> ## 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.
# Inbox Settings
> Configure the company expense inbox settings and rules
## Introduction
The Inbox Settings page allows administrators to configure how the Business Expenses behaves. You can set default categories, define auto-approval rules, enable duplicate detection, and manage notification preferences. Access settings by navigating to `/{slug}/expenses/settings` or by clicking the **gear icon** in the top-right corner of the inbox.
Inbox settings require the that access permission. By default, only Owners and Admins can modify these settings.
## Default Category
Set a default category that is automatically assigned to new expenses when no category can be determined from the receipt:
1. Navigate to **Inbox Settings**
2. Under **Default Category**, select a category from the dropdown
3. Click **Save**
When Smartbills cannot auto-detect a category from the merchant or receipt content, the default category is applied. Reviewers can always change the category during the review process.
## Auto-Approval Rules
Auto-approval rules allow certain expenses to be automatically approved without manual review. This is useful for low-risk, routine expenses that do not need human verification.
### Create a Rule
1. Navigate to **Inbox Settings**
2. Under **Auto-Approval Rules**, click **Add Rule**
3. Define the rule conditions:
* **Amount threshold**: Automatically approve expenses under a specific amount (e.g., under \$25)
* **Category**: Only apply the rule to specific categories (e.g., Office Supplies)
* **Employee**: Limit the rule to specific employees or teams
4. Click **Save Rule**
### Example Rules
| Rule | Condition | Result |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------- |
| Small purchases | Amount under \$25 | Auto-approved |
| Team lunches | Category is "Meals" and amount under \$50 | Auto-approved |
| Senior staff | Employee role is Manager and amount under \$200 | Auto-approved |
Auto-approved expenses skip the review queue entirely. Use auto-approval rules carefully and set reasonable thresholds. You can always review auto-approved expenses retroactively from the Approved filter.
## Duplicate Detection
Smartbills can detect potential duplicate expenses based on matching criteria. When a duplicate is detected, the expense is flagged for manual review instead of being processed automatically.
### Configure Detection
1. Navigate to **Inbox Settings**
2. Under **Duplicate Detection**, toggle the feature on
3. Select the matching criteria:
* **Same amount and date**: Flag expenses with identical amounts on the same day
* **Same merchant and amount**: Flag expenses from the same vendor with the same total
* **Same receipt image**: Use image comparison to detect re-uploaded receipts
4. Click **Save**
When a potential duplicate is detected, the expense appears in the inbox with a **Duplicate** warning badge. Click on the expense to compare it with the suspected original and decide whether to keep or delete it.
## Notification Preferences
Control which inbox events trigger email or in-app notifications for your team:
| Event | Description | Default |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| **New expense received** | An employee uploads or forwards a new expense | On |
| **Expense flagged** | An expense is flagged during review | On |
| **Expense returned** | An expense is sent back to the employee for revision | On |
| **Auto-approved** | An expense is automatically approved by a rule | Off |
| **Duplicate detected** | A potential duplicate expense is identified | On |
To change notification preferences:
1. Navigate to **Inbox Settings**
2. Under **Notifications**, toggle each event on or off
3. Click **Save**
If your team receives a high volume of expenses, consider turning off "New expense received" notifications and relying on periodic inbox reviews instead.
## Related Guides
Overview of the company-wide expense inbox
Step-by-step guide to reviewing incoming expenses
Set up categories used for default assignment and auto-approval
Understand who can access and configure inbox settings