for March 15."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the Rejection">
    Click **Confirm Rejection** to finalize. The report status changes to **Rejected**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submitter Is Notified">
    The employee receives a notification that their report was rejected, along with the reason you provided. The notification appears in-app and is sent by email.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What Happens After Rejection

When a report is rejected:

* The report moves to **Rejected** status and is removed from the approval queue
* The submitter sees the rejection reason in their report timeline
* The expenses in the rejected report become available again and can be added to a new report
* The submitter must create a new report or correct the issues and resubmit

<Note>
  **Audit trail**: All rejections are logged with the approver name, timestamp, and rejection reason. This information is available in the report's audit log.
</Note>

## When to Reject vs. Request Changes

| Scenario                                    | Recommended Action                                           |
| ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Minor issues that can be corrected in place | [Request Changes](/guides/web-app/approvals/request-changes) |
| Missing receipts for a few expenses         | [Request Changes](/guides/web-app/approvals/request-changes) |
| Serious policy violations                   | Reject                                                       |
| Fraudulent or duplicate report              | Reject                                                       |
| Report submitted to the wrong approver      | Reject                                                       |
| Fundamentally incorrect report structure    | Reject                                                       |

<Tip>
  **Prefer Request Changes when possible.** It creates a smoother experience for the submitter because they can revise the same report without starting over.
</Tip>

## What's Next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Approve a Report" icon="circle-check" href="/guides/web-app/approvals/approve-report">
    Steps to approve a report that meets requirements
  </Card>

  <Card title="Request Changes" icon="comment-dots" href="/guides/web-app/approvals/request-changes">
    A less disruptive alternative to rejection
  </Card>
</CardGroup>