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Ajera + Paycor Integration — Supplemental Training Guide
Confidential — Internal Training Document 1

DELTEK AJERA
Paycor Payroll Integration
Supplemental Training Guide
Architecture & Engineering Firms
Purpose of This Supplement
This document supplements the Deltek Ajera Employee Training Guide for firms that use Paycor
as their payroll provider. It describes how Ajera and Paycor interact, what changes for
employees and managers in day-to-day workflow, and how pay types, expense reimbursements,
and employee data are managed across both platforms.
Read this document after completing the core Ajera Training Guide.

Topics Covered
How Ajera and Paycor Work Together
Employee Setup: Dual-System Requirements
Pay Types: Mapping Between Ajera and Paycor
Timesheet Entry Changes with Paycor Payroll
Expense Reimbursements Through Paycor
Payroll Export and Review Process
Benefits, Deductions, and Paycor Self-Service
Common Integration Issues and How to Resolve Them

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Section 1: How Ajera and Paycor Work Together

The Two-System Architecture
When a firm uses Deltek Ajera as its project accounting system and Paycor as its payroll platform, the
two systems divide responsibilities. Ajera remains the system of record for all project-related financial
data: time charges by project and phase, reimbursable expenses, billing, and project profitability.
Paycor takes over as the system of record for everything related to the employer-employee
relationship: gross pay calculations, tax withholding, benefits deductions, net pay, direct deposit, and
payroll tax filing.

These two systems exchange data through an export-import process managed by your accounting
department. Employees do not need to log in to both systems to enter the same data twice. However,
you will interact with Paycor independently for certain self-service tasks that have nothing to do with
project work.

Division of Responsibilities
Function Managed in Ajera Managed in Paycor
Time entry (by project/phase) Yes — primary entry point No
Pay type classification Yes — selected on timesheet Receives mapped codes from
Ajera
Gross pay calculation Computed for billing purposes Official payroll gross pay
Overtime calculation Tracked for project cost Authoritative OT calculation for
FLSA
Tax withholding (federal/state) No Yes — W-4 and state forms
processed here
Benefits deductions (health,
401k)
No Yes — all deductions managed
here
Direct deposit / pay stub No Yes — employees view stubs in
Paycor
W-2 issuance No Yes
Expense reimbursements Approved and recorded in Ajera Disbursed through Paycor
payroll run
PTO balance tracking Partial — project code tracking Official accrual balances in
Paycor
Employee master record Project-facing profile HR and payroll master record
Labor cost posting to projects Yes — from approved
timesheets
No

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Important Principle
Ajera captures what you worked on and for which project. Paycor captures what you are paid. Both
must be in sync for your paycheck and the firm's project financials to be accurate. If there is ever a
discrepancy between what you see in your Paycor pay stub and what you entered in Ajera, report it
to accounting immediately.

The Integration Data Flow
Understanding the flow of data between the two systems helps explain why both accuracy and
timeliness in Ajera entry are critical when Paycor is involved. The sequence is as follows:

1 Employees enter and submit timesheets in Ajera by the firm's cutoff deadline.
2 Supervisors and project managers approve timesheets in Ajera.
3 Accounting reviews and posts approved timesheets in Ajera. Posting locks the records and
makes them available for both billing and payroll export.
4 Accounting runs the Ajera Payroll Export (also called the Payroll Interface or Payroll Journal).
This produces a structured data file containing hours by employee, pay type, and earnings
code.
5 The export file is imported into Paycor via Paycor's payroll import function or a configured
automated connector.
6 Paycor payroll staff review the imported data, apply any manual adjustments (e.g., bonuses,
corrections), and run a pre-processing audit.
7 Paycor processes the payroll: calculates gross pay, applies tax withholdings and benefits
deductions, and computes net pay.
8 Direct deposit files are transmitted to the bank. Employees receive their pay on the scheduled
pay date.
9 Paycor posts the payroll journal back to Ajera (in some configurations) so that payroll costs
appear in the general ledger.

Critical Timing Warning
Because Ajera data must be exported before Paycor can process payroll, the Ajera timesheet
submission deadline is functionally also the payroll deadline.
A timesheet submitted one day late may miss the payroll export entirely, delaying your pay by one
full pay period.
Ask your HR or accounting department for the exact cutoff schedule and put it in your calendar as a
recurring alert.

Ajera + Paycor Integration — Supplemental Training Guide
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Section 2: Employee Setup in a Dual-System
Environment

Why You Exist in Both Systems
Every employee at the firm will have a profile in both Ajera and Paycor. These are separate records
that must be consistent with each other. Your accounting and HR teams are responsible for creating
and maintaining both records, but as an employee you should be aware of what each record contains
and why consistency between them matters.

What Is in Your Ajera Employee Record
Ajera Employee Field Purpose
Employee ID / Number Unique identifier used to link your Ajera timesheet entries to
the payroll export. This ID must match an identifier in Paycor.
Labor Category Determines your billing rate and cost rate on projects (e.g.,
Project Engineer, Senior Associate, Principal).
Department Used for departmental cost allocation, overhead reporting,
and utilization reporting.
Standard Hours Per Week Defines your expected billable capacity and is used to
calculate utilization percentage.
Pay Rate (Cost Rate) Your loaded hourly cost used for internal project cost tracking.
This is not necessarily your take-home hourly rate.
Overtime Type Whether you are eligible for overtime pay (non-exempt) or
classified as exempt. This affects how Ajera and Paycor
handle hours above 40 per week.
Payroll Earnings Codes The Ajera pay types (Regular, OT, Vacation, etc.) mapped to
corresponding Paycor earnings codes for the export.

What Is in Your Paycor Employee Record
Paycor Employee Field Purpose
Employee ID Must match or be mapped to your Ajera Employee ID for the
import to work correctly.
Tax Filing Status (W-4) Federal and state withholding elections you submitted at hire.
Update in Paycor if your status changes.
Direct Deposit Banking Info Bank account(s) for pay deposit. Managed exclusively in
Paycor.
Benefits Elections Health insurance, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, 401(k)
contribution rates. Managed exclusively in Paycor.

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PTO / Leave Accrual Balances Official available balances for vacation, sick leave, and other
leave types.
Garnishments / Special Deductions Court-ordered deductions, additional withholding. Managed by
HR in Paycor.
Year-to-Date Payroll History Cumulative gross pay, taxes, and deductions for W-2
reconciliation.

New Hire Checklist: Both Systems
If you are a new employee, both records must be established before your first timesheet can be
processed for payroll. The following actions are your responsibility versus HR/accounting's
responsibility:

Action Who Does It When
Complete new hire
paperwork (I-9, W-4, state
tax forms)
You, with HR Before or on Day 1
Enroll in benefits (health,
dental, 401k)
You in Paycor Self-Service or with
HR
Within enrollment window
(typically 30 days of hire)
Set up direct deposit in
Paycor
You in Paycor Self-Service Before first payroll run
Receive Ajera login
credentials
IT/Accounting sets up; you
receive via email
Day 1 or before
Receive Paycor Self-Service
login
HR sets up; you receive via email Day 1 or before
Verify your employee ID
matches in both systems
HR/Accounting confirm; you verify Before first timesheet
Enter and submit your first
timesheet in Ajera
You End of first work week
Verify your first pay stub in
Paycor
You After first payroll is processed

New Employee Alert
Do not assume your payroll record in Paycor is active just because you have an Ajera login. Confirm
with HR that your Paycor record has been created and linked.
If your first timesheet is submitted but you do not appear in the Paycor import file, your pay will be
delayed. Follow up with accounting before the payroll cutoff.

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Section 3: Pay Types — Mapping Ajera to Paycor

Why Pay Type Mapping Matters
In the core Ajera training, you learned that every timesheet row requires a Pay Type selection (Regular,
Overtime, Vacation, etc.). When Paycor is the payroll system, each Ajera pay type must be mapped to
a corresponding Paycor Earnings Code. This mapping is configured by your accounting and HR teams,
not by individual employees. However, understanding the mapping helps you select the correct pay
type in Ajera, which in turn ensures Paycor processes your pay correctly.

If you select the wrong pay type in Ajera (for example, charging vacation hours as Regular time), the
error will flow through the export and may result in incorrect pay, incorrect PTO balance deductions, or
misclassified labor costs on projects. Corrections require intervention in both systems.

Typical Pay Type to Earnings Code Mapping
Ajera Pay Type Paycor Earnings Code (Typical) Notes
Regular REG or SAL Standard billable and non-billable
hours up to 40/week.
Overtime (1.5x) OT or OT15 Non-exempt employees only.
Hours above 40/week at 1.5x
rate.
Overtime (2.0x) OT2 or DBL Double-time for certain holidays
or contractual situations.
Holiday HOL Firm-recognized holidays.
Charged to overhead project in
Ajera; Paycor pays at regular rate.
Vacation / PTO VAC or PTO Charged to leave project in Ajera;
Paycor deducts from PTO
balance.
Sick Leave SICK or SL Charged to sick leave project in
Ajera; Paycor deducts from sick
balance.
Jury Duty JURY Confirm with HR whether pay is
supplemented by the firm.
Bereavement BRV or BEL Firm policy governs duration and
pay.
Comp Time Earned COMP If your firm offers comp time.
Hours banked, not paid
immediately.
Comp Time Used COMPUSE Draws down the comp time bank
in Paycor.

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Bonus BONUS Typically entered directly in
Paycor by HR, not through Ajera
timesheet.

Firm-Specific Codes
Your firm may use different earnings code names in Paycor. Ask your HR or accounting team for the
specific mapping table they have configured. Keep a copy for your reference.

Overtime: Ajera Entry vs. Paycor Calculation
Overtime handling is one of the most common sources of confusion in an Ajera-Paycor environment.
Here is how it works:

Scenario What Happens
Non-exempt employee, 45 hours in a
week
Enter all 45 hours in Ajera using the correct projects/phases.
Select Regular for the first 40 hours and Overtime for the 5
additional hours. Paycor receives 40 REG and 5 OT and
applies the 1.5x multiplier to the OT hours automatically.
Exempt (salaried) employee, 45
hours in a week
Most A/E firms classify PEs and senior professionals as
exempt. Enter all 45 hours in Ajera as Regular time. Paycor
pays the fixed weekly salary regardless of hours. The extra
hours are tracked in Ajera for project cost but do not generate
additional pay.
Non-exempt, hours split across
multiple projects
Ajera tracks hours per project. The 40-hour FLSA threshold is
calculated on total weekly hours across all projects, not per
project. Your accounting team ensures the export handles this
correctly.
Holiday week with fewer working
days
Enter the hours actually worked on client projects as Regular.
Enter the holiday as Holiday pay type against the firm's
holiday overhead project. Total hours may be less than 40 but
should reflect actual time.
On-call or travel time Confirm with HR whether on-call time or extended travel time
qualifies as compensable hours under FLSA. If yes, enter in
Ajera with the appropriate pay type so Paycor includes it in
the OT threshold calculation.

FLSA Compliance Note
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that non-exempt employees be paid 1.5x for all hours over 40
in a workweek.
Ajera tracks hours by project, but Paycor calculates the overtime obligation on total weekly hours.
Never let a supervisor ask you to under-report hours to avoid showing overtime. This is a wage and
hour violation.
If you are unsure of your FLSA classification (exempt vs. non-exempt), ask HR. It should be
documented in your offer letter.

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Section 4: Timesheet Entry — Changes with Paycor
Payroll

What Stays the Same
The core timesheet entry process described in the Ajera Training Guide does not change when Paycor
is used for payroll. You still:

• Log in to Ajera and navigate to Time > My Timesheet.
• Add rows for each project, phase, and pay type combination.
• Enter hours by day across the weekly grid.
• Submit the completed timesheet by the firm's cutoff deadline.

The difference is what happens after submission. In a standalone Ajera payroll environment, Ajera itself
calculates and issues pay. In a Paycor environment, Ajera hands off to Paycor and the payment side of
the process is fully managed there.

What Changes: Stricter Deadlines
The most significant practical change for employees is that timesheet submission deadlines become
more rigid. Because Paycor has its own processing timeline (federal and state tax filings, bank ACH
deadlines, direct deposit lead times), the payroll export from Ajera must occur by a fixed time. This
means:

• Late timesheets cannot be held and processed next-day. Missing the Ajera cutoff means
missing the payroll run.
• Corrections to already-posted timesheets require a formal adjustment that must also be re-
exported to Paycor. This is a multi-step process that takes significant accounting time.
• The firm may have a hard lock on timesheet submission — meaning Ajera will not allow
submission after the deadline without an accounting override.

