Many construction workers still submit expenses via desktop, creating delays that hide real time project costs, slow reimbursement, and overload project teams at month end. Mobile and WhatsApp submissions eliminate this lag and give site managers immediate visibility.
The silent bottleneck for site managers
In construction, where margins are tight and workforces are constantly on the move, speed matters. Materials need ordering. Subcontractors need paying. Workers need reimbursing quickly to protect their own cash flow.
But there’s a silent, unnecessary delay embedded in many construction businesses: most expense claims are still being submitted via desktop PC instead of mobile. And this single behaviour is keeping workers out of pocket longer than they need to be and creating an avoidable bottleneck for site managers, who are left waiting for accurate, real-time cost information before they can make informed decisions. When receipts only come through hours—or days—after the spend happens, managers lose visibility, forecasts slip, and small delays compound across the project.
What our data shows about desktop submission delays
Despite the nature of construction work being mobile, 47% of expense claims are still submitted through desktop compared to just 32% through the mobile app. WhatsApp, despite being widely used on construction sites for day‑to‑day communication, accounts for only 4% of submissions.
This means workers often wait until they’re back in the site office or worse, at home, to submit receipts. The result of this is a time lag in submission even through approvals themselves can be fast.
Why submission lag matters
Once a claim is submitted, finance teams move quickly.
- Median approval time: 1.8 days
- Average approval time: 8.2 days
These figures demonstrate that the issue isn’t on the site of the finance. The problem is that workers simply are not submitting their claims in real time.
When claims aren’t submitted in real time and pile up:
- Paper receipts get misplaced or damaged
- Project managers lose sight of real‑time spend
- Workers wait weeks to get reimbursed
- End of the month administration becomes overwhelming
All of this can be solved by simply shifting more workers to mobile and instant messaging submission methods.
The financial impact on workers and managers
In 2025, construction workers submitted 22,556 expense claims through our expense management platform, Capture Expense, with an average claim value of £66.19. Even a small delay can escalate the challenges that a business faces. But on a personal level, the site manager or site worker takes a personal cashflow hit. And for workers who are already facing a continually rising cost of living, even a £30-£60 hole in their finances can matter, especially when it is unnecessary. Mobile submission removes this barrier.
For project managers, delayed submission can cause budget management issues:
- Budgets appear healthier than they are
- Costs land suddenly in a large batch
- Forecasting becomes reactive
- Reporting accuracy suffers
Month‑end pressure increases too. This habit of submitting expenses in large batches delays cost visibility and raises the risk of inaccurate project reporting.
Paper versus digital: a workflow built for delays
One of the key challenges is that the construction industry still relies heavily on paper receipts, with only 35% of expenses submitted digitally. Paper almost guarantees a slower workflow. Workers have to keep hold of receipts onsite, check they’re readable, take them back to a desktop, and then scan or photograph and upload them. Every step introduces time, admin, and the risk of loss or error. By comparison, mobile submissions provide frictionless, near‑instant capture that fits the way construction teams actually work.
So, what positive impacts are experienced when submissions shift to mobile devices?
1. Real-time expense tracking
Workers submit at the point of purchase, giving project managers immediate, accurate cost visibility.
2. Dramatically reduced reimbursement delays
If a claim is submitted instantly workers are reimbursed significantly faster.
3. Lower rejection rates
Mobile submissions reduce errors that lead to rejected claims (especially in high‑rejection categories like subsistence and hotel stays).
4. Less end‑of‑month admin
No more piles of receipts dumped onto a site manager’s desk on the last Friday of the month.
5. Better project cost accuracy
Project managers get a real‑time view of ad‑hoc, non‑PO expenditure which is vital for accurate forecasting.
How construction first can encourage mobile-first adoption
Encouraging mobile-first behaviour on site is crucial to increase visibility of out-of-pocket expenses. There are some practical things that construction companies can do to make the shift towards digital expenses simpler for the workforce.
- Put QR codes on noticeboards that link to the mobile app, so that workers can install the app in seconds giving them instant access to the platform.
- Train supervisors and foremen to encourage on‑the‑spot submission. Behaviour change starts with leadership so demonstrating the benefits of this needs to be a top-down initiative.
- Promote WhatsApp submission for quick, informal capture. Workers already use WhatsApp for everything else so make expenses just as easy by using this as the chosen solution.
- Use AI‑assisted capture to automate data entry. The app can extract amounts, dates, and categories from a single photo removing the need for this information to be inputted manually.
- Reward fast submission habits. Simple incentives (e.g. ‘submit on the day, get reimbursed faster’) can shift behaviour quickly.
Desktop workflows don’t fit a mobile workforce
Desktop‑dominant workflows simply don’t fit the reality of construction work. Workers are mobile. Managers are mobile. Costs occur on the move. By enabling and encouraging mobile and WhatsApp submissions, construction companies can reduce reimbursement times, give project managers real-time cost visibility, significantly reduce monthly administrative spikes and improve overall financial accuracy across projects. The beauty of this shift is that it doesn’t require any major investment or new technology, it simply uses the tools that workers already have in their pockets.
Why do site workers delay submitting expenses?
Because desktop‑only workflows force workers to wait until they’re back in the site office or at home before they can upload receipts. On-site purchases often sit in vans or pockets for days because workers don’t have a quick, mobile way to submit them in the moment.
How does delayed submission affect project managers?
When receipts aren’t submitted instantly, daily spend is invisible. That means budgets can look healthier than they really are, with costs suddenly appearing in large batches later in the month, making forecasting reactive rather than proactive.
What’s the fastest way to improve real time visibility on site?
Encouraging mobile or WhatsApp submissions ensures receipts are captured immediately at the point of purchase, giving project leaders up‑to‑date spend data without relying on delayed desktop workflows.
Find out more about Capture Expense
We’re so much more than just an app to track your business expenses. From saving days reconciling your credit cards to getting customised insights in an instant with your finance copilot, here’s everything you need to know about Capture Expense.