Expense Policy Exception Review
Design an accountable review queue for employee expenses that fall outside policy because of documented circumstances.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
Expense policies encode common cases, but travel disruptions, accessibility needs, emergencies, and regional price differences create legitimate exceptions. Reviewers need consistency without treating a policy flag as a final decision.
User context
Omar reviews expenses for a global nonprofit. A field coordinator exceeded the hotel cap after a flood closed nearby lodging and attached a local emergency notice.
Product problem
Omar needs to understand the rule, context, precedent, and financial impact while the employee deserves a clear and appealable decision.
Objective
Create an exception queue, case review, decision, and communication flow that supports fair policy judgment.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Prioritize exceptions by deadline, value, and impact
- Review the expense beside the relevant policy version
- Inspect evidence and comparable past decisions
- Approve, partially approve, or decline with a clear rationale
Screens and states
- Exception queue
- Expense and policy comparison
- Decision workspace
- Employee outcome and appeal
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Omar opens the hotel exception before payroll cutoff
- 02
He confirms that the expense exceeded the cap by $72 and reviews the flood notice
- 03
A previous case offers context but is not treated as binding
- 04
He approves the full amount, records the exceptional circumstances, and sends the outcome
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Display the exact policy rule and version that triggered review
- Keep employee explanation in the original wording
- Show precedent with enough context to avoid false equivalence
- Require rationale and evidence references for each decision
- Explain payment timing and appeal options to the employee
Constraints
- A policy flag cannot make the final decision
- Sensitive accessibility or medical details require restricted access
- Past decisions may reflect outdated policy
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Four desktop screens covering review through employee communication
- Decision-state content for approval, partial approval, decline, and more information needed
If you want more
Optional extensions
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.