Understanding Pay Period Alignment
The pay period in Paycor must align with the timesheet period in Ajera. Most A/E firms use one of the
following pay period configurations:

Pay Period How It Works in Ajera-Paycor
Biweekly (most common) Two full weeks of Ajera timesheets are collected, exported,
and imported into Paycor in a single payroll batch. Pay date is
typically Friday, 5 to 7 days after the pay period ends.

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Semi-monthly Timesheets cover the 1st through 15th and 16th through end
of month. The mid-month split means some weeks are divided
across two pay periods, which requires careful hour entry near
the cutoff date.
Weekly One week of timesheets per payroll run. Tighter deadlines but
faster reimbursement cycles for expenses included in payroll.

Semi-Monthly Split Week
In a semi-monthly pay schedule, a work week may straddle two pay periods (e.g., Monday through
the 15th in one period and the 16th through Friday in the next). You may need to submit two partial-
week timesheets. Your accounting team will clarify how your firm handles this boundary.

Viewing Your Pay Information in Paycor
Once Paycor processes the payroll, you view your pay information exclusively in Paycor, not in Ajera.
Ajera does not display pay stubs, net pay, or tax withholding information. To access your pay records:

1 Log in to Paycor at your firm's Paycor URL (provided by HR, typically yourfirmname.paycor.com
or via the Paycor mobile app).
2 Navigate to Pay > Pay Stubs or Paycheck History.
3 Select the pay period you want to review.
4 Your pay stub shows: gross earnings by earnings code, all deductions (taxes, benefits,
retirement), and net pay.
5 Verify that the hours in each earnings category (REG, OT, VAC, etc.) match what you
submitted in Ajera for that period.
6 If there is a discrepancy, note the specific earnings code, the expected hours, and the actual
hours shown, and report to accounting.

What to Do If Your Pay Is Wrong
Step 1: Pull up your Ajera timesheet for the same period. Confirm your submitted hours and pay
types.
Step 2: Compare to your Paycor pay stub line by line.
Step 3: If Ajera shows correct data but Paycor does not, the discrepancy likely occurred in the
export/import. Report to accounting with both records.
Step 4: If Ajera also shows incorrect data, request a timesheet correction from your supervisor and
accounting.
Never attempt to correct payroll errors by adjusting future timesheets to compensate. This creates a
chain of mismatched records. Always correct at the source.

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Section 5: Expense Reimbursements Through Paycor

How Reimbursements Flow Between the Two Systems
In the core Ajera training, you learned that approved expense reports are posted in Ajera and
reimbursed to employees. When Paycor is the payroll system, the reimbursement disbursement step
typically occurs through Paycor rather than through a separate check or ACH from Ajera. The two
systems handle different aspects:

System Role in Expense Reimbursement
Ajera Receives the expense report submission. Routes it through
the approval workflow. Records the cost against the project
and the reimbursable amount owed to the employee once
approved. Includes the reimbursement amount in the payroll
export to Paycor.
Paycor Receives the reimbursement amount from the Ajera export as
a non-taxable reimbursement line. Includes it in the next
payroll disbursement. Employee sees it on their pay stub as a
separate reimbursement entry, not as gross wages.

Tax Treatment of Reimbursements
Expense reimbursements that comply with the IRS Accountable Plan rules are non-taxable to the
employee and do not appear in W-2 Box 1 wages. An Accountable Plan requires: a legitimate
business purpose, adequate documentation (receipts), and return of any excess reimbursement.
Your firm's expense policy is designed to meet these requirements. Reimbursements processed
through Paycor are handled as non-taxable reimbursements as long as the Accountable Plan rules
are met.

Timing of Reimbursements
Because reimbursements are included in the Paycor payroll run, the timing depends on when your
expense report clears the Ajera approval workflow relative to the payroll export. Here is how timing
typically works:

Scenario Expected Reimbursement Timing
Expense submitted and fully
approved before the payroll export
Reimbursement included in the current payroll run. You
receive it on the regular pay date.
Expense submitted before cutoff but
still pending approval at export time
Reimbursement missed for this run. Included in the next
payroll run after approval clears.
Expense submitted after the payroll
export cutoff
Earliest inclusion is the following payroll run. For biweekly
payroll, this could be two weeks away.
Expense report returned for
correction
Reimbursement clock restarts after you correct and resubmit.
The corrected report must clear approval before the next
export.

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This timing structure reinforces the importance of submitting expense reports promptly. A $500
expense incurred on a Monday that is not submitted until the following week may not be reimbursed for
three to four weeks if it misses the payroll cutoff.

How Reimbursements Appear on Your Paycor Pay Stub
When you receive your pay stub in Paycor, expense reimbursements will appear as a separate line
item, distinct from your regular earnings. They are labeled with a reimbursement earnings code
configured by your HR/accounting team. Common labels include:

• EXP REIMB or EXPENSE — General expense reimbursement amount
• MILE REIMB or MILEAGE — Mileage-specific reimbursement
• SUBCONSLT REIMB — Subconsultant pass-through (if reimbursed through payroll)

These amounts are not added to your taxable gross wages and should not affect your income tax
withholding. If you see expense reimbursements appearing in the taxable wages section of your pay
stub, report this to HR immediately, as it indicates a configuration error in Paycor.

Reimbursement vs. Direct Payment Distinction
Some firms handle large subconsultant invoices through accounts payable rather than through
employee expense reimbursement. In those cases, the firm pays the subconsultant directly and the
cost flows through Ajera's vendor payment system, not through the employee's expense report.
Clarify with your project manager and accounting team which process your firm uses for
subconsultant costs before submitting a large subconsultant invoice as a personal expense.
Submitting a subconsultant invoice as a personal expense when the firm intends to pay the vendor
directly results in a duplicate payment.

Mileage Reimbursements: Ajera Entry vs. Paycor Payment
Mileage is a common and frequently audited reimbursable expense. In the Ajera-Paycor environment:

1 You enter mileage in Ajera as described in the core training guide (Expenses > New Expense
Report > Mileage type > miles driven > project/phase).
2 Ajera calculates the dollar amount using the configured mileage rate (IRS standard or firm rate).
3 After approval, the mileage reimbursement dollar amount is included in the payroll export to
Paycor.
4 Paycor disburses the amount on your next pay date as a non-taxable mileage reimbursement.
5 Your pay stub shows a MILE REIMB (or similar) line with the dollar amount.
6 The miles and dollar amounts also remain recorded in Ajera for project cost reporting and audit
purposes.

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IRS Rate Changes
The IRS adjusts the standard mileage rate annually and sometimes mid-year. Your firm's Ajera
configuration will be updated by accounting when the rate changes. You do not need to track the rate
yourself, but be aware that the rate used in Ajera at the time of entry is the rate you will be
reimbursed.

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Section 6: PTO, Leave, and Benefits in a Paycor
Environment

Where PTO Balances Live
This is one of the most frequent points of confusion in an Ajera-Paycor environment: PTO and leave
balances are maintained in Paycor, not in Ajera. When you enter vacation or sick hours on your Ajera
timesheet, that entry signals to the payroll export that leave was taken, and Paycor deducts the
corresponding hours from your balance. But Ajera itself does not display your available PTO balance.

What You Want to Know Where to Look
How many vacation hours do I have
left?
Paycor Self-Service > Time Off > Balances
How much sick leave have I accrued? Paycor Self-Service > Time Off > Balances
What is my comp time balance? Paycor Self-Service (if comp time is tracked there per firm
policy)
What leave did I take last quarter? Paycor Self-Service > Time Off > History, or Ajera Time Detail
Report
Did my vacation hours post after I
submitted last week's timesheet?
Check Paycor after next payroll processes
What is the firm's leave accrual
schedule?
Your employee handbook or HR in Paycor Documents

Requesting Time Off
Firms using Paycor typically route time-off requests through Paycor, not through Ajera. The workflow is:

1 Log in to Paycor. Navigate to Time Off > Request Time Off.
2 Select the leave type (Vacation, Sick, Personal, etc.) and enter the requested dates.
3 Submit the request. Your supervisor receives a notification in Paycor and approves or denies it.
4 Once approved in Paycor, enter the corresponding hours in Ajera on your timesheet for the
same dates using the Vacation or Sick pay type against the appropriate internal project.
5 The Ajera timesheet entry and the Paycor time-off request must cover the same dates and
hours. A mismatch will cause a discrepancy between your Ajera labor records and your Paycor
PTO balance deduction.

Double-Entry Awareness
Yes, you are entering leave in two places: Paycor (the request for approval and balance tracking)
and Ajera (the timesheet entry for project accounting). This is the nature of the dual-system
architecture. Your accounting and HR teams depend on both entries being made. Skipping the Ajera

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entry means the firm's overhead accounts are missing the labor cost allocation. Skipping the Paycor
request means your PTO balance is not deducted and your manager has no record of the approval.

Benefits Management in Paycor
All employee benefits are managed exclusively in Paycor. Ajera has no visibility into your benefits
elections. The following benefits actions are taken in Paycor:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance enrollment and changes
• HSA and FSA contribution elections and balance inquiries
• 401(k) contribution rate changes and investment election updates
• Life insurance beneficiary designations
• Dependent care benefit elections
• Open enrollment changes (typically available annually during the open enrollment window)
• Qualifying life event changes (marriage, birth, divorce, loss of other coverage)

Log in to Paycor Self-Service to manage any of the above. If you cannot access a benefits section,
contact HR. Changes to benefits must be made within the IRS and carrier deadlines; late changes may
not be accepted outside of open enrollment.

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Section 7: The Payroll Export Process (Manager &
Accounting Reference)

Who This Section Is For
This section is primarily intended for project managers, supervisors, and accounting staff who have a
role in the timesheet approval process or in running the Ajera-to-Paycor payroll export. Individual
contributors can read this section to understand the broader context but do not typically perform these
steps.

Pre-Export Checklist in Ajera
Before running the payroll export, accounting and supervisory staff should verify the following in Ajera:

1 Confirm all timesheets for the pay period have been submitted by employees. Run the
Timesheet Status Report (Reports > Payroll > Timesheet Status) to identify any open or
unsubmitted timesheets.
2 Complete all pending timesheet approvals. Unapproved timesheets will not be included in the
export.
3 Post all approved timesheets. Ajera requires timesheets to be in Posted status before they are
available to the payroll export function.
4 Confirm all expense reports that should be included in this payroll run have been approved and
posted in Ajera.
5 Run the Payroll Preview Report to review total hours by employee and earnings code. Verify
totals against the expected headcount and hours for the period.
6 Check for any employees with zero hours who should have had a full pay period. These may
indicate a missing timesheet.
7 Review overtime hours for non-exempt employees. Confirm overtime was authorized and
properly documented.

Running the Payroll Export
1 In Ajera, go to Setup > Payroll (or Payroll > Export, depending on your Ajera version and
configuration).
2 Select the Pay Period dates for the export. Confirm these match the Paycor pay period exactly.
3 Select the employees to include, or include All Active Employees for a full payroll run.
4 Choose the export format. If your firm has a configured Paycor integration, select the Paycor
format. If using a generic CSV, select the appropriate template.
5 Click Generate or Export. Ajera will produce the export file and display a summary of hours and
employees included.

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6 Review the summary. Check total REG, OT, and leave hours against the Payroll Preview
Report. Flag any discrepancies before proceeding.
7 Save the export file to the designated shared folder or upload it directly to Paycor per your firm's
workflow.

Importing into Paycor
1 Log in to Paycor as a Payroll Administrator.
2 Navigate to Payroll > Import Payroll Data (or the equivalent in your Paycor version).
3 Upload the Ajera export file. Paycor will validate the file format and flag any errors (e.g.,
unrecognized employee IDs, invalid earnings codes).
4 Review any import errors. Common errors include employee ID mismatches and earnings
codes not configured in Paycor. Resolve in coordination with accounting.
5 Run the Payroll Audit Report in Paycor to verify imported hours and amounts match the Ajera
export summary.
6 Make any manual adjustments in Paycor (e.g., bonuses, corrections, manual reimbursements
not in Ajera).
7 Submit payroll for processing per Paycor's workflow.

Reconciliation Requirement
Always reconcile the Ajera export total against the Paycor import total before finalizing payroll. Even
a single transposed digit in an employee ID can cause a missed or duplicated paycheck. Document
the reconciliation for audit trail purposes.

