This article explains how to invite coworkers to your Spendesk account, and how to manage their information after they've joined.
For: Account Owners and Administrators
Before you start
Required role: Only Account Owners and Administrators can invite, edit, and manage members.
Plan restriction: The Cost centre column in the bulk-upload Excel template is not available on the Starter plan.
Setup: For bulk import, download the dedicated .xlsx template from Spendesk first, don't use a generic spreadsheet, since the column structure must match exactly.
Good to know: Invitations are sent immediately once submitted, by any of the three methods (email, link, or file upload), double-check email addresses and role assignments before sending.
Invite new members
To get started, go to Settings > Organisation > Members, then click Invite new members.
You have three ways to invite people:
By email
Invite up to 500 coworkers at once by entering their email addresses in the text box. Separate multiple addresses with commas.
All invited members will be assigned the same:
Role - choose between Administrator, Controller, or Requester (default is Requester)
Cost centre - select a cost centre if applicable (default is no cost centre)
What to know:
Additional roles can be combined once the invitation has been accepted.
Reminder emails are sent automatically after 3, 6, and 12 days.
Only the most recent invite email contains a valid link. If a user received multiple invites, they should use the latest one.
Make sure invite emails don't end up in the spam folder.
The link in the latest email remains valid indefinitely until the user completes their account activation.
What your coworkers will see
Invited members receive an email from Spendesk with a personal Accept the invitation link. The email introduces them to Spendesk and gives them three tips to get started:
Create a request when they need to make a purchase
Get a virtual card once the request is approved
Complete their purchase using the card details
They simply click the link to activate their account.
By link
This option lets people join Spendesk as Requesters under the default company policy.
Step 1: Create your shareable link
Click Create shareable link to generate a unique invitation URL.
Step 2: Set your access restriction
Choose who can use the link:
Allow anyone with the following link - anyone with the URL can join
Only allow email addresses ending with @domain.com - restricts sign-up to people with your company email domain
Step 3: Share the link
Copy the link and share it with your team.
Deleting the link
Click Delete the link to invalidate the current URL. Once deleted, people will no longer be able to join Spendesk using that link. You'll need to create a new one if you want to invite more people in the future.
What your coworkers will see
When they open the link, they'll land on a sign-up page to join your company on Spendesk. They can sign up using Google, Microsoft, or email.
By file upload
Import up to 500 members at once using a pre-formatted Excel template.
Step 1: Download the template
Download the .xlsx custom template and open it in Excel or a compatible tool.
Step 2: Fill in the template
Complete the template with your members' details. The following columns are available:
Column | Required? |
First name | Required |
Last name | Required |
Required | |
Roles | Optional |
Manager email | Optional |
Cost centre | Optional |
IBAN | Optional |
BIC | Optional |
About roles
You can assign one or multiple roles by separating them with a comma. Available roles are:
Administrator - access to operational settings: editing expense policies, inviting users, ordering physical cards for employees, etc.
Controller - access to accounting features: viewing all requests and payments, the account balance, downloading exports, setting up accounting codes, sending invoice reminders, etc.
Requester - can make payments and request card reloads.
About cost centres
The template includes a dedicated sheet listing all cost centres available for your company. Cost centres help group spending requests so you can track related budgets. To see your latest cost centres, re-download the template.
⚠️ The Cost centre column is not available on the Starter plan.
Step 3: Import your file
Once the template is filled in, drag and drop it into the upload area or click to import it from your computer.
All members on the list will automatically receive an email inviting them to join Spendesk.
What your coworkers will see
Invited members receive an email from Spendesk with a personal Accept the invitation link. The email introduces them to Spendesk and gives them three tips to get started:
Create a request when they need to make a purchase
Get a virtual card once the request is approved
Complete their purchase using the card details
They simply click the link to activate their account.
For more details, troubleshooting and FAQs, see Bulk import of members.
Invite your accountant
If you want to give your accountant access to Spendesk, set them up as a Controller. This role gives them visibility into financial data without allowing them to make payments.
If they also need to submit purchase requests or make payments, you can additionally assign them a Requester role.
For a full overview of roles and what each one allows, see Understand roles and permissions.
Manage members
Once a coworker has accepted their invitation and registered, you can manage their profile under Settings > Organisation > Members. Click on a member, then select Edit member’s profile.
Editable fields include: first name, last name, role, team, and approval policy.
Fields that cannot be edited directly:
Phone number - the member must update this themselves, as it requires confirmation.
Email address - see below for how to request an email change.
You can also download the full members list by clicking Download your members list & activity in the top-right corner.
Request an email address change
Administrators and Account Owners can request an email address change on behalf of a member. Because this is a sensitive action, the change requires approval from other Administrators or the Account Owner before it takes effect.
Step 1: Submit the request
When editing a member's profile, click on their email address. A pop-up will appear:
The member's current email is pre-filled for reference.
Enter the new email address in the provided field.
Click Send for approval.
Step 2: Verify your identity
Spendesk will ask you to verify your identity before the request is submitted. You can authenticate using one of the following methods:
Authenticate on mobile via the Spendesk app
SMS code sent to your registered phone number
Authenticator app (e.g. Google Authenticator)
Step 3: Pending approval
Once your identity is verified, the request is submitted. You'll see a confirmation message:
Email change pending approval - The email address will be updated to the new address once approved.
The company's Administrators and Account Owner will receive the request and can approve or reject it. The email address will only be updated once the request has been approved.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: A new member says they never received their invitation email.
Cause: The email landed in their spam folder, or they're looking at an older invite email instead of the latest one.
Resolution: Ask them to check their spam folder. If they received multiple invites, tell them to use the link in the most recent email only, older invite links are not valid.
Symptom: A member clicks an invite link and it doesn't work.
Cause: They used a link from an older invite email. Only the most recent invite email contains a valid, usable link.
Resolution: Resend the invitation, or ask the member to locate and use the latest invitation email instead.
Symptom: The "Cost centre" column doesn't appear in the bulk import Excel template.
Cause: The Cost centre column isn't available on the Starter plan.
Resolution: Assign cost centres manually after the member joins, or upgrade your plan if cost centre assignment at invite time is needed.
Symptom: You can't edit a member's email address directly from their profile.
Cause: Email address changes are a sensitive action and always require approval from another Administrator or the Account Owner.
Resolution: Use the "Request an email address change" flow: click the member's email address, enter the new one, click Send for approval, then verify your identity. Another Administrator or the Account Owner must approve it before it takes effect.
Symptom: A member's phone number field is greyed out or can't be edited by an Administrator.
Cause: Phone numbers can only be updated by the member themselves, since the change requires their own confirmation.
Resolution: Ask the member to update their phone number directly from their own profile.
Symptom: An email change request stays stuck at "Email change pending approval."
Cause: The request requires approval from another Administrator or the Account Owner before the address is updated.
Resolution: Ask another Administrator or the Account Owner to review and approve the pending request.
FAQ
Can I invite more than 500 people at once?
No. Both the "By email" and "By file upload" methods are capped at 500 members per batch.
What role do people get when they join through the shareable link?
They join as Requesters, under your company's default approval policy.
Can I restrict who can use the shareable invite link?
Yes. When creating the link, choose "Only allow email addresses ending with @domain.com" instead of "Allow anyone with the following link."
Who can request an email address change for a member?
Only Administrators and Account Owners can submit the request, and it must be approved by another Administrator or the Account Owner.
Can I edit a member's phone number for them?
No. The member must update it themselves, since the change requires their own confirmation.
How do I give my accountant purchasing rights in addition to financial visibility?
Assign them a Requester role in addition to their Controller role.