Submission Deadlines & Grace Period Explained

Short Answer

You have until the third business day after the month ends to submit purchases from the previous month, unless noted otherwise in your Category Guide. This is your grace period - as long as the purchase date (or connected card transaction date) falls within the previous month, it will count toward that month's reimbursement.

Example: A purchase made on January 15, 2026 → submitted on February 2, 2026 (within the grace period) → counts toward January's reimbursement ✓

How submission timing works

JOON operates on a monthly submission cycle. Purchases should be submitted during the month they occur, but you have a short grace period at the start of the following month to catch anything you missed.

Here's what to know:

Purchases submitted during the month they occurred → count toward that month ✓
Purchases submitted during the grace period with a purchase date in the previous month → still count toward the previous month ✓
Purchases submitted after the grace period ends → may still be submitted, but will count toward the current month's reimbursement, not the original purchase month

Important: What determines which month a purchase counts toward is the purchase date (or the date of the connected card transaction) - not the date you submit it. The grace period gives you extra time to submit, but it doesn't change the date of the purchase itself.

This applies even if your program is quarterly, annual, or includes rollover — submission timing still matters.

Grace period explained

At the end of each month, you have a small window to finish submitting purchases from that month.

The deadline is the third business day of the following month, unless your Category Guide specifies otherwise
Business days do not include weekends or federal bank holidays
The purchase or connected card transaction must have a date within the previous month to count toward that month's reimbursement

Always check your Category Guide to verify the exact submission deadline for your benefit.

Example:

Purchase date: January 15
You submit it on: February 2 (within the grace period)
Result: counts toward January ✓

What happens after the grace period?

Once the grace period closes, the previous month is locked — you will no longer be able to submit a purchase and have it count toward that month.

If you have a purchase from a closed month, you have a couple of options:

Submit a late reimbursement request - approval is not guaranteed and depends on your employer's program settings
Submit the purchase in the current month - it will count toward your current month's reimbursement limit instead

If you're unsure which option is right for your situation, we recommend reaching out via the late reimbursement request form.

Tips to stay on track

Submit purchases as soon as possible - ideally before the month ends
Review your account in the last few days of each month, especially if you use a connected card
Don't wait until the grace period if you can help it - the sooner, the better

Common questions

Do I still need to submit purchases monthly if I have a yearly allowance? Yes. Regardless of your allowance cycle, all purchases must still be submitted in the month they were made (or during the following grace period).
What if I forgot to submit a purchase and the grace period has passed? Once the grace period ends, you can no longer submit that purchase toward the previous month. You can either submit a late reimbursement request (approval not guaranteed) or submit it in the current month, where it will count toward your current reimbursement limit.
Do weekends or holidays affect the deadline? Yes. Only business days count toward the grace period deadline. Federal holidays and weekends are excluded.
What's the difference between the grace period and submitting a late purchase? The grace period is the official window to submit last month's purchases - and since the purchase date falls in the previous month, they'll still count toward that month. A late submission is anything after the grace period closes; those count toward the current month instead, regardless of when the purchase was originally made.
I used a connected card - does the same rule apply? Yes. For connected card purchases, the transaction date is what determines which month the purchase belongs to, not the date you submit it in JOON.