Post-Payroll Steps in Ajera
After Paycor processes and posts payroll, the following steps close the loop in Ajera:

• Payroll Journal Entry: If your firm posts payroll costs back to the Ajera general ledger,
accounting will import or manually enter the payroll journal (gross wages by department,
employer taxes, benefits accruals, etc.).
• Overhead Rate Update: Actual payroll costs feed into overhead rate calculations. Periodic
overhead rate reviews compare actual indirect costs to the budgeted rate.
• Utilization Reporting: With timesheets posted, the Employee Utilization Report in Ajera now
reflects the completed pay period's billable ratios.
• WIP Update: Posted time is now available in WIP for billing. If the billing cycle coincides with
payroll, accounting will proceed to draft invoices.

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Section 8: Common Integration Issues & How to
Resolve Them

Troubleshooting Guide
The following table covers the most frequently encountered issues in an Ajera-Paycor integrated
environment, their likely cause, and the recommended resolution path.

Issue Likely Cause Resolution
Hours on pay stub do not
match Ajera timesheet
Export/import error; pay type
mapping mismatch; employee
ID mismatch
Compare Ajera export file to Paycor
import confirmation. Report discrepancy
to accounting with both records.
Expense reimbursement not
on pay stub
Expense report not approved
before payroll export;
accounting did not include
expense reimbursements in
this run
Confirm approval status in Ajera. If
approved, confirm with accounting
whether reimbursements are processed
this cycle or next.
PTO balance in Paycor did
not decrease after vacation
week
Ajera timesheet not submitted
or not exported with correct
pay type; Paycor accrual
configuration issue
Verify Ajera timesheet used Vacation pay
type. Confirm the export included the
hours. Report to HR if Paycor did not
deduct.
New employee not included in
payroll export
Paycor employee record not
yet active; Ajera-Paycor ID
mismatch; employee not set
up in Ajera
HR must confirm Paycor record is active.
Accounting must confirm Ajera record
exists and IDs match.
Overtime hours not paid at
1.5x
Employee classified as
exempt in Paycor when they
should be non-exempt; OT
earnings code not mapped
HR must verify FLSA classification in
Paycor. Accounting must verify OT pay
type is mapped to OT earnings code.
Paycor shows a different pay
rate than expected
Salary or rate change not yet
updated in Paycor; pay rate in
Ajera cost rate does not
match Paycor pay rate
HR must confirm rate update was
processed in Paycor effective the correct
date. Note: Ajera cost rate and Paycor
pay rate are separate fields managed
independently.
Expense reimbursement
appeared as taxable wages
Paycor earnings code for
reimbursement is configured
as taxable
Report to HR and accounting
immediately. Paycor configuration must
be corrected and a payroll adjustment
issued.
Timesheet data missing from
export
Timesheet in Submitted but
not Posted status; employee
excluded from export
selection
Accounting must post the timesheet and
re-run the export before the Paycor
deadline.

Escalation Path for Payroll Issues
When you identify a payroll discrepancy, use this escalation path to ensure it is resolved as quickly as
possible:

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1 Document the issue with specifics: your name, the pay period affected, the earnings code or
expense category in question, the amount or hours expected versus received.
2 Contact your direct supervisor to confirm whether the error originated in the Ajera timesheet
approval process or is a Paycor-side issue.
3 Contact accounting with your documentation. Accounting can review the Ajera export file and
confirm whether the data was transmitted correctly.
4 If the error is on the Paycor side (incorrect earnings code configuration, rate error, benefits
deduction error), accounting or HR will open a correction request in Paycor.
5 For off-cycle corrections that cannot wait until the next payroll run (particularly for missing pay),
request an off-cycle payroll run or manual check from HR. Note that off-cycle payroll may have
processing fees.
6 Confirm resolution on your next pay stub. If the issue recurs, escalate to the Ajera system
administrator and Paycor account manager.

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Section 9: Quick Reference — Ajera + Paycor

Where to Do What
Task System to Use
Enter project time Ajera — Time > My Timesheet
Submit timesheet for approval Ajera — Submit button on timesheet
Submit an expense report Ajera — Expenses > New Expense Report
View approved expense status Ajera — Expenses > My Expense Reports
View pay stub Paycor — Pay > Pay Stubs
View YTD earnings and taxes Paycor — Pay > Pay Stubs or Tax Documents
Update tax withholding (W-4) Paycor — Pay > Tax Withholding
Update direct deposit Paycor — Pay > Direct Deposit
View PTO / leave balances Paycor — Time Off > Balances
Request time off Paycor — Time Off > Request Time Off (then enter in Ajera
timesheet once approved)
Change benefits elections Paycor — Benefits > My Benefits
Update 401(k) contribution Paycor — Benefits > Retirement
View W-2 Paycor — Tax Documents > W-2
Report a payroll discrepancy Contact accounting with documentation from both systems
Request a timesheet correction Contact your supervisor, then accounting

Key Deadlines Checklist
Confirm the exact dates and times for each item below with your accounting and HR departments.
These vary by firm.

Deadline Typical Timing Consequence of Missing
Ajera timesheet submission End of business on last day of
pay period
Hours excluded from payroll
export; potential missed
paycheck
Ajera expense report submission 2 to 3 days before payroll
export
Reimbursement delayed to
next payroll run
Paycor time-off request approval Before start of leave dates PTO may not be properly
deducted; manager approval
documentation missing

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Benefits open enrollment deadline Announced annually by HR,
typically November
Elections locked until next
qualifying event or open
enrollment
W-4 update for tax year accuracy Before last payroll of the year
or at life event
Incorrect withholding may
result in tax balance due at
filing
Direct deposit change effective date Typically 1 to 2 pay cycles in
advance
Pay may go to old account
during transition period

Key Contacts Reference
Question or Issue Who to Contact
Cannot find a project in Ajera Project Manager or Accounting
Timesheet submitted in error / need
correction
Supervisor, then Accounting
Expense report not reimbursed Accounting
Pay stub shows incorrect hours Accounting (review Ajera export first)
Pay rate is wrong on pay stub HR
Benefits not deducting correctly HR
Cannot log in to Ajera IT or Ajera System Administrator
Cannot log in to Paycor HR or Paycor Administrator
PTO balance appears wrong HR
W-2 has an error HR / Payroll

This concludes the Ajera-Paycor Supplemental Training Guide. Use it alongside the core Ajera Training
Guide as your reference throughout your employment. When in doubt about which system to use for a
given task, refer to the Where to Do What table above or contact accounting or HR.

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DELTEK AJERA
Employee Training Guide
Architecture & Engineering Firms
Topics Covered
System Overview & Navigation
Project & Client Setup
Time Entry (Timesheet Module)
Expense Entry & Reimbursements
Project Management & Billing
Reports & Dashboards
Best Practices for A/E Firms

Prepared for New Employee Onboarding

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Section 1: System Overview

What is Deltek Ajera?
Deltek Ajera is a project-based accounting and project management software platform purpose-built for
architecture and engineering (A/E) firms. Unlike generic accounting systems such as QuickBooks,
Ajera integrates project financials, time tracking, expense management, invoicing, and reporting into a
single environment that mirrors how A/E firms actually work.

At its core, Ajera operates on the concept that every financial transaction, whether a staff member's
time, a reimbursable mileage charge, or a consultant invoice, is connected to a specific project and a
specific phase of that project. This project-centric architecture is what makes Ajera particularly powerful
for firms that need to monitor budget vs. actual performance on a project-by-project basis.

Core Concepts
Term Definition
Client The entity (company or individual) that has contracted the firm
for services.
Project A specific engagement contracted with a client, assigned a
unique project number.
Phase A subdivision of a project corresponding to a scope segment
(e.g., Schematic Design, Construction Documents).
Activity A further sub-division within a phase, often corresponding to a
task or discipline.
Employee Any staff member who enters time or expenses. Employees
are linked to labor categories that drive billing rates.
Labor Category A classification (e.g., Principal, Project Manager, CAD
Technician) used to set billing rates and cost rates.
Overhead Rate A multiplier applied to direct labor costs to recover indirect firm
expenses such as rent, administration, and marketing.
Multiplier The combined factor (direct salary cost x overhead x profit)
used in cost-plus billing.
WIP (Work in Progress) Unbilled revenue that has been earned but not yet invoiced to
the client.
Accounts Receivable (AR) Invoiced amounts owed to the firm that have not yet been
collected.

Billing Methods in Ajera
Ajera supports the primary billing methods used by A/E firms. Understanding which method applies to
your projects is essential before entering time or expenses.

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Billing Method Description
Lump Sum (Fixed Fee) A fixed contract amount regardless of actual hours spent.
Time still matters internally for profitability tracking.
Hourly (Time & Materials) The client is billed for actual hours at agreed billing rates plus
reimbursable expenses.
Percentage of Construction Fees tied to a percentage of the estimated or actual
construction cost.
Unit Price A fixed fee per deliverable unit (e.g., per drawing, per site
visit).
Multiplier / Cost-Plus Labor cost multiplied by an agreed factor to recover overhead
and profit.

Navigating the Ajera Interface
When you log in, you will land on the Ajera Home dashboard. The main navigation runs along the top of
the screen and is organized into functional menus.

Menu Key Functions
Setup Configure clients, projects, employees, billing rates, and
system preferences.
Time Enter and approve timesheets; view time history.
Expenses Submit, edit, and approve expense reports.
Billing Generate draft invoices, review WIP, and finalize client
invoices.
General Ledger Journal entries, chart of accounts, bank reconciliation.
Payroll Process payroll if using Ajera payroll integration.
Reports Hundreds of standard and custom report templates.
Dashboards Graphical KPI views for principals and project managers.

Login Tip
Your system administrator will provide your login URL, username, and temporary password.
Ajera is browser-based. Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for best compatibility.
Bookmark your firm's Ajera URL immediately. Avoid using Internet Explorer.

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Section 2: Projects & Clients

How Projects are Structured
In Ajera, every billable and non-billable activity flows through a project. Before you can enter time or
expenses, the project must exist in the system. If you cannot find your project in the dropdown, contact
your project manager or accounting staff.

A project in Ajera typically has three levels: the Project itself (the top-level contract), Phases (scope
segments such as Schematic Design or Permitting), and Activities or Tasks (discipline-specific or task-
specific breakdowns within each phase). Not all firms use all three levels; some firms run projects with
phases only.

Finding a Project
1 From the Time or Expenses menu, click the Project lookup field.
2 Type the project number or a keyword from the project name. Ajera filters results as you type.
3 Select the correct project from the results list. Verify the client name shown matches your
expectations.
4 Select the correct Phase from the Phase dropdown. If phases are not configured, this field may
not appear.
5 Select the Activity if your firm uses that level of detail.

Non-Billable and Overhead Projects
Not all time is charged to client projects. Ajera typically includes special internal projects for overhead
and administrative activities. Common non-billable project types include:

• General administration and management time (e.g., staff meetings, business development)
• Vacation, holiday, sick leave, and other leave categories
• Marketing, proposals, and pursuit activities
• Professional development and training (including this session)
• Firm-wide overhead tasks such as IT support or facilities management

Note: Using the correct non-billable project is important. Mischarging overhead time to a client project inflates
the project's apparent cost and distorts invoices and profitability reports.

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Section 3: Time Entry (Timesheet Module)

Overview of the Timesheet
The timesheet is the most frequently used function in Ajera. Accurate and timely time entry is critical for
your firm in three ways: it drives client invoicing, it tracks project profitability, and it forms the basis for
payroll and employee utilization reporting.

Ajera uses a weekly timesheet model. Each row in your timesheet represents a unique combination of
project, phase, and pay type for a given week. You enter hours worked each day across the columns
Monday through Sunday (or a subset, depending on your firm's workweek configuration).

Accessing Your Timesheet
1 Click the Time menu in the top navigation bar.
2 Select My Timesheet. The current open pay period will load automatically.
3 Verify the week shown in the period selector at the top of the screen. Use the arrows to
navigate to a prior or future week if needed.
4 If a timesheet for the period does not yet exist, click New Timesheet or Add to create one.

Adding Time Rows
1 Click Add Row (or the plus icon) at the bottom of the timesheet grid.
2 In the Project field, type your project number or name. Select the correct project from the
dropdown.
3 Select the Phase. If your project uses multiple phases, make sure you select the phase that
corresponds to the work performed during those hours.
4 Select the Activity if your firm uses that level.
5 Select the Pay Type. Common pay types include Regular, Overtime, Compensatory Time, and
Holiday. Ask your HR or accounting department which pay types apply to your role.
6 Enter the number of hours worked in each day column (e.g., 2.5 for two hours thirty minutes on
Monday).
7 Add a Description or Memo in the notes field. Many firms require at least a brief description of
the work performed on that line.
8 Repeat for each additional project or task worked during the week.

