How do my peers handle team members' out of pocket expenses that don't have a commercial card

[AngelaG]

Hello!  Some of our locations are severely short staffed and I have team members that are filling in where they can and are incurring out of pocket business expenses.  These team members do not participate in our Commercial Card Program, as their positions do not warrant it.  Some of these team members cannot "float" these business expenses.  Has anyone else experienced this situation?  I'm asking my peers how you would handle this situation.  All suggestions welcome!

[KevinD]

@AngelaG Hello there. A couple of thoughts for you to consider:

1. Maybe allow these positions to participate in the card program. I don't believe it costs your company any more money to provide more commercial cards to employees. These times are unprecedented, so it could be a good time to allow some things that aren't normally allowed, such as giving people in these positions a company card. 

2. Another option would be to allow these employees to use the commercial card that is assigned to another employee. That way it is a company card purchase and it will come into SAP Concur to be reconciled. This ensures the purchase gets reviewed and properly approved. 

3. Some companies get a PCard that they give several employees access to for business purchases. 

4. Cash Advances is another option companies have used to provide funds to employees for business purposes.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Hopefully others will chime in and provide some other ideas.