Can an employee have multiple funds at the same time?
Short answer
Yes, employees can have multiple funds issued to them simultaneously. Each fund represents a separate spending allocation with its own balance, limits, and rules.
On Ramp, employees commonly hold several funds at once for different spending purposes, such as travel, office supplies, wellness benefits, or project-specific expenses. Each fund operates independently with its own balance that decreases as spending occurs.
How multiple funds work
When an employee has multiple funds, they can choose which fund to spend from depending on the purchase:
- Physical cards can spend from any available fund the employee has access to
- Virtual cards are permanently linked to one specific fund
- Reimbursements are submitted against a specific fund
Each fund tracks its own balance independently. Spending from one fund doesn't affect the balance of another.
Common scenarios
General expenses plus category-specific funds: An employee might have a $1,000 monthly General Expenses fund for everyday purchases, plus a $2,000 quarterly Travel fund for flights and hotels, and a $500 annual Wellness Benefit fund for gym memberships.
Project-based spending: A marketing manager might have their regular monthly fund, plus temporary funds for specific campaigns or events. For example, a $5,000 fund for the Q1 Product Launch that expires after the event.
Shared funds plus individual funds: An employee can be both a member of shared team funds (like a department's software budget) and have their own individual funds for personal business expenses.
How employees manage multiple funds
Choosing which fund to use
When making a purchase with a physical card, employees select which fund the transaction should draw from. With virtual cards, the fund is predetermined since each virtual card is linked to a specific fund.
Viewing all funds
Employees can see all their active funds in the Funds tab of their Ramp account, with each fund showing:
- Current balance
- Spending limit
- Frequency (monthly, quarterly, total)
- Recent transactions
Best practices
- Name funds clearly so employees understand what each one is for (e.g., "Travel - Q4 2025" vs. just "Travel")
- Set appropriate limits based on expected spending patterns for each category
- Use spend programs to standardize common fund types across your organization
- Review fund usage regularly to identify unused funds that can be terminated or adjusted
Multiple funds give employees flexibility while maintaining spending controls for different categories, projects, or time periods.
Related questions
Funds are predefined spending balances set aside for specific purposes, such as departments, projects, or teams. They carry spending limits and policies, and transactions are approved or declined based on available funds and applicable controls.
Read moreYes. Physical cards cannot be used until funds are issued to the employee. The card itself has no money—it's just a payment instrument. Funds are spending allocations that contain the actual budget, limits, and rules. When you make a purchase with your physical card, it draws from one of your available funds.
Read moreA spend program is a reusable template that defines spending rules and policies. A fund is the actual money allocated to an employee or team, either issued from a spend program or created individually.
Read more