Time Entry Best Practices for A/E Firms
Enter time daily rather than reconstructing a full week on Friday. Memory is imperfect and daily entry
is more accurate.

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Use descriptive memos: 'Prepared site plan for Phase 1 SD submittal' is better than 'Design work.'
If you are not sure which phase to charge, ask your project manager before submitting. Corrections
after billing are time-consuming.
Never round hours significantly. If you worked 1.75 hours, enter 1.75, not 2.0. Accuracy matters for
both billing and legal compliance on government contracts.

Pay Types Explained
Pay Type When to Use
Regular Standard hours within your normal workweek (typically up to
40 hours per week).
Overtime Hours worked beyond the standard workweek threshold.
Eligibility varies by employment classification (exempt vs. non-
exempt).
Compensatory Time (Comp Time) Firms that offer comp time in lieu of overtime pay will
configure this. Use only if authorized by HR.
Holiday Firm-recognized holidays. Time entered under Holiday
typically charges an internal overhead project, not a client
project.
Vacation / PTO Paid time off. Should be charged to the designated internal
leave project.
Sick Leave Illness-related absences. Charge to the designated sick leave
project per your HR policy.
Jury Duty / Bereavement Leave types your firm may track separately. Confirm the
internal project code with HR.

Submitting Your Timesheet
When all hours for the week are entered and verified, you must submit the timesheet for approval.
Simply saving the timesheet does not complete the process.

1 Review every row. Confirm projects, phases, pay types, and hours are correct.
2 Verify your total hours for the week align with your expected work schedule (e.g., 40.0 hours for
a full week).
3 Click Submit (or Submit for Approval). The status bar will change from Open or Draft to
Submitted or Pending Approval.
4 You will receive a confirmation message or email depending on your firm's notification settings.
5 Your supervisor or project manager will then approve or return the timesheet for correction.

Note: Submitted timesheets are locked for editing until returned by an approver. If you submitted a timesheet
with an error, contact your supervisor or accounting staff to have it returned.

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Timesheet Approval Workflow
After submission, your timesheet enters an approval workflow. The specific steps depend on your firm's
configuration, but typically involve one or more of the following:

• Supervisor or Department Head Approval: Reviews hours for appropriateness.
• Project Manager Approval: Confirms that hours charged to their projects are legitimate.
• Accounting Review: Final check before hours are posted to the general ledger and made
available for billing.

Once fully approved and posted, your hours appear in project reports, WIP schedules, and draft
invoices. Corrections after posting require a journal entry or timesheet adjustment processed by
accounting.

Viewing Your Time History
1 Go to Time > My Timesheet History (or Time > Time Reports depending on your Ajera version).
2 Set the date range filter to the period you want to review.
3 The results will show every row of time entered, the project and phase charged, the pay type,
hours, and status.
4 Use this view to verify prior entries, check approval status, or prepare for a timesheet correction
request.

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Section 4: Expense Entry & Reimbursements

Overview of Expenses in Ajera
Expenses represent out-of-pocket costs incurred by employees on behalf of the firm or for a specific
project. Ajera's expense module allows employees to submit expense reports, attach receipts, and
route them for approval and reimbursement. Expenses also feed directly into project billing, ensuring
reimbursable costs are passed through to clients.

It is essential to distinguish between two types of expenses in A/E practice:

Expense Type Description & Billing Treatment
Reimbursable (Direct) Costs directly attributable to a project and billed to the client.
Examples: subconsultant fees, printing, travel to project site,
permit fees.
Non-Reimbursable (Overhead) Firm costs that are not billed to clients individually but are
recovered through overhead rates. Examples: office supplies,
general software licenses, internal marketing costs.

Common Expense Categories in A/E Firms
Category Examples
Travel & Mileage Mileage to project sites, air travel, car rental, rideshare,
parking, tolls.
Lodging Hotel stays for out-of-town project assignments.
Meals & Entertainment Meals during travel or client-related entertainment. Note IRS
limitations on deductibility.
Reproduction & Printing Large-format plot printing, copy center charges, blueprint
production.
Subconsultants Payments made to outside consultants (structural, MEP,
geotechnical, survey, etc.).
Permit & Application Fees Zoning, building permit, environmental review, and similar
agency fees.
Postage & Delivery FedEx, UPS, USPS for project-related deliveries.
Software & Equipment Project-specific software licenses or equipment rentals
charged to a project.
Professional Services Outside legal, surveying, or specialized testing services for a
project.

Creating an Expense Report

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1 Click the Expenses menu in the top navigation bar.
2 Select My Expenses or New Expense Report.
3 Enter a Report Name or Description. Use a descriptive title such as 'Site Visit - Project 2024-
042 - March 2025' so approvers and accounting can identify it quickly.
4 Set the Report Date to the date the expense was incurred or the end date of the travel period.
5 Click Add Expense Line (or the plus icon) to add individual expense items.
6 For each expense line, select the Expense Type from the dropdown (e.g., Mileage, Hotel,
Subconsultant).
7 Select the Project and Phase to which the expense should be charged.
8 Enter the Amount. For mileage, Ajera may prompt for the number of miles and calculate the
reimbursement automatically using the IRS or firm rate.
9 Enter a Description for the expense line (e.g., 'Round trip to project site for owner meeting').
10 Mark whether the expense is Billable (charged to client) or Non-Billable (charged to overhead).
11 Attach the receipt or supporting documentation. Scan or photograph receipts and upload
directly in the expense line.
12 Repeat for each additional expense item. When all items are entered, click Submit for Approval.

Expense Submission Rules
Most firms require receipts for expenses above a minimum threshold (commonly $25 or $50). Check
your firm's expense policy.
Submit expense reports promptly. Most firms have a 30-day rule requiring submission within 30 days
of the expense date.
Credit card charges made on a firm card may feed automatically into Ajera if your firm uses Ajera's
corporate card integration. Do not duplicate-enter those.
Mileage reimbursement is based on the IRS standard mileage rate unless your firm has established
a different rate. Confirm the current rate with accounting.
Meals are typically limited per IRS guidelines. Check your firm's per diem policy for out-of-town
travel.

Mileage Entry in Detail
Mileage is one of the most common expense types in A/E practice because project engineers and
architects frequently travel to project sites, client offices, and public agencies. Ajera includes a built-in
mileage calculator.

1 In the expense line, select Mileage as the expense type.
2 Enter the From and To locations in the description field for documentation purposes.
3 Enter the number of miles driven. Round-trip travel should reflect the total miles for the trip.
4 Ajera will automatically calculate the reimbursement amount by multiplying miles by the
configured mileage rate.

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5 Select the project and phase for the site visit.
6 Mark as Billable if the mileage will be passed through to the client per the contract. Mark as
Non-Billable if not.
7 Attach a map printout or mileage log if required by your firm's policy.

Note: Keep a contemporaneous mileage log (date, destination, business purpose, odometer start/end or total
miles). This is required by the IRS and by FAR Part 31 for firms with government contracts.

Subconsultant Expense Entry
Subconsultant costs deserve special attention because they are often the largest single expense items
on a project and are directly reimbursable to the client. In Ajera, subconsultant invoices are typically
entered as expense items (not through accounts payable) to immediately post the cost to the project
and make the amount available for client billing.

1 Receive and verify the subconsultant's invoice. Confirm the invoice is for work on your project,
within the authorized scope, and within their contract amount.
2 In Expenses, create a new expense report or add a line to an existing project expense report.
3 Select Subconsultant as the expense type.
4 Enter the subconsultant firm name, invoice number, and invoice date in the description.
5 Enter the invoice amount.
6 Select the correct project and phase.
7 Mark as Billable. Most subconsultant costs are passed through to the client at cost or with a
markup (per your prime contract). Confirm the markup percentage with your project manager.
8 Attach a scanned copy of the subconsultant invoice.
9 Submit for approval. Accounting will process payment to the subconsultant after approval.

Note: Government contracts governed by FAR Part 31 require careful documentation of subconsultant costs.
Ensure the subconsultant is pre-approved, their costs are allowable, and all invoices are retained.

Expense Approval Workflow
After submission, an expense report moves through an approval chain similar to the timesheet
workflow.

• Project Manager Approval: Verifies the expense is legitimate and within budget for the charged
project.
• Principal or Department Head Approval: Required for larger amounts or certain expense types
per firm policy.

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• Accounting Approval: Confirms proper coding, receipt documentation, and compliance with firm
policy before posting and reimbursement.

Once approved and posted, reimbursable expenses appear in the project cost ledger and are available
for inclusion in the next client invoice. Employee reimbursements are typically processed with the next
payroll run or via a separate check/ACH.

Viewing Your Expense History
1 Go to Expenses > My Expense Reports.
2 Filter by date range or status (Open, Submitted, Approved, Posted).
3 Click on any report to view its full detail, including line items, amounts, and current approval
status.
4 If an expense report has been returned for correction, it will show a Returned or Rejected
status. Open the report, make corrections, and resubmit.

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Section 5: Project Management & Billing

Monitoring Project Financials
One of Ajera's greatest strengths is its ability to provide real-time project financial data. Project
managers can see at any moment how much of the budget has been consumed, what has been billed,
what is in WIP, and what the projected final cost looks like.

The Project Command Center (sometimes called the Project Dashboard or Project Summary in
different Ajera versions) is the primary tool for this. Access it from the Setup or Reports menu by
selecting Projects and then drilling into a specific project.

Key Project Financial Metrics
Metric What It Means
Contract Amount The total authorized fee for the project or phase per the
signed contract.
Budgeted Hours The number of hours allocated to the project/phase by labor
category.
Actual Hours to Date Hours charged to the project through approved timesheets.
Percent Complete (Hours) Actual hours divided by budgeted hours.
Labor Cost to Date The cost equivalent of actual hours (loaded with overhead).
Billed to Date The cumulative amount invoiced to the client.
WIP Balance Earned but not yet billed revenue. A high WIP balance may
indicate billing is falling behind the work.
Remaining Budget Contract amount minus billed to date and current WIP.
Estimated Cost to Complete Projected total cost to finish the project if current burn rate
continues.

The Billing Module
Billing in Ajera is processed by accounting staff (not typically individual employees). However,
understanding the billing cycle helps you appreciate why accurate time and expense entry is so critical.

1 Accounting staff open the billing module and generate a Draft Invoice for a project.
2 The draft pulls in all posted time and approved expenses not yet billed for the project.
3 The project manager reviews the draft, makes adjustments (holds, write-ups, write-downs), and
approves.
4 Accounting finalizes the invoice and prints or emails it to the client.

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5 The invoice is posted, moving amounts from WIP to Accounts Receivable.
6 When the client pays, the payment is applied to the AR balance.

Why Your Timely Entry Drives Client Invoicing
Time and expenses not submitted by the billing cutoff date cannot be included in that billing cycle's
invoice.
Firms typically invoice monthly. A missed cutoff means a one-month delay in billing that hour or
expense to the client.
Delayed billing extends your firm's cash flow gap and can push the project over its billing period
unnecessarily.
Ask your accounting department for your firm's timesheet and expense cutoff schedule and mark it
on your calendar.

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Section 6: Reports & Dashboards

Standard Reports for A/E Firms
Ajera includes a comprehensive library of standard reports. The most useful reports for day-to-day
project work include:

Report Name Purpose
Employee Utilization Report Shows each employee's billable vs. total hours as a utilization
percentage. Critical for tracking productivity.
Project Summary Report Overview of all projects: contract amount, billed to date, WIP,
and budget remaining.
Project Detail Report Full time and expense detail by project, phase, and employee
for a selected period.
WIP Report Lists all unbilled earned revenue by project. Used to prioritize
billing.
Accounts Receivable Aging Shows outstanding client invoices by age (current, 30, 60, 90+
days). Used to manage collections.
Employee Time Detail All time entries by employee for a date range. Used to verify
or audit time records.
Budget vs. Actual Compares budgeted hours and cost to actual for each
project/phase. Essential for project managers.
Labor Multiplier Analysis Analyzes whether the firm's effective multiplier is meeting
targets across projects.
Overhead Rate Report Tracks accumulated indirect costs against the firm's overhead
rate for year-end compliance.

Running a Report
1 Click Reports in the top navigation.
2 Browse or search for the report by name.
3 Set the filter parameters: date range, project number, employee, department, or other available
filters.
4 Click Preview to view on screen, or Print/Export to generate a PDF or Excel file.
5 To save a frequently used report with your preferred settings, use the Save Filter option if
available.

