Reimburse Church Staff and Volunteers Faster With ACH Payments in Sage Expense Management

Waiting weeks for a reimbursement? That shouldn’t be normal.
But for many churches, that’s the reality.

When a volunteer buys snacks for Sunday School or a pastor covers gas for a ministry visit, they’re doing it willingly, but waiting weeks to be reimbursed has become far too common in many churches.

Reimbursements often get delayed because receipts pile up, approvals take too long, and checks are issued only when the finance team has time. Volunteers sometimes wait days or weeks to get paid back, while finance teams spend hours coordinating signatures and tracking payments manually.

Churches aren’t slow.
The process is.

That’s why Sage Expense Management gives churches a faster, simpler way to pay people back: ACH reimbursements.

Why Reimbursements Get Stuck in Churches

Church reimbursement delays almost always come down to the same issues:

• Paper checks slow everything down
  Printing, signing, mailing, coordinating — it all takes time.

• Approvals happen late
  Ministry leaders and pastors are often offsite or busy.

• Volunteers submit receipts weeks later
  Which pushes everything back even more.

• Finance teams track payouts manually
  Spreadsheets, sticky notes, and email reminders make it messy.

• No visibility for staff
  People don’t know when they’ll actually be reimbursed.

All of this adds up to a slow, frustrating experience for everyone.

ACH Reimbursements: How It Works in Sage Expense Management

Sage Expense Management lets churches reimburse staff and volunteers directly to their bank accounts, without writing a single check.

No signatures.
No paper.
No waiting for the next reimbursement cycle.

Here’s what happens:

1. Staff or volunteers submit an expense report.
   Receipts, ministry tags, and notes are all captured in one place.

2. Approvers review and approve.
   Finance team or ministry leads give the green light.

3. Finance initiates the ACH reimbursement.
   With a single click, funds are sent directly to the employee’s or volunteer’s bank account.

4. Everyone gets real-time updates.
   Both finance and the submitter can see the status (Processing / Completed) right from their dashboard.

One-Time Setup, Then You’re Good to Go

Getting started with ACH reimbursements in Sage Expense Management is easy:

• Admins configure the ACH connection through a verified business account

• Employees and volunteers enter their bank details once

• After setup, Sage handles every approved reimbursement automatically

You can:

• Reimburse users individually or in bulk

• Track when funds are sent and received

• Export reports for accounting or audit purposes

• Even handle partial reimbursements for reports that are only partly approved

Why Churches Love ACH Reimbursements

For Finance Teams

• Pay volunteers and staff faster
  No more waiting for check runs or leadership signatures.

• Eliminate paper checks entirely
  Everything is digital, traceable, and secure.

• Reduce manual admin work
  No spreadsheet tracking or follow-ups for bank info.

• Track bank setup easily
  See who has added their bank details — and send reminders.

• Avoid payment errors
  If an ACH fails, Sage shows exactly why so you can fix it quickly.

• Stay audit-ready
  Every reimbursement is logged with full timestamps and history.

For Staff & Volunteers

• Fast, predictable reimbursements
  Money arrives directly in their bank account — without waiting.

• Clear visibility into payment timing
  Expected reimbursement dates appear right inside their report.

• No need to visit the church office
  No more stopping by to pick up checks.

• No delays from busy ministry leaders
  Reimbursements move forward as soon as approvals happen.

• A smoother, more supportive experience
  People feel valued when reimbursements are simple and fast.

Reimburse Your Church Team Faster — Without the Hassle

Your staff and volunteers give their time, energy, and resources to serve the church.

Getting reimbursed shouldn’t be a burden.

With ACH reimbursements in Sage Expense Management, your church can:

• Speed up payments

• Reduce manual work

• Improve volunteer satisfaction

• Stay transparent and audit-ready

{{church-reimbursements="/cta-banners"}}