Key takeaways
- Shipbuilding reimbursements need an Epicor integration that posts expenses with hull, job and work order coding, not just a GL account.
- Vergo proposes the coding by inference from your own accounting structure and history, with every coding showing why it was chosen so a reviewer confirms in seconds instead of re-coding by hand.
- Effective tools support receipt capture from a phone, multi-tier approval workflows, and real-time visibility into spend against hull and program budgets.
- Compliance-grade audit trails are essential for government shipbuilding contracts subject to FAR/DFARS cost principles and DCAA review.
- Per diem and allowance support is critical for yards sending workers to remote dry docks, outfitting berths and sea trials.
Where should you go next?
- See the Vergo + Epicor integration
- Learn more about Vergo Employee Reimbursements
- Learn more about Vergo Expense Management
- Learn more about Vergo AP Invoice Automation
Why Shipbuilding Companies Need Reimbursement Tools That Sync With Epicor
Shipbuilding programs spread costs across hulls, ship systems and work packages. When yard staff buy tools, consumables or travel out of pocket, those expenses must be coded to the right hull, department and Epicor job or work order, not dumped into a generic expense bucket. Most generic expense tools were designed for corporate travel, not shipyards. They lack the hull and work order logic controllers need to reconcile yard spending against program budgets in Epicor. The result is manual re-entry, coding errors and slow reimbursement cycles that frustrate yard staff and delay close. Common problems include receipts submitted without a hull number or work order, AP clerks coding expenses in Epicor after the fact, no visibility into yard spend until it is submitted, approval bottlenecks because program managers are not involved at submission, and audit findings from missing documentation or unmatched receipts.
What to Look For in an Epicor-Compatible Reimbursement Tool
Evaluating reimbursement software for a shipyard calls for a tighter checklist than standard expense management. The tool must push expense data directly into Epicor, not through spreadsheet exports or middleware workarounds, and should pull jobs, work orders and GL structure from Epicor automatically. Workers must be able to tag expenses to a hull number, work order or ship system at submission, drawn from your live Epicor lists to reduce coding errors. Yard staff are not at desks, so receipt capture from a phone is essential. Multi-tier approval workflows ensure the right person signs off before costs post to Epicor, since shipyard reimbursements often need approval from a supervisor, program manager and controller. Controllers should see reimbursement spend against hull and program budgets as it happens, not after month-end close. Vergo handles this by syncing coded expenses into your general ledger, with transactions ready to code the moment they happen and approval workflows that route by GL account, by amount, or by project.
Compliance and Per-Diem Requirements
Every receipt, approval and GL posting must be timestamped and traceable. That is critical on government shipbuilding contracts subject to FAR/DFARS cost principles, where every transaction must withstand DCAA audits and contract reviews. Yards also pay daily allowances to workers traveling to remote dry docks, outfitting berths or sea trials. The tool should handle flat-rate per diems alongside receipt-based reimbursements, with both posting correctly to Epicor. That keeps allowances out of separate systems and spreadsheets, cuts reconciliation work, and sends all travel-related expenses through one validated channel into hull and program cost reports.
How Vergo Handles This
Vergo integrates with Epicor and syncs coded expenses into your general ledger and hull-level jobs. Employees handle everything by text message, with no app to download and no portal login, and Vergo chases missing receipts itself. Transactions are ready to code the moment they happen, and once they clear, they sync into Epicor without manual re-entry. Vergo proposes the coding by inference from your own accounting structure and history, with no rule library to build, no keyword lists to maintain, and new vendors coded on first sight. Every coding shows why it was chosen, so a reviewer confirms in seconds instead of re-coding by hand. Approval workflows are optional and fit how you already control spend: route by GL account, by amount, or by project, or skip approval flows entirely and let policy flags catch only what breaks a rule. Card spend, employee reimbursements, and AP invoices run through one coding model — same coding, same review, one reconciliation — and payment stays on the rails you already use.
Related Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Epicor have built-in expense reimbursement functionality for shipbuilding?
Epicor includes accounts payable and job and project costing, but its native expense workflow is limited for shipyards with many mobile workers. Most shipbuilders use a dedicated reimbursement tool that integrates with Epicor for receipt capture from a phone, hull and work order coding, and multi-tier approvals before expenses post.
How should reimbursements be coded for hull-level costing in Epicor?
Each reimbursement should reference a hull number or program, a work order or work package, and a cost type such as labor, material or other direct cost. These must match the job structure already set up in Epicor so expenses land on the right budget line. Coding after the fact adds errors and delays reporting.
What compliance requirements apply to reimbursements on government shipbuilding contracts?
Government shipbuilding contracts often fall under FAR Part 31 cost principles or DFARS supplements, which require reimbursed employee expenses to be allowable, allocable and documented. Controllers must retain receipts, show the contract allocation and prove approval before payment. A reimbursement tool with timestamped audit trails meets most cost accounting audit needs.
Can Vergo handle per diem reimbursements for shipyard workers at remote dry docks?
Yes. Vergo supports receipt-based reimbursements and flat-rate per diem allowances, common for shipyard teams deployed to remote yards, dry docks or sea trials. Both are coded to the correct Epicor job, work order and GL account, and both flow through the same configurable approval workflow before posting.
How long does it take to integrate a reimbursement tool with Epicor?
Timelines depend on the tool and how your Epicor environment is configured. Pre-built integrations typically take days to configure rather than weeks. The main setup work is mapping Epicor jobs, work orders and GL segments and setting approval workflows that match your program hierarchy.
Does Vergo's Epicor integration post reimbursements to both jobs and the general ledger?
Yes. Vergo posts reimbursement data to the Epicor job and the general ledger in one sync, eliminating dual entry. Controllers can map GL accounts by cost type, department or program so expenses land correctly across both reporting views in Epicor.