Dashboards

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Ajera's dashboard feature provides a graphical, at-a-glance view of key performance indicators.
Dashboards are role-based, meaning principals may see firm-wide financial metrics while project
managers see project-specific data and employees may see their own utilization and timesheet status.

Common dashboard widgets include:

• Utilization gauge showing your billable ratio for the current period
• Project health indicators (budget status, schedule status) for your assigned projects
• Outstanding timesheet or expense report alerts
• WIP and AR summary tiles for project managers and principals
• Revenue and profitability trend charts by month or quarter

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Section 7: Best Practices for A/E Firms

Daily Habits for Accurate Data
• Enter time every day, at the end of your work session or at a consistent time each day.
• Submit expense reports within 5 business days of incurring the expense.
• Use descriptive memos for every time and expense entry, at least one sentence.
• Verify the project and phase before saving any entry. Incorrect project charges create billing
errors that are difficult to correct.
• Check your timesheet status every Friday before leaving to ensure it is submitted, not just
saved.

Government Contract Compliance
If your firm performs work under federal, state, or local government contracts, additional time and
expense standards apply. These are primarily governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) for federal contracts, or state-equivalent standards for public
agency work.

Requirement What It Means for You
No after-the-fact reconstruction Time must be recorded based on contemporaneous
knowledge, not reconstructed days or weeks later from
memory.
Allocability Costs charged to a government project must be genuinely
attributable to that project's work.
Allowability Not all costs are allowable under FAR Part 31. For example,
alcohol, entertainment above per diem, and unallowable
lobbying costs cannot be charged to government projects.
Cost Transfer Restrictions Moving costs from one project to another after the fact is
heavily scrutinized. Any cost transfer must have written
justification.
Documentation Retention Timesheets, expense reports, and supporting receipts must
be retained for the duration required by the contract
(commonly 3 to 7 years).

Note: Firms subject to DCAA (Defense Contract Audit Agency) audits must maintain a compliant timekeeping
system. Ajera is specifically designed to meet DCAA floor check requirements when properly configured.

Utilization and Its Impact on the Firm
Utilization is the percentage of your total available hours that are charged to billable (client) projects. It
is one of the most important metrics in A/E firm management because it directly drives revenue.

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A common target for technical staff in A/E firms is 75 to 85 percent billable utilization. This means that
for every 40-hour week, 30 to 34 hours should be charged to client projects. The remaining hours cover
overhead activities like marketing, meetings, and professional development.

Utilization Range Interpretation
85% or above High utilization. Strong revenue generation but potential
burnout risk if sustained.
75% to 84% Target zone for most technical staff.
60% to 74% Below target. May indicate project pipeline issues or
excessive overhead activity.
Below 60% Concerning. Typically triggers management review.

Note: Your utilization is visible to your supervisor and principals. Consistent low utilization is often addressed
in performance reviews. However, forced high utilization by charging overhead time to client projects is a
serious compliance violation. Always charge honestly.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Mistake How to Avoid It
Entering time to the wrong project or
phase
Double-check the project name and client shown before
saving. If uncertain, ask your PM.
Missing the billing cutoff Know your firm's cutoff date and submit time by 5 PM on that
day.
Submitting without reviewing for
errors
Always scroll through all rows before clicking Submit.
Charging client time to overhead or
vice versa
Be intentional about whether work is project-specific or
general firm overhead.
Losing receipts before submission Photograph receipts immediately and upload them to the
expense entry on the same day.
Entering round numbers routinely
(1.0, 2.0, 3.0)
Log actual time. Routine round numbers raise audit flags.
Not submitting corrections promptly If an approver returns a timesheet or expense report, correct
and resubmit the same day if possible.

Getting Help
When in doubt, your first resources are:

• Your direct supervisor or project manager, for project-specific questions about which project or
phase to charge.
• Your firm's accounting or finance department, for questions about billing, expense
reimbursement, or system access.

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• Deltek's support portal at www.deltek.com/support, which includes Ajera-specific knowledge
base articles, video tutorials, and live support options.
• Your firm's Ajera system administrator, for technical issues, password resets, or access
permission requests.

Quick Reference: When to Contact Accounting
You cannot find your project in the dropdown list.
You need to correct a timesheet that has already been approved and posted.
You believe an expense has been double-posted or is missing from your project.
You have not received reimbursement for an approved expense report.
You need to set up a new subconsultant in the system.
You have a question about whether a cost is billable or non-billable under a specific contract.

Ajera Keyboard Shortcuts & Efficiency Tips
Action Tip
Quick project lookup Type the first 3-4 digits of your project number; Ajera filters
instantly.
Copy last week's timesheet Most Ajera versions allow you to copy the prior week's
structure with one click. Use this for recurring projects.
Tab navigation Use Tab to move between fields in the timesheet without
using the mouse.
Save frequently Click Save as you add rows. Do not wait until all rows are
complete to save for the first time.
Filter in reports Use the date range filter aggressively. Wide date ranges slow
report generation significantly.
Favorite reports Save frequently used reports with your preferred filters to your
Favorites list in the Reports menu.

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Section 8: Quick Reference Summary

Weekly Workflow Checklist

D Daily: Enter time at end of each work day
D Daily: Upload receipts for any same-day expenses
W Weekly: Submit completed timesheet by firm cutoff (confirm day with accounting)
W As incurred: Submit expense reports within 5 business days
M As received: Enter subconsultant invoices promptly when received
M Monthly: Review your project budget vs. actual with your project manager
! Monthly: Verify your utilization rate in the dashboard or utilization report
! As needed: Respond to timesheet/expense return notifications same day

Key Terms at a Glance
Term Definition
WIP Work in Progress. Earned but unbilled revenue.
AR Accounts Receivable. Billed but uncollected amounts.
Reimbursable A project cost that is passed through and billed to the client.
Overhead Indirect firm costs not tied to a specific project.
Utilization Billable hours divided by total available hours, expressed as a
percentage.
Phase A scope segment of a project (e.g., SD, DD, CD, CA).
Pay Type Classification of hours: Regular, OT, Holiday, Vacation, etc.
Multiplier A factor applied to direct labor cost to recover overhead and
profit.
FAR Part 31 Federal Acquisition Regulation cost principles governing cost
allowability on government contracts.
DCAA Defense Contract Audit Agency. Audits time and cost records
on federal contracts.

This concludes the Deltek Ajera Employee Training Guide. If you have questions about any topic
covered here, please reach out to your supervisor or the accounting department. Welcome to the team.

Employee Expense Reporting Guide | Architecture & Engineering | Ajera + Paycor
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EMPLOYEE EXPENSE REPORTING
A Complete Guide for A/E Professionals
Deltek Ajera + Paycor Environment
What This Guide Covers
• Reimbursable vs. Non-Reimbursable
Expenses
• Expense Categories A to Z
• How to Build an Expense Report in Ajera
• Receipt Requirements and Documentation
• Mileage and Vehicle Expense Rules
• Subconsultant Invoice Processing
• Travel, Lodging, and Meal Per Diems
• Markup and Billable Expense Rules
• Approval Workflow and Reimbursement
• Government Contract Compliance (FAR)
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Who Should Read This
Every employee who incurs any out-of-pocket
cost related to their work — whether a $0.67
postage stamp or a $15,000 subconsultant
invoice — needs to understand this guide.
Accurate expense reporting protects you from
personal financial liability, ensures the firm
recovers costs from clients, and keeps the firm
in compliance with IRS rules and government
contract regulations.
Read this guide before submitting your first
expense report and keep it as a reference
throughout your employment.

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Section 1: Core Concepts — What Is a Reimbursable
Expense?

The Fundamental Distinction
In architecture and engineering practice, the word 'expense' covers two very different things that must
never be confused. The first is a cost the firm incurs to operate — rent, utilities, software subscriptions,
general office supplies, and salaries. These are overhead costs, and they are recovered through the
firm's overhead rate built into billing rates. The second is a cost that is directly attributable to a specific
client project and is contractually recoverable from that client. These are direct project expenses, also
called reimbursable expenses or direct costs.

As an employee, you will primarily interact with the second category. When you drive to a project site,
print a large-format drawing set, pay a permit fee, or forward a subconsultant invoice, you are incurring
a direct project expense. Your job is to document it correctly, charge it to the right project and phase in
Ajera, and submit it for approval and reimbursement in a timely way.

Reimbursable vs. Non-Reimbursable: The Decision Test
Before classifying any expense, ask yourself three questions in sequence:

Q1 Was this cost incurred because of a specific client project? If no, it is overhead — do not submit
as a project expense.
Q2 Is this cost type allowable under the client contract? Not all contracts allow all expense types. If
your contract does not allow, for example, meal expenses, do not submit meals as billable.
Q3 Can I document it with a receipt or equivalent record? If you cannot document it, you cannot
submit it for reimbursement as a project expense.

Billable vs. Non-Billable: A Key Sub-Distinction
Even among legitimate direct project expenses, there is a further distinction between billable and non-
billable. A billable expense is one the client will be charged for. A non-billable direct expense is still tied
to a specific project but is not passed to the client — it is absorbed by the firm as a project cost.

Expense Type Billable or Non-Billable — Typical Treatment
Site visit mileage Usually billable per contract. Confirm the per-mile rate or cap
in the contract.
Subconsultant invoices Almost always billable, often with a markup (commonly 10%).
Confirm markup in your prime contract.
Permit and agency fees Almost always billable at cost. Document with official agency
receipt.

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Large-format printing for client
deliverables
Usually billable. Confirm the contract allows reproduction
reimbursement.
Meals during project travel (overnight) Usually billable as part of travel reimbursement, subject to per
diem limits.
Working lunch with project team
(local, no client)
Usually non-billable. Internal working meetings are typically
overhead.
Project-specific software or
equipment rental
Often billable if directly required for the project and allowed by
contract.
Postage and delivery for client
submittals
Usually billable at cost with a receipt.
Errors and omissions costs Never billable. Costs incurred to correct the firm's own errors
are overhead.
Proposal and marketing costs for a
new project
Never billable to the resulting project. Pre-contract marketing
is overhead.

Always Check the Contract First
The contract between your firm and the client is the ultimate authority on what is billable.
Ask your project manager for the relevant sections of the contract before submitting a large or
unusual expense as billable.
Submitting a non-allowable expense as billable can result in a client dispute, a credit memo, and
damage to the client relationship.

The Accountable Plan: Why Proper Documentation Protects You
The IRS requires that employer reimbursement programs follow what is called an Accountable Plan to
treat reimbursements as non-taxable to the employee. If the firm's plan does not qualify as an
Accountable Plan, your reimbursements become taxable wages — meaning you pay income tax and
payroll tax on money that was just a reimbursement for a business cost you already paid.

The three Accountable Plan requirements are: (1) the expense must have a legitimate business
purpose, (2) you must provide adequate documentation such as a receipt within a reasonable time, and
(3) you must return any excess reimbursement within a reasonable time. Your expense report process
in Ajera is designed to meet all three requirements. Shortcutting the documentation step puts your non-
taxable reimbursement status at risk.

Your Protection Under the Accountable Plan
When you submit a properly documented expense report through Ajera and are reimbursed through
Paycor, the reimbursement is tax-free to you.
It does not appear in your W-2 taxable wages.
It does not increase your income tax liability.
It does not affect your payroll taxes.
This protection disappears if you cannot provide documentation or if the expense lacks a business
purpose.

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Section 2: Expense Categories — A Complete Reference

The following sections address every major expense category an A/E professional is likely to
encounter. For each category, you will find: what qualifies, what documentation is required, how to
enter it in Ajera, and any special rules or limits that apply.

2A — Mileage and Personal Vehicle Use
Mileage is the most frequent reimbursable expense in A/E practice. Any time you drive your personal
vehicle for a business purpose — to a project site, a client office, a public agency, a subconsultant's
office, or any other project-related destination — you are entitled to mileage reimbursement.

