> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.eosb.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Expenses and budgets

> Decide on fund manager expenses above SLE 100,000 and on their expense budgets.

The fund manager pays costs such as management fees, brokerage and audit from the trust's cash. These costs reduce what is left for employees' benefits, so they are controlled.

<Info>
  **Where:** **Expenses** in the menu.
</Info>

Two things wait for you under **Expenses**:

* **Pending expense approvals** — any single expense above **SLE 100,000**.
* **Pending budget approvals** — every expense budget. The fund manager can only spend within an approved budget.

<Frame caption="Expenses and budgets waiting">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/eosb/ez_KlcTexccb05CV/images/trustee/expenses/queues.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ez_KlcTexccb05CV&q=85&s=5ea286b315f2e9dfe381df7f3e59ccc4" alt="Two expenses with Approve expense and Reject expense marked 1 and 2, and a budget with Approve budget marked 3" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/trustee/expenses/queues.png" />
</Frame>

Each expense shows what it is for (with its reference underneath), the trust by name, the amount, type, payee, invoice reference and status. Each budget shows its description and the trust by name.

## Approve or reject an expense

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select Approve expense (1) or Reject expense (2)" />

  <Step title="Add a note">
    An approval note is optional. A **Rejection reason** is required.

    <Frame caption="Rejecting an expense">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/eosb/ez_KlcTexccb05CV/images/trustee/expenses/reject-dialog.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ez_KlcTexccb05CV&q=85&s=ad144f5896f740eeb8940aed0173f512" alt="Reject this expense? window with a rejection reason and the red Reject expense button" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/trustee/expenses/reject-dialog.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    An approved expense is debited from the fund manager's cash for the trust; a rejected one is not paid.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Approve or reject a budget

Select **Approve budget (3)** or **Reject budget**, add a note (required to reject) and confirm.

<Frame caption="Approving a budget">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/eosb/ez_KlcTexccb05CV/images/trustee/expenses/budget-dialog.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ez_KlcTexccb05CV&q=85&s=89d7dae39e158fb4e7c2992a4dde8bf9" alt="Approve this budget? window with a budget approval note" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/trustee/expenses/budget-dialog.png" />
</Frame>

<Warning>
  Approving a new budget **replaces** the fund manager's current approved budget for that trust, and the approval window says so. Only the new budget's lines authorise spending, and expenses already posted count against it. Before approving a small supplementary budget, check it still covers every category the fund manager needs.
</Warning>

<Note>
  Budgets also appear in the employer's workspace. **One decision settles a budget**: whichever of you — trustee or employer — decides first, the budget is approved or rejected and leaves the other's list. See [Approve fund manager budgets](/employer/budget-approvals).
</Note>

**Next:** [portfolio oversight](/trustee/portfolio-oversight).


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