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Enable Real-Time Notifications for Credit Card Transactions

Emburse Enterprise offers users the ability to receive email, SMS, or real-time mobile notifications for transactions made using corporate credit cards issued by certain banks, including American Express® and Mastercard.

If your organization has enabled this feature, the notification you receive will contain a link that allows you to upload a receipt corresponding to the expense. The receipt will be automatically merged with the corresponding credit card authorization and transaction once they are received by Emburse Enterprise.

Your organization must use a corporate credit card data feed that supports real-time alerts, and Emburse Enterprise’s Real-Time Notifications feature must be enabled before users can set up real-time notifications. If you have an Emburse Enterprise Extended Services Agreement, an admin may reach out to your company’s ESA consultant for activation. Otherwise, an admin may contact Support.

This article covers how users receive notifications, attach receipts, and complete submission across SMS, email, and mobile.

How Authorizations Work in Emburse Enterprise

When real-time notifications are enabled, transactions may first appear as authorizations. These are pending transactions and cannot be submitted as expenses.

Authorizations appear on the Authorization tab. Once the transaction is settled by the card issuer, it moves to the Credit Card tab, where it can be submitted.

You can attach a receipt to an authorization while you wait for the settled transaction to appear.

If a matching authorization exists, Emburse Enterprise automatically merges the authorization with the settled transaction.

Where Authorizations Appear

  • Authorizations appear in the eWallet on the Authorization tab.
  • Settled transactions appear in the eWallet on the Credit Card tab.

What Happens When You Attach a Receipt

When you attach a receipt using a real-time notification:

  • The transaction appears on the Authorization tab.
  • The receipt is associated with the transaction.
  • The transaction remains on the Authorization tab until it is settled.

Emburse Enterprise eWallet screen displaying the Authorization tab with a pending transaction from Starbucks.

Submission and Settlement Behavior

Once the transaction is settled:

  • The transaction moves to the Credit Card tab.
  • Any attached receipt remains associated with the transaction.
  • You can select Merged Details to view the combined authorization and settled transaction.
  • The transaction can be added to and submitted in an expense report.

Emburse Enterprise eWallet screen showing a credit card transaction automatically merged with an authorization and labeled as automerged.

An authorization’s amount may differ from the final settled amount for such expenses as fuel purchases or hotel stays. The best practice is to wait for settlement to ensure accurate reporting and compliance.

Activate Real-Time Notifications

If your organization has enabled this feature, follow the steps below to activate notifications.

  1. Select your name in the top-right corner of the app.
  2. Select Account Settings.
    Account menu open under user name, with Account Settings option highlighted between Select Another User and Logout.
  3. Select Notification Settings and scroll to American Express Real-Time Notifications or, for other card issuers, Emburse Real-Time Notifications.
  4. Use the check box on the right to enable notifications.
    Notification Settings page showing Emburse Real-Time Notifications enabled with Mobile App Push Notifications selected and expense report notification options below.
  5. Use the radio button to select the method by which you wish to be notified.
  • Email Notifications: Notifications will be delivered to the primary email listed on your Emburse Enterprise user account.
  • SMS Notifications: Enter a mobile number where you can receive texts. Your wireless carrier's standard messaging rates apply.
  • Mobile App Push Notifications: This option is only available for users who have downloaded the latest version of the Emburse Enterprise mobile app and linked it to their Emburse Enterprise account. See the next section for details.

Attach Receipts Via Emburse Enterprise App Push Notification

Emburse Enterprise mobile app users who have enabled real-time notifications for corporate credit card transactions may attach receipts by tapping the push notifications that appear on their mobile devices. See Attach Receipts From Push Notifications for details.

Attach Receipts Via SMS Notification

  1. Open the SMS notification and tap the link.
    SMS message showing a card transaction notification with amount, merchant, and a link to view details and add a receipt.
  2. Tap Attach Receipt to add one or more receipt images to the expense.
    Mobile screen in Emburse Enterprise showing a transaction where the user can attach a receipt and enter an expense description.
  3. If desired, enter a description of the expense.
  4. Tap Submit.
    Mobile screen in Emburse Enterprise showing a transaction with an attached receipt and a submit button to complete the expense.

    A message displays to confirm successful submission of the expense.

    Confirmation dialog in Emburse Enterprise indicating the transaction was updated successfully with an option to close the message.

Attach Receipts via Email Notification

  1. Open the email notification and select Add Receipt.
    Transaction notification email view showing card details, transaction information, and an Add Receipt button.
  2. Select Attach Receipt to add one or more receipt images to the expense.
    Transaction notification page showing the Attach Receipt area when no receipt has been uploaded.
  3. If desired, enter a description of the expense.
  4. Select Submit.
    Transaction notification page showing the Submit button used to send a receipt and expense details.

    A message displays to confirm successful submission of the expense.
    Confirmation dialog displaying “Submission success” after a receipt is successfully submitted for a transaction.

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