What Qualifies
• Driving from the office (or your home, if you work from home) to a project site or client location
• Driving between project sites or client offices in the same day
• Driving to government agencies for permit submittals, pre-application meetings, or public
hearings
• Driving to a subconsultant's office for coordination meetings
• Driving to pick up or deliver project materials or drawings

What Does Not Qualify
• Your normal commute from home to your primary office location
• Personal errands run before, during, or after a business trip
• Driving to firm-sponsored social events or parties

Documentation Requirements
• Origin and destination for each leg of the trip
• Business purpose (project name and reason for the visit)
• Total miles driven (odometer readings or a mapping application printout are acceptable)
• Date of travel

Mileage Detail Requirement
Reimbursement rate IRS standard mileage rate (currently set annually; confirm the
current rate with accounting). Your firm may set a higher or
lower rate per their policy.
Calculation Ajera multiplies miles entered by the configured rate. You
enter miles; Ajera computes dollars.
Home-to-site rule If you drive directly from home to a project site rather than the
office first, you may only claim the mileage in excess of your

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normal home-to-office commute. Confirm your firm's policy on
this with HR.
Toll and parking These are separate expense line items, not included in the
mileage rate. Enter them independently with receipts.
Firm vehicle If you drove a firm-owned vehicle, no mileage reimbursement
applies. Report any fuel or maintenance costs incurred
separately.

Mileage Log Best Practice
Keep a running mileage log, either on paper or in a mobile app such as MileIQ or Everlance.
Record each trip immediately after driving. Memory is unreliable and the IRS requires
contemporaneous records.
A good log entry has five elements: date, starting point, ending point, business purpose, and total
miles.
Screenshot your route from Google Maps and save it with your log entry as documentation.

2B — Air Travel
Air travel is required for projects in distant cities or for firm-wide business travel. Airline expenses are
almost always reimbursable when the destination is a project site or firm business location.

What Qualifies
• Airfare for travel directly related to a client project, firm conference, or required business
meeting
• Baggage fees when the baggage contains project materials or equipment required at the
destination
• Seat upgrade fees only if economy class was sold out or if the firm's travel policy permits
upgrades for flights over a defined duration (commonly 4 to 6 hours)

What Typically Does Not Qualify
• Personal travel extensions added to a business trip (the personal portion is always your cost)
• First class upgrades unless specifically pre-approved in writing
• In-flight Wi-Fi unless working on project deliverables during the flight (confirm with your firm)
• Travel insurance unless required by the client contract

Documentation Required Notes
Airline receipt or e-ticket confirmation Must show passenger name, itinerary, and total charge. Credit
card statement alone is not sufficient.
Boarding passes Some firms require boarding passes as proof of travel. Retain
digital or printed copies.
Business purpose statement Document the project visited and the reason for travel.

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Receipt for any additional fees Bag fees, seat selection fees, and change fees each require
their own receipt.

Booking Policy
Most firms require advance booking through a preferred travel agency or online tool. Check your
firm's travel policy before booking independently.
Booking refundable fares is typically required for trips that may be cancelled. Non-refundable tickets
for speculative travel may not be reimbursed if the trip is cancelled.
Always book the lowest reasonable coach fare unless policy allows otherwise.

2C — Car Rental
Car rentals are appropriate when traveling to a project location where a personal vehicle is unavailable
or where the business need requires transportation at the destination.

• Book economy or mid-size class vehicles unless a larger vehicle is required to transport project
materials or team members
• Decline collision damage waiver (CDW) if your firm's corporate card provides rental car
coverage — confirm with accounting before declining
• Fuel the vehicle before return to avoid inflated fuel charges from the rental company
• Document: rental agreement, fuel receipt, and final rental receipt showing total charge

2D — Lodging
Hotel and lodging expenses are reimbursable when a project assignment requires overnight travel
away from your primary work location.

What Qualifies
• Hotel stays at the project location for the duration of the assignment
• Extended stay accommodations for long-term project assignments where hotel costs exceed
short-term apartment rental rates (confirm with management for long assignments)

Documentation Required
• Itemized hotel folio showing all charges, not just a summary receipt
• Verify the folio excludes personal charges (room service, movies, minibar, personal phone
calls). Personal charges must be deducted and are not reimbursable

Lodging Rule Details
Rate cap Many firms cap lodging reimbursement at the U.S. GSA per
diem rate for the project city. If you choose a hotel exceeding

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that rate, you pay the difference. Look up current GSA rates at
gsa.gov/perdiem.
Double occupancy Only the single-occupancy rate is reimbursable. If you share a
room with a non-employee, submit only half the room cost.
Points and rewards You may keep hotel loyalty points earned on business travel.
The firm pays the room; the points are yours.
Incidentals Incidentals (tips, room service, personal items) are your cost
unless specifically allowed by firm policy.
Extended travel For assignments exceeding two weeks in the same location,
discuss alternative lodging arrangements with your project
manager before incurring another month of hotel costs.

2E — Meals and Per Diems
Meal reimbursement is the most policy-sensitive expense category in A/E practice because IRS rules,
government contract rules, and firm policy all apply simultaneously. Read this section carefully.

Meals During Overnight Travel
When you are traveling overnight for a project, meals are generally reimbursable up to the applicable
per diem limit. Per diem rates are set by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for domestic
travel and by the State Department for international travel. They vary by city and are updated annually.

Meal Type Typical Treatment
Breakfast during overnight travel Reimbursable at per diem rate for that city. If your hotel
provides free breakfast, you may not also claim breakfast per
diem.
Lunch during overnight travel Reimbursable at per diem rate. Retain receipt.
Dinner during overnight travel Reimbursable at per diem rate. Retain receipt or use per diem
allowance.
Meals on travel days (partial days) The GSA provides a reduced per diem (typically 75% of the
full day rate) for the first and last day of travel.

Working Meals (Local, No Overnight Travel)
Working meals that occur locally — a lunch meeting with the project team, a breakfast meeting to
discuss a submittal — are handled differently from travel meals.

• Client entertainment meals (you are hosting the client) are generally partially deductible for the
firm but require documentation of the client name, business purpose, and attendees.
• Internal working lunches are typically non-billable. They are overhead expenses charged to a
G&A project in Ajera, not to the client project.
• Meals with a subconsultant during a coordination meeting may be reimbursable as a project
expense depending on firm policy and whether the meeting had a clear project purpose.

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Documentation Required for Meals Why It Matters
Receipt showing itemized charges Credit card slips showing only the total are insufficient.
List of attendees Required for IRS compliance and government contract audit.
Include names and firm/role for each person at the table.
Business purpose Describe the project and the business discussed. 'Lunch' is
not a sufficient description.
Tip amounts Tip is reimbursable but must be reasonable. Gratuities above
20% may be questioned by approvers.

Government Contract Meal Rules
On projects subject to FAR Part 31 (federal, state, and many local government contracts), meal
expenses are subject to strict allowability rules.
Entertainment, amusement, and recreation costs — including 'business meals' that are primarily
social — are unallowable and cannot be charged to government projects.
Alcohol is always unallowable on government contracts, even if consumed at a client-initiated dinner.
When in doubt about whether a meal is allowable on a government project, charge it to your firm's
overhead and discuss with accounting.

2F — Reproduction and Printing
Architecture and engineering practice involves significant printing costs — construction document sets,
presentation boards, permit drawing packages, and bid documents. These are common direct project
expenses.

• Large-format plots (24x36 and 30x42 drawing sets) for owner review, permit submittals, and
contractor bid packages
• Color presentation boards or renderings for client presentations
• Bound report printing for deliverables such as geotechnical reports, environmental
assessments, or feasibility studies
• Reprographics center charges when printing exceeds in-house capabilities

Documentation Notes
Vendor invoice or receipt Must show quantity, paper size, type, and unit cost. For in-
house printing, your firm may apply an internal rate per sheet.
Project and phase Printing must be charged to the phase it serves (e.g., CD
printing charged to the CD phase, not SD).
Purpose Describe what was printed and the delivery milestone it
supported.

In-House Printing Costs

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Many firms apply an internal charge for in-house large-format printing rather than requiring
employees to go to a reprographics vendor.
These internal charges are posted directly to the project by accounting and do not require an
employee expense report.
Ask your firm's accounting department how in-house printing costs are handled before submitting
them as a personal expense.

2G — Postage, Shipping, and Delivery
Project-related shipping and delivery costs are directly reimbursable. Common examples include
courier delivery of permit applications, FedEx or UPS shipments of drawing sets or contracts, and
certified mail for legal notices.

• Retain the shipping receipt showing the tracking number, destination, weight, and cost
• Document what was shipped and to whom, and tie it to the project and submittal milestone
• For high-value document deliveries, use a service with delivery confirmation and retain the
confirmation

2H — Permit Fees and Agency Fees
Permit fees, application fees, and agency review fees paid directly by an employee on behalf of a
project are fully reimbursable and almost always billable to the client at cost. These can range from
minor zoning inquiry fees to five-figure environmental permit application fees.

Documentation Required Notes
Official agency receipt The agency-issued receipt is the authoritative documentation.
Save the original; scan it immediately.
Permit or application number Include the permit or case number in your expense
description so it can be cross-referenced in project records.
Payment method confirmation If paid by personal check or personal credit card, document
that. If the firm issued a check, it is not a personal expense.
Pre-authorization For any permit fee over $500, confirm with your project
manager before paying out of pocket. Some agencies accept
firm checks or credit cards directly.

Large Fee Payments
Before paying any fee exceeding $1,000 out of your personal funds, contact your project manager
and accounting department.
The firm may arrange for a direct check or ACH payment to the agency instead, avoiding the need
for personal reimbursement on a large amount.
Some employees have been reimbursed weeks late on large permit fees paid personally. Do not let
this happen to you — ask first.

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2I — Subconsultant Invoices
Subconsultant invoices are the largest category of direct project expenses in most A/E practices. A
subconsultant is any outside firm or individual hired to perform a portion of the project scope —
structural engineers, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineers, geotechnical engineers, surveyors,
environmental consultants, landscape architects, and others.

There are two ways subconsultant costs flow through a firm's accounting system, and which method
applies depends on your firm's policy:

Method How It Works
Accounts Payable (AP) method The subconsultant invoices the firm directly. Accounting
receives and processes the invoice through AP. The cost
posts to the project without an employee expense report. This
is the most common method for large firms.
Employee Expense method A project manager or principal pays the subconsultant invoice
using a firm credit card or, rarely, personal funds, and submits
the invoice through the expense report system. This is more
common in smaller firms or for occasional subconsultants not
set up as vendors.

Before submitting any subconsultant invoice as a personal expense, confirm with your accounting
department which method your firm uses and whether you are authorized to process that payment.
Submitting a subconsultant invoice as a personal expense when the firm intends to pay the vendor
directly creates a duplicate payment.

Subconsultant Expense Documentation Checklist
1 Obtain the subconsultant's invoice. Confirm it is addressed to your firm (not to you personally)
and references the correct project name and number.
2 Verify the invoice amount is within the subconsultant's contracted scope and not-to-exceed
amount. Do not approve payment for work outside their contract without written authorization.
3 Confirm the invoice period matches the work performed. A subconsultant billing for work not yet
done should be questioned.
4 In Ajera, create a new expense report or add a line to the current project expense report.
5 Select the Subconsultant expense category.
6 Enter the subconsultant firm name, invoice number, invoice date, and invoice amount in the
description field.
7 Select the correct project, phase, and activity.
8 Mark as Billable. Enter the markup percentage if your contract authorizes one (typically 10%).
9 Attach a scanned copy of the subconsultant invoice to the expense line.
10 Submit for approval. The project manager must approve subconsultant invoices before they can
be processed for payment.

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Subconsultant Rule Details
Markup Many prime contracts allow a markup of 5% to 15% on
subconsultant costs. Check your contract. If markup is
allowed, Ajera can apply it automatically when billing. Enter
the invoice at cost; accounting configures the markup at the
billing stage.
Not-to-exceed tracking Track cumulative subconsultant billings against their
contracted NTE. Accounting can run a project cost report
showing subconsultant costs to date.
Lien waiver For construction-phase subconsultants, a conditional lien
waiver may be required before payment. Your PM or legal
counsel will advise.
1099 requirement Subconsultants paid more than $600 in a calendar year
through the firm receive a 1099-NEC. Accounting manages
this, but it is why subconsultant invoices must flow through the
proper channel rather than being reimbursed as personal
expenses without documentation.

