How do i set up a contra expense account for reimbursable purchases?

I have easy steps to set up a contra expense account for reimbursable purchases in QuickBooks, @phoms.

Before that, I'd recommend consulting an accountant to guide you with the correct account to use and also for categorization. Once confirmed, you can follow the steps below: 

1. Go to the Accounting menu and choose Chart of Accounts. 
2. Select the New button on the left side and Expenses. 
3. Pick the appropriate account and click Save. 

Once done, check out these articles below to learn when to use Pay Bills or Cheques and the different ways of refunding suppliers in QuickBooks: 

• What is the difference between bills, cheques, and expenses?
• Handle supplier credits and refunds in QuickBooks Online

Feel free to post again if you have follow-up questions about recording refund transactions in QuickBooks Online. I'm always here to help. Have a good one.