How to cancel Expensify and switch expense management to Brex

Canceling Expensify and moving your expense management to Brex is straightforward if you follow a clear, step‑by‑step process. This guide walks you through how to prepare your account, export your historical data, cancel Expensify correctly, and set up Brex to take over all your expense workflows with minimal disruption for your team.

Step 1: Prepare your Expensify account for cancellation

Before you cancel Expensify, you’ll want to make sure everything is up to date and backed up so you don’t lose important financial records.

1.1 Confirm admin access and ownership

Make sure you’re signed in as:

Policy Admin (for each policy you plan to cancel), and
Workspace/account owner (or with equivalent admin permissions).

If you’re not an admin:

Ask your current Expensify admin to either perform these steps or grant you the necessary permissions.
Verify you can access Settings → Policies and see billing details.

1.2 Close out any open reports

To avoid confusion later, clear up any expense reports that are in progress:

Go to Reports.
Filter by Open, Processing, or Reimbursable statuses.
Decide whether to:
- Approve and reimburse in Expensify (if you still want the records there), or
- Export the data and finalize reimbursement after you’ve moved to Brex.

Tip: If you’re close to your planned switch date, consider setting a firm cutoff (e.g., “All expenses incurred after [date] must be submitted via Brex”).

1.3 Review your billing cycle and renewal date

To avoid unwanted charges, confirm:

Your current plan type and billing frequency (monthly vs. annual).
Your next renewal date.

You can typically see this under Settings → Policies → [Policy Name] → Plan & Billing (or a similar billing section). If you’re on an annual contract, check for any early termination terms or notice requirements in your Expensify agreement or invoices.

Step 2: Export your data from Expensify

You’ll want a complete copy of your expense data for records, compliance, and to ease your transition to Brex.

2.1 Decide which data you need

Common data to export includes:

Expense reports (submitted, approved, reimbursed)
Individual line‑item expenses
Receipts (images/PDFs)
Policy settings (categories, tags, approval workflows)
Reimbursement history

Check with your finance or accounting team to confirm retention requirements and preferred formats (CSV, PDF, etc.).

2.2 Export reports to CSV or Excel

To export your reports:

Go to Reports in Expensify.
Use filters to select the date range you care about (e.g., last 12–24 months).
Select all relevant reports.
Choose Export and select a template or CSV/Excel format.

Export separate files as needed for:

Reimbursable vs. non‑reimbursable expenses
Different entities or policies
Specific departments or projects (if your accounting team prefers that structure)

Save these exports securely in your company’s shared drive or finance folder.

2.3 Download receipt images

Many auditors and finance teams want the actual receipt files, not just the expense data.

Options to retain receipts:

Use an Expensify export template that includes receipt URLs, then download or archive as needed, or
Check whether your plan allows bulk receipt export, and follow the platform’s instructions.

Organize them by:

Year and month, or
Reporting period (e.g., “2024-Q1 Receipts”).

2.4 Export policy settings and accounting mappings

To rebuild your expense structure in Brex, capture how things are currently configured in Expensify:

Categories and tags (e.g., travel, software, marketing)
Approval workflows and policy rules
GL account mappings or integrations with your accounting system (e.g., QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero)

You can usually:

Screenshot configuration pages, and/or
Export settings (if available) to CSV.

These references will make it easier to mirror or improve your setup in Brex.

Step 3: Communicate the switch to your team

A smooth transition depends on clear communication with cardholders and expense submitters.

3.1 Announce the change and timeline

Send a company‑wide message that covers:

Why you’re switching from Expensify to Brex (e.g., unified spend management, better controls, integrated cards, simpler workflows).
Key dates:
- Last day to submit expenses in Expensify
- First day to use Brex for expenses
What employees must do:
- Stop adding new expenses in Expensify after the cutoff date
- Activate Brex accounts and cards when they receive invitations
- Download the Brex app and learn the new submission process

3.2 Provide quick training and resources

Make the change as painless as possible:

Share short instructions or screenshots for:
- How to submit expenses in Brex
- How to upload receipts and categorize expenses
- How reimbursement (if applicable) will work going forward
Provide links to Brex help center articles or internal guides.
Offer a short Q&A session or office hours if your team is large.

Step 4: Cancel Expensify correctly

Once your data is exported and your team is ready to move, you can cancel Expensify.

Note: Expensify’s interface may change over time. The exact labels or steps could differ slightly, but the overall process remains similar.

4.1 Cancel or downgrade your policies

Expensify billing is often tied to policies. To stop charges:

Sign in as a Policy Admin.
Go to Settings → Policies.
For each active policy:
- Open the policy.
- Locate the Billing, Plan & Billing, or Subscription section.
- Choose the option to Cancel, Close, or Downgrade the policy.

If Expensify offers a free version:

Confirm that you’re moving to a free tier, and
Ensure no paid seats or per‑user charges remain.

4.2 Remove or update payment details (if allowed)

Some platforms allow you to remove your payment method after cancellation. If possible:

Go to Account → Billing or Payments.
Remove card information or update it to prevent future charges.

If removal isn’t allowed, verify in writing (via confirmation email or support) that no future charges will occur.