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Section 3: Building an Expense Report in Ajera — Step
by Step

Before You Start
Gather these items before opening Ajera to build your expense report. Having everything ready before
you start avoids a half-completed report and reduces errors:

• All receipts for the period, either physical originals or clear photographs/scans
• Your mileage log for any driving during the period
• The project number(s) and phase codes for each expense item
• Any subconsultant invoices you are processing
• Your firm's per diem rate for any travel meals (check gsa.gov for current rates)
• Confirmation from your project manager for any unusual or large expenses

Creating the Expense Report
1 Log in to Ajera. From the top navigation, click Expenses, then My Expenses or New Expense
Report.
2 Click New or the plus icon to create a new report.
3 In the Report Name field, enter a clear, descriptive title. Use a format such as: [Your Name] —
[Project Number] — [Month Year]. For example: J. Rodriguez — 24-042 — March 2025. If you
are submitting expenses for multiple projects in one report, use: J. Rodriguez — Multiple
Projects — March 2025.
4 Set the Report Date. For single-trip reports, use the last day of the trip or the last date an
expense was incurred. For monthly compilation reports, use the last day of the month.
5 In the Description field, add any general notes that apply to the entire report (for example: Site
visits and permit fees for Lakewood Office Building, Phase 1).

Adding Expense Lines
Each expense item is a separate line within the report. Add lines one at a time in date order for
readability.

1 Click Add Line or the plus icon in the expense line grid.
2 Set the Expense Date to the actual date the expense was incurred. This is the date of travel,
the date a fee was paid, or the date printed on the receipt — not the date you are entering it in
Ajera.
3 Select the Expense Type from the dropdown. Common types: Mileage, Air Travel, Lodging,
Meals, Ground Transportation, Parking, Tolls, Reproduction, Postage, Permit Fees,

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Subconsultant, Miscellaneous. If your expense does not fit an existing type, use Miscellaneous
and describe it clearly. If a new type should be added to the system, ask accounting.
4 Select the Project from the lookup field. Type the project number or name and select the correct
project.
5 Select the Phase. Ensure the phase matches the scope of work the expense supported.
6 In the Billable field, select Yes (billable to client) or No (firm absorbs cost). When in doubt, ask
your project manager before assuming an expense is billable.
7 Enter the Amount. For mileage, enter the number of miles; Ajera computes the dollar amount.
For all other expense types, enter the dollar amount directly.
8 Enter a Description. This is your opportunity to document the business purpose. A good
description answers: What was purchased or incurred? For what project purpose? Where? A
poor description is 'lunch.' A good description is 'Working lunch — 2 project team members,
review of SD drawings prior to owner submittal — Project 24-042.'
9 Attach the receipt. Click the attachment icon (paperclip or Attach) and upload your scanned
receipt or photograph. One receipt per expense line. Do not combine multiple receipts into a
single attachment unless they are from a single vendor transaction.
10 Repeat for each additional expense item. Work through your receipts in date order.

Reviewing Before Submission
Take five minutes to review your report before submitting. Most errors are caught at this stage and are
far easier to fix now than after submission.

• Verify every line has the correct project and phase selected
• Verify every line has a clear description — no single-word entries
• Verify every line has an attachment (except mileage if your firm accepts mileage logs without
receipts)
• Verify the Billable flag is correct on every line
• Review the total at the bottom of the report. Does it match what you expect based on your
receipts?
• Confirm there are no duplicate lines — an easy mistake when entering multiple items

A Sample Completed Expense Report
The following illustrates how a properly completed project expense report looks in Ajera. Each line has
a specific date, a clear category, a project and phase, a descriptive memo, a dollar amount, and a
billable flag.

Sample Report: J. Rodriguez — Project 24-042 (Lakewood Office Building) — March 2025
Date Category Project / Phase Description Amount Billable?
3/3 Mileage 24-042 / SD Site visit – owner mtg, 38 mi
RT
$22.04 Yes

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3/3 Parking 24-042 / SD Parking at city hall for permit
inquiry
$12.00 Yes
3/4 Reproduction 24-042 / CD Large-format plot set for
owner review
$87.50 Yes
3/5 Meals 24-042 / SD Working lunch – project
team (3 people)
$64.20 No
3/6 Subconsult. 24-042 / SE Smith Structural Inv. #2024-
118
$3,200.00 Yes
3/7 Delivery 24-042 / CD FedEx – permit drawings to
building dept.
$18.75 Yes
3/7 Permit Fee 24-042 / CA City building permit
application fee
$425.00 Yes
TOTAL $3,829.49

Note in the sample that: (1) the working lunch is flagged as Non-Billable even though it is charged to
the project, (2) the subconsultant invoice is the largest single line and has full invoice detail in the
description, and (3) each line has its own date matching the actual date of the transaction.

Submitting the Report
1 After reviewing all lines, click Save to preserve your work.
2 Click Submit or Submit for Approval. The report status changes from Draft or Open to
Submitted or Pending Approval.
3 You will receive a confirmation message in Ajera and typically an email notification.
4 Your approver(s) will receive a notification to review the report. You cannot edit the report while
it is in Submitted status.
5 If your report is returned for corrections, you will receive a notification. Open the report, address
all comments from the approver, and resubmit.

Submission Timing
Submit expense reports at least 3 business days before your firm's payroll export cutoff to ensure
reimbursement in the current payroll cycle.
For subconsultant invoices, submit as soon as you receive them. Subconsultants are typically on
payment terms (net 30 or net 45) and delays in your submission delay their payment.
Do not batch expense reports and submit them all at the end of the month. Submit weekly or as
expenses accumulate.

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Section 4: Receipt Requirements and Documentation
Standards

The Receipt Threshold
Most firms require a receipt for any expense at or above a minimum dollar threshold, commonly $25.
Below that threshold, expenses may be submitted without a receipt but still require a description.
However, for government contracts and for your own protection, develop the habit of keeping every
receipt regardless of amount.

Expense Type Receipt Required?
Mileage No physical receipt, but a mileage log entry is required. A map
screenshot is strongly recommended.
Parking (meter) No receipt is typically available. Estimate and describe. Some
firms have a low flat rate for meter parking without a receipt.
Meals below threshold Description required; receipt recommended.
Meals above threshold Receipt required. Must be itemized, not just a credit card slip
showing the total.
Lodging Itemized hotel folio required. A credit card statement is not
sufficient.
Air travel E-ticket confirmation or receipt showing itinerary and fare
required.
Permit fees Agency-issued receipt required. No exceptions.
Subconsultant invoices The subconsultant invoice itself is the receipt. Required
without exception.
All other expenses Receipt required for amounts at or above your firm's threshold
($25 or as stated in firm policy).

Receipt Quality Standards
A receipt that cannot be read is as good as no receipt. The following standards ensure your receipts will
pass review:

• The receipt must show the vendor name, date, itemized charges, and total amount
• Photographs of receipts must be clear, in focus, and fully readable — all four edges of the
receipt must be visible in the image
• File format: JPEG, PNG, or PDF are universally accepted in Ajera. Do not submit smartphone
screenshots of bank notifications; submit the actual receipt
• For paper receipts that may fade (thermal paper), scan or photograph immediately and store the
digital copy as the primary record

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• For electronic receipts received by email, forward to yourself and download or save as PDF
before uploading to Ajera

What To Do When You Lose a Receipt
Lost receipts happen. When they do, follow this protocol immediately rather than waiting:

1 Check your email for an electronic confirmation from the vendor. Many airlines, hotels, and
restaurants now send email receipts automatically.
2 Check the vendor's website or mobile app. Most airlines, hotel chains, and car rental companies
allow you to retrieve receipts for past transactions from your account history.
3 If you paid by credit card, the credit card statement showing the vendor name, date, and
amount can serve as supporting documentation for lower-value items. Note that it does not
substitute for an itemized receipt for meals or lodging.
4 Prepare a Missing Receipt Affidavit or memo (ask accounting for your firm's form). This
document states: the date, vendor, amount, business purpose, and the reason the original
receipt is unavailable. Sign it.
5 Attach the affidavit and any alternative documentation to the expense line in Ajera.
6 Understand that persistent missing receipts are a red flag in any audit. Two or three missing
receipts in a career are understandable. A pattern of missing receipts is a compliance problem.

Receipt Retention After Reimbursement
Even after you have been reimbursed, retain your original receipts for at least 3 years, and 7 years if
the expense was charged to a government contract.
Audit requests can come long after the expense was incurred.
The firm retains the Ajera records, but you should retain your own copies independently.

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Section 5: Markup, Billing, and Client Passthrough
Rules

When a Markup Applies
Some contracts authorize the firm to add a markup — a percentage above cost — to certain
reimbursable expenses before billing the client. The most common marked-up expense types in A/E
contracts are subconsultant fees and reproduction costs. The markup compensates the firm for the
administrative cost of managing, processing, and guaranteeing the work of subconsultants and vendor
services.

Expense Type Typical Markup Practice
Subconsultant fees Contracts commonly allow 5% to 15% markup. Standard
practice is 10%. Always confirm in your specific contract.
Reproduction / printing Some contracts allow a markup on outside reprographics
costs. Confirm contract language.
Mileage No markup. Reimbursed at cost (IRS rate or firm rate) unless
contract specifies otherwise.
Permit and agency fees No markup. Passed through at cost. Clients expect this and
markups on government fees can create disputes.
Lodging No markup. At cost.
Air travel No markup. At cost.
Meals No markup. At cost subject to per diem.
Postage and delivery No markup for most contracts. Confirm if your contract differs.

As an employee submitting an expense report, you enter all expenses at actual cost — never add a
markup yourself in Ajera. Markups are configured at the billing stage by accounting based on the
contract terms. If you are a project manager reviewing a draft invoice and a markup is missing on
subconsultant lines, contact accounting to correct it before the invoice is finalized.

Not-to-Exceed (NTE) Limits on Expenses
Many contracts cap the total amount of reimbursable expenses, either globally or by category. For
example, a contract might state: 'Reimbursable expenses shall not exceed $25,000 in aggregate
without prior written authorization from Owner.' Your project manager tracks these limits, but you
contribute to tracking by:

• Confirming with your project manager before incurring a large expense that the NTE has
headroom
• Never assuming that because an expense is legitimate it is also within the NTE

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• Asking accounting to run a project expense report if you need to know current expense spend to
date

Exceeding the NTE
If you incur an expense that pushes the project over its NTE without prior client authorization, the
excess cost is typically absorbed by the firm — not billed to the client.
Project managers are responsible for tracking this, but employees who incur large expenses without
checking share in the responsibility.
When in doubt, ask before spending.

Lump Sum Contracts and Expense Reimbursement
This is one of the most misunderstood areas of A/E contract practice. On a lump sum (fixed fee)
contract, the client pays a fixed amount regardless of actual costs. There is no separate line item for
reimbursable expenses unless the contract explicitly carves them out.

On a pure lump sum contract with no express reimbursable expense provision, all expenses —
mileage, printing, permit fees, even subconsultant costs — must be absorbed within the fixed fee. The
firm should have priced the contract to cover anticipated expenses. On these projects:

• You still enter expenses in Ajera and still need to be reimbursed personally for out-of-pocket
costs
• The expenses are posted to the project as direct costs and reduce the project's profitability
• They are not separately billed to the client because the contract does not allow it
• Mark these expenses as Non-Billable in Ajera to prevent them from appearing on client invoices

On a lump sum contract with a separate allowance for reimbursables (increasingly common), there is a
defined dollar cap for expense passthrough. Confirm with your project manager before marking any
expense as Billable on a lump sum contract.

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Section 6: Government Contracts and FAR Part 31
Compliance

Why Government Contracts Have Different Rules
Federal, state, and many local government contracts for A/E services are governed by cost principles
that go well beyond standard commercial practice. For federal contracts, the governing regulation is the
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), specifically Part 31, which establishes whether costs are
allowable (can be charged to a government contract), allocable (can be attributed to the contract), and
reasonable (not excessive for the service obtained).

If your firm performs any work for government clients under cost-reimbursable or time-and-materials
contracts, every expense you charge to those projects is subject to FAR Part 31 and potentially to audit
by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) or state equivalent. Non-compliance is not a paperwork
problem — it can result in cost disallowances, penalties, and in severe cases, debarment from
government contracting.

Allowable vs. Unallowable Costs
FAR Part 31 defines specific categories of costs that are unallowable — meaning they can never be
charged to a government contract, directly or indirectly. The following table summarizes the most
relevant categories for A/E employees:

Cost Category FAR Part 31 Treatment
Advertising and public relations Generally unallowable. Marketing costs for government
business are handled carefully.
Alcoholic beverages Always unallowable. Never charge to a government project,
even if alcohol was part of a client-hosted dinner.
Entertainment Unallowable. Costs for amusement, recreation, or social
activities are never allowable regardless of client involvement.
Meals — business purpose,
documented
Allowable if properly documented with business purpose,
attendees, and receipt. Subject to per diem limits.
Lobbying costs Unallowable. Costs associated with influencing legislation or
procurement are always unallowable.
First class air travel Generally unallowable unless no coach seat was available
and documented.
Excessive compensation Unallowable to the extent pay exceeds the applicable
benchmark. Senior executive compensation caps apply on
federal contracts.
Fines and penalties Unallowable. If you incur a parking ticket while on project
business, it is your cost.

