What are the receipt requirements for recurring subscriptions and one-time charges?

Receipt requirements often depend on whether the transaction is a recurring subscription or a one-time charge. For recurring subscriptions, companies usually require the initial invoice or contract as documentation, with future charges linked to that same record. For one-time charges, every transaction generally needs its own receipt or invoice. Ramp supports both scenarios by allowing recurring vendor charges to be tied to a contract or invoice, while still collecting receipts for single purchases.

Recurring subscriptions

• Initial documentation: A signed contract or the first invoice is typically accepted as the “receipt of record” for a recurring subscription.
• Linking transactions: Future charges (for example, monthly SaaS renewals) can be tied back to that contract so employees don’t have to upload the same invoice every month.
• Policy variation: Some companies still require receipts each cycle, especially if the charge amount changes.
• System support: In Ramp, recurring charges can be tied to a vendor record or contract, and finance teams can decide whether each renewal must have a separate receipt or if the initial invoice is sufficient.

Example: A company purchases a $1,200 annual software license billed at $100 per month. The signed contract is uploaded in Ramp and linked to the vendor. Each monthly charge shows as recurring spend tied back to that contract, eliminating the need to upload 12 separate receipts.

One-time charges

• Individual documentation: Each transaction must have its own receipt or invoice since there is no ongoing contract to reference.
• Audit requirements: Auditors expect every single charge to show proof of payment and business purpose.
• Policy enforcement: In Ramp, cardholders are automatically prompted to upload a receipt for each one-time charge that exceeds the company’s receipt threshold (for example, $75).

Example: A $450 flight booked for a client visit requires its own receipt uploaded to Ramp. The system flags the charge until the documentation is attached and approved.

Best practices

• For recurring subscriptions, accept the contract or initial invoice as primary documentation but still review periodic charges to ensure they match expected terms.
• For one-time expenses, enforce receipt collection for every charge above your policy threshold.
• Configure Ramp policies so recurring vendors are clearly linked to contracts, reducing manual upload requests for employees.
• Periodically audit recurring spend to confirm charges remain valid and in line with agreements.