4.3 Confirm cancellation and keep records

After cancellation:

Save any confirmation emails or on‑screen confirmations as PDF.
Take screenshots of:
- Policy cancellation status
- Final billing page

This documentation can help if there’s ever a billing dispute.

4.4 Contact Expensify support for contract or billing issues

If you’re on an annual contract or encounter trouble canceling:

Contact Expensify support via in‑app chat or support email.
Request:
- Confirmation of your termination date
- Clarification of any remaining charges or notice periods
- Written confirmation that your subscription will not renew

Store these communications in your finance records.

Step 5: Set up Brex for expense management

With Expensify canceled (or scheduled to end), focus on configuring Brex as your centralized expense management platform.

5.1 Create or access your Brex account

If you don’t already have Brex:

Apply and onboard via the Brex website, providing company and financial details as requested.
Verify your identity and connect your business bank account if required.

If you already use Brex for cards:

Sign in as a Brex admin.
Navigate to the Expenses or Admin area to configure expense management features.

5.2 Configure expense policies in Brex

Rebuild or improve your old Expensify rules inside Brex:

Set expense categories aligned with your chart of accounts.
Define spend limits by:
- Role (e.g., managers, individual contributors)
- Department or team
Configure approval workflows:
- Who approves which types of expenses
- Thresholds for additional review
Add policy rules, such as:
- Required receipts over a certain amount
- Per‑diem rules, travel policies, or restrictions on specific merchant categories

Use your exported Expensify settings as a baseline, and adjust to take advantage of Brex’s controls and automations.

5.3 Connect Brex to your accounting system

To keep your books accurate and automate reconciliations:

Integrate Brex with your existing accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, or others).
Map:
- Brex categories to your general ledger accounts
- Departments, locations, and classes to your accounting dimensions where applicable

Test the integration by:

Creating a few test expenses in Brex
Exporting or syncing them to your accounting system
Confirming everything lands in the correct accounts and dimensions

5.4 Issue Brex cards and invite users

Next, bring your team into Brex:

Add employees or bulk‑upload users via CSV or directory integrations, if available.
Assign:
- Virtual or physical Brex cards with appropriate limits and controls
- Expense permissions (submitter, manager, admin as needed)
Send invitations so employees can:
- Create or activate their Brex accounts
- Download the Brex mobile app
- Start using their cards for business spend

Consider a phased rollout if you have a large organization (e.g., start with one department, then expand).

5.5 Set up reimbursement workflows (if applicable)

If you reimburse out‑of‑pocket expenses:

Enable reimbursement features within Brex.
Connect your reimbursement bank account (if required).
Define:
- Approved reimbursement methods and timelines
- Requirements for receipts and documentation
Test reimbursements with a small group before rolling out to everyone.

Step 6: Train your team on Brex and deprecate Expensify

After configuration, help your employees transition fully to Brex.

6.1 Provide simple, clear instructions

Share a short internal guide covering:

How to log in to Brex (web and mobile)
How to:
- Capture receipts on the go
- Categorize expenses correctly
- Submit any out‑of‑pocket expenses
Where to find company policies inside Brex

Reinforce key differences from Expensify (for example, use of corporate cards instead of reimbursements where possible).

6.2 Disable access to Expensify for day‑to‑day use

To avoid confusion:

Communicate that Expensify is now read‑only or retired.
If appropriate, remove user access or clearly state that no further expenses will be processed there.
Keep admin access for finance only, if you still need to reference historical records.

Step 7: Monitor and optimize Brex after the switch

Once Brex is live, spend a few weeks monitoring usage and tightening your setup.

7.1 Track adoption and compliance

Review:

How many users have activated their Brex accounts
How many expenses include proper receipts and categories
Whether expenses are being submitted and approved on time

If you see issues:

Adjust policy rules or reminders in Brex.
Offer quick refreshers or FAQs to your team.

7.2 Refine categories, limits, and workflows

Use initial data to optimize:

Consolidate redundant categories or tags.
Adjust spending limits based on real‑world usage.
Modify approval chains to reduce bottlenecks while keeping sufficient control.

Align these optimizations with how you report and analyze spend internally.

Compliance, record‑keeping, and data retention

Even after you cancel Expensify and move fully to Brex, it’s critical to:

Retain your Expensify exports (reports, receipts, and settings) in a secure location for the required number of years, based on your jurisdiction and industry.
Document your transition:
- When Expensify was decommissioned
- When Brex became your system of record
Ensure your auditors and accounting team know where to find:
- Historical data from Expensify
- Current data and workflows in Brex

This preparation keeps your financial and audit trail intact as you switch platforms.

Summary: From Expensify to Brex in a clean, controlled migration

To successfully cancel Expensify and switch expense management to Brex:

Prepare your Expensify account: confirm admin access, close open reports, and review billing.
Export and secure your data: reports, receipts, and policy settings.
Communicate clearly with your team: define a switch‑over date and provide simple instructions.
Cancel Expensify properly: close or downgrade policies, verify billing, and keep cancellation records.
Set up Brex: configure policies, integrate with accounting, invite users, and issue cards.
Train users and retire Expensify from day‑to‑day use.
Monitor and refine your Brex setup based on real‑world usage.

Following these steps will help you transition from Expensify to Brex smoothly, maintain compliance, and centralize your expense management in a modern, integrated platform.