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Personal use portion of expenses Unallowable. If you extend a business trip for personal
reasons, the personal days' costs are always your expense.
Costs without adequate
documentation
Unallowable. The FAR requires contemporaneous records.
No documentation = no allowability.

Charging Unallowable Costs to Government Projects Is a Federal Offense
Knowingly submitting unallowable costs to a government contract is a violation of the False Claims
Act.
Penalties include treble damages (three times the claimed amount) plus civil fines per false claim.
If you are ever uncertain whether a cost is allowable on a government project, mark it Non-Billable,
charge it to overhead, and discuss it with accounting before submitting.
Erring on the side of caution costs the firm a small amount of profit. Charging unallowable costs can
cost the firm its government contracting eligibility.

DCAA Floor Check Readiness
The DCAA conducts what are called 'floor checks' — unannounced visits to firm offices during which
auditors verify that every employee present is charging their time and expenses to the correct project at
the correct time. Ajera is specifically designed to support DCAA floor check compliance when properly
configured. As an employee, you contribute to floor check readiness by:

• Entering expenses contemporaneously — not reconstructing them days or weeks after the fact
• Being able to explain, if asked, why each expense was charged to the project shown
• Maintaining mileage logs and receipts in a format you can produce on short notice
• Never pre-filling or back-filling expense reports based on estimates rather than actual receipts

State and Local Government Contract Nuances
State Department of Transportation (DOT) contracts, city and county contracts, and transit authority
contracts each have their own cost principles that often mirror FAR Part 31 but may add additional
restrictions. Common additions include:

• State-specific per diem rates that differ from GSA federal rates (always confirm which rate
applies to your state DOT project)
• Pre-approval requirements for any travel expenses exceeding a state-set threshold
• Restrictions on subconsultant markups (some state DOT contracts prohibit markup above cost
on subconsultants)
• Mandatory use of state contract forms for expense documentation rather than standard Ajera
printouts

When you are assigned to a state or local government project for the first time, ask your project
manager for a copy of the contract's compensation and expense provisions before incurring any
expenses.

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Section 7: Approval Workflow and Reimbursement

The Approval Chain
After you submit an expense report in Ajera, it enters an approval workflow. The specific chain depends
on your firm's configuration, the size of the expense, and the project type, but it typically involves:

Approver What They Review
Project Manager Confirms each expense is legitimately related to the project,
charged to the correct phase, and within the project budget
and contract allowances. Approves or queries billable
classification.
Department Head or Principal Reviews for policy compliance, reasonableness, and
authorization for large or unusual expenses. Some firms
require principal approval for any single expense line above a
threshold (commonly $500 or $1,000).
Accounting / Finance Final check for documentation completeness, correct coding
in Ajera, compliance with firm policy and contract terms, and
readiness for posting and reimbursement.

The approval timeline varies. Routine reports with complete documentation typically clear in two to five
business days. Reports with missing receipts, unclear descriptions, or unusual items may take longer
as approvers ask questions. Respond to approval queries promptly — your reimbursement clock does
not run until the report is fully approved and posted.

What Happens After Approval
1 Accounting approves and posts the expense report in Ajera. Posting locks the record and
makes it final.
2 The reimbursable expenses are posted to the project's cost ledger, making them available for
client billing.
3 The employee reimbursement amount is included in the Ajera payroll export to Paycor.
4 Paycor receives the reimbursement as a non-taxable reimbursement line in the payroll run.
5 The reimbursement is included in your next direct deposit on the regular pay date.
6 Your pay stub in Paycor shows the reimbursement as a separate line item (e.g., EXP REIMB)
distinct from your wages.

Reimbursement Timing Reference
Scenario When to Expect Reimbursement

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Report submitted and fully approved
before payroll export cutoff
Current payroll cycle. You receive reimbursement on the next
pay date.
Report submitted before cutoff but
pending approval at export
Next payroll cycle after approval clears.
Report submitted after cutoff Earliest reimbursement is the following payroll cycle (up to 2
weeks on biweekly payroll).
Report returned for corrections and
resubmitted
Reimbursement clock restarts after corrected report is
approved.
Subconsultant invoice processed via
AP (not employee expense)
Subconsultant payment follows firm AP terms (net 30 or net
45). No employee reimbursement involved.

Track Your Open Reports
In Ajera, go to Expenses > My Expense Reports and review the Status column regularly.
A report showing Submitted for more than 5 business days may be stuck in the approval queue.
Follow up with your direct supervisor.
A report showing Returned requires your immediate attention — open it, read the approver's
comments, make corrections, and resubmit the same day if possible.

When Reimbursement Does Not Happen
On rare occasions, a legitimate expense may be denied reimbursement. Common reasons and
remedies are:

Reason for Denial What to Do
Missing or unreadable receipt Locate the receipt or prepare a Missing Receipt Affidavit.
Resubmit with documentation.
Expense not authorized by contract Confirm with your project manager. If the contract does not
allow the expense, the firm may choose to absorb it as
overhead; charge it to the correct overhead project and
resubmit as non-billable.
Duplicate submission If the same expense appears twice (once as a personal
expense, once processed through AP), accounting will reject
one. Identify which channel is correct and remove the
duplicate.
Amount exceeds policy limit Some expense types have caps (per diem limits, hotel rate
caps). Submit the allowable amount and absorb the excess
personally.
Policy violation If an expense violates firm policy (e.g., alcohol on a
government project, first-class airfare without pre-approval),
accounting will reject it. These are not reimbursable.

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Section 8: Corporate Credit Cards

If Your Firm Issues Corporate Cards
Some A/E firms issue corporate credit cards to project managers, principals, or frequent travelers to
reduce the personal financial burden of fronting large project expenses. If your firm uses corporate
cards, the following rules apply:

Rule Details
Card use is restricted to business
expenses
Personal charges on a corporate card are a policy violation
and must be immediately reimbursed to the firm with
documentation of the personal charge.
You still submit expense reports in
Ajera
The corporate card does not eliminate the expense report
requirement. Each charge must still be coded to a project,
phase, and expense type in Ajera.
Automated feed Some firms configure Paycor or a card management platform
to feed corporate card transactions directly into Ajera as
pending expense lines. You review and code them rather than
creating lines from scratch. Ask accounting if this is your firm's
setup.
Statement reconciliation You are responsible for reconciling your corporate card
statement in Ajera each billing cycle. Unreconciled charges
become your personal liability if not addressed.
Lost card Report immediately to accounting and to the card issuer. Do
not wait.
Spending limits Corporate cards have per-transaction and monthly limits set
by accounting. If you need a limit increase for a large project
expense, request it from accounting before the expense is
incurred.

Personal Card vs. Corporate Card: Key Differences in Ajera
Workflow Step Personal Card
Expense entry You create the expense report and enter each line.
Receipt attachment Required per policy.
Reimbursement You are reimbursed through Paycor payroll.
Who bears the cost if report is late You, until reimbursed.
Cash advance treatment Not applicable.

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Section 9: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The Most Frequent Expense Report Errors in A/E Practice
The following errors appear repeatedly in expense report audits at A/E firms. Each one causes delays,
rework, or compliance risk. Knowing them in advance helps you avoid them.

Mistake Why It Is a Problem How to Avoid It
Charging commute miles
as project mileage
Commuting is never a business
expense. Claiming it is a
reimbursement fraud risk.
Subtract your normal home-to-office
distance from any trip that starts or
ends at home. When in doubt, start
the expense at the office, not your
driveway.
Submitting meals without
attendee list
IRS and government contract rules
require identification of all meal
attendees. Without names, the meal
may be disallowed.
Write down who was at the meal
immediately after. Include name and
employer or role for each person.
Charging the same
expense to the wrong
phase
Charges to the wrong phase distort
phase budget reports and can affect
billing if phases are billed at different
rates.
Always confirm the phase that was
active during the work supported by
the expense. When in doubt, ask the
PM.
Submitting personal
expenses as business
expenses
This is expense fraud, regardless of
amount. It can result in termination
and legal liability.
If you accidentally mixed personal and
business expenses on a trip, carefully
separate them line by line. When in
doubt, do not submit.
Rounding mileage to
round numbers
Consistently round mileage (50, 75,
100 miles) is a red flag in audits. Real
trips produce real distances.
Use a navigation app to record actual
miles. Log them that day.
Submitting a receipt that
covers multiple projects
in one line
Splitting a single expense across
multiple projects is proper; lumping
multiple projects into one line is not.
Create separate expense lines for
each project when one receipt covers
multiple project purposes.
Entering the wrong
expense date
Expense date must match the receipt
date. Entering today's date for an
expense incurred three weeks ago
creates an audit discrepancy.
Enter the date on the receipt, not the
date you are creating the expense
report.
Failing to mark non-
billable expenses
correctly
Non-billable expenses that are
mistakenly marked Billable appear on
client invoices and create invoice
disputes.
Review every Billable flag in your
report before submitting. When in
doubt, mark Non-Billable and ask your
PM.
Submitting a
subconsultant invoice
that was paid by the firm
directly
Creates a duplicate payment when
accounting processes both the AP
invoice and your expense
reimbursement.
Confirm with accounting before
submitting any subconsultant invoice
as a personal expense.
Waiting until month-end
to submit all receipts
Delays reimbursement, increases the
risk of lost receipts, and may miss the
billing cutoff.
Submit weekly or immediately upon
returning from travel.

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Section 10: Quick Reference

Expense Submission Checklist
Run through this checklist before clicking Submit on any expense report:

✓ Every expense line has the correct project number and phase selected.
✓ Every line has a descriptive memo answering: What? For what project purpose? Where?
✓ Every line has a receipt attached (or a mileage log entry for mileage lines).
✓ The Billable flag is set correctly on every line — confirmed with PM if any doubt.
✓ Meal expenses include a list of attendees in the description or attached.
✓ All dates match the actual dates on the receipts — not the date of entry.
✓ There are no duplicate lines.
✓ The report total matches the sum of your receipts.
✓ Subconsultant invoices were confirmed with accounting before submission.
✓ For government projects, all expenses are allowable under FAR Part 31.
✓ The report is being submitted at least 3 days before the payroll export cutoff.

Expense Category Quick Reference
Category Billable? (Typical) Receipt Required?
Mileage — project site Yes (confirm contract) Mileage log required
Mileage — internal
meeting
No — overhead Mileage log required
Air travel Yes (if project travel) E-ticket / itinerary
Car rental Yes (if project travel) Rental agreement + final receipt
Lodging Yes (if project travel) Itemized hotel folio
Meals — overnight
travel
Yes (per diem limit) Itemized receipt + attendees
Meals — working lunch
(local)
No — overhead Itemized receipt + attendees
Client entertainment Usually no — overhead Itemized receipt + attendees +
business purpose

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Reproduction / printing Yes (confirm contract) Vendor invoice
Postage / delivery Yes Shipping receipt
Permit and agency fees Yes — at cost Agency-issued receipt
Subconsultant invoices Yes (usually + markup) Subconsultant invoice
Project software /
equipment rental
Confirm with PM Vendor invoice
Errors and omissions
costs
Never billable N/A — not reimbursable by client
Marketing / proposal
costs
Never billable Overhead charge only

Key Contacts for Expense Questions
Question Who to Contact
Is this expense billable under my
contract?
Your Project Manager
What is the mileage rate currently
configured in Ajera?
Accounting
Can I submit this subconsultant
invoice as a personal expense?
Accounting — before you pay the subconsultant
My expense report is stuck in
approval for more than 5 days
Your direct supervisor or the project manager listed on the
report
My reimbursement did not appear on
my pay stub
Accounting — have both your Ajera report number and
Paycor pay stub ready
Is this cost allowable on my
government contract?
Accounting or your project manager — err on the side of
overhead until confirmed
I lost a receipt Prepare a Missing Receipt Affidavit — ask accounting for the
form
I was reimbursed for something I
shouldn't have been
Report it to accounting immediately. Return the overpayment
proactively.
I need to correct a posted expense
report
Contact accounting — corrections to posted records require
accounting intervention

This concludes the Employee Expense Reporting Guide. Use it as a day-to-day reference whenever
you are preparing an expense report or have a question about whether a cost qualifies as a project
expense. The firm depends on accurate expense documentation to recover costs from clients, remain
compliant with government contract requirements, and ensure you are reimbursed correctly and on
time.