SAP Concur published a blog for AP Recognition Week, suggesting businesses show appreciation for accounts payable teams by providing automation tools, skill development opportunities, and leadership roles. It highlights that AP automation improves efficiency and reduces costs.
SAP Concur blog explains that a business process is a set of activities that accomplish a specific business goal, using expense reimbursement as an example with steps: setting guidelines, employee tracking expenses, submitting claims, employer verification, and reimbursement. It also discusses the importance of business processes and benefits of software.
SAP Concur blog presents five ways to improve budget clarity: automate processes, align budget with business objectives, enhance transparency, consolidate data, and stay on top of tax rules. It emphasizes that travel, expense, and invoice automation can help businesses manage spending better.
SAP Concur blog presents three steps to eliminate finance hacks: let automation ROI guide you, show your people what's possible, and update your expense policies. It cites survey data showing automation reduces missing receipts, shortens approval time, saves money, and achieves quick ROI.
SAP Concur and the National Association of Counties (NACo) hosted a webinar on finance transformation for county government organizations. The article notes that counties face tight budgets, changing regulations, and rising demands for transparency and accountability. Finance transformation can improve efficiency and accuracy, address workforce changes, and strengthen compliance and accountability. Steps include evaluating the current state, defining objectives, developing a road map, and engaging stakeholders.
SAP Concur published a blog on AI applications in travel and expense (T&E) management. It cites IDC data that 45% of businesses see opportunities for AI to improve payments, expense management, and analytics. SAP Concur's Verify uses AI to automatically audit expense reports, and ExpenseIt reduced returned reports from 14% to 1.2%. In 2022, $1.6 billion in spending exceptions went unexamined, while Verify automatically audited 97% of 2.8 million reports between January 2022 and June 2023.
SAP Concur published a blog detailing the top 10 features of Concur Invoice and the ROI customers achieved. After automating AP workflows, customers reported a 29% reduction in time spent capturing invoices, a 26% reduction in budget overspending, and 11% cost savings through supplier-negotiated rates. These efficiencies resulted in an estimated 134 hours saved per week, $43K saved annually, and positive ROI in only 7 months.
SAP Concur published a blog detailing Concur Expense features and the ROI customers achieved. After implementing expense management automation, customers reported a 47% reduction in missing receipts, 32% reduction in approval time, 28% reduction in mileage excess claims, 26% reduction in budget overspending, and 26% increase in tax reclaim savings. Efficiencies resulted in an estimated 148 hours saved per week, $54K saved annually, and positive ROI in 7 months.
SAP Concur published an article discussing the benefits of accounts payable (AP) automation. It notes that 70% of organizations are not automated across financial processes, and manual invoice processing can take up to 9.5 hours per invoice. AP automation uses technologies like e-invoicing and OCR to improve spend visibility, optimize supplier contracts, reduce risk, and improve cash flow forecasting. The article also discusses where to start and the importance of change management.
SAP Concur podcast features Chris Elmore, Chief Evangelist of AvidXchange, discussing the transformative power of AP automation. The conversation notes that although AP automation can increase efficiency, visibility, and control, fewer than 20% of businesses have fully automated AP processes, and 70% of invoice processing is still paper-based. The discussion covers the evolution of the AP profession, automation opportunities, and how to drive change by focusing on mission, purpose, and outcome.
SAP Concur presents Concur Expense, its automated expense management solution, citing Analysys Mason 2022 research data: users reported a 47% reduction in missing receipts, 32% reduction in approval time, approximately $54K annual savings, and positive ROI in only 7 months. Concur Expense was also recognized by TrustRadius as a 2023 Top-Rated software in both Expense Management and Travel Management categories.
A SAP Concur blog post debunks four common myths about accounts payable (AP) automation: automation does not cause job loss but reduces mundane tasks; company size does not affect the benefits; implementation typically takes weeks, not months; and while costs may seem high, SAP Concur customers typically see a three-year ROI of 634% and break even in four months. The post notes that businesses relying on paper-based systems are prone to errors, at risk of fraud, and lack spend visibility.
Forrester Consulting published a thought leadership paper commissioned by SAP Concur, based on a global survey of T&E software decision-makers in finance, travel, IT, or procurement. 76% of decision-makers rank increasing automation to improve efficiency and productivity as a high or critical priority, 78% prefer a single platform to manage T&E processes, and 64% report their companies are under pressure to manage costs. 77% believe travel is important or very important to managing customer relationships, and 67% cite its role in obtaining new customers. The report says integrated platforms outperform fragmented solutions on data visibility and system connectivity.
The 2023 Accounts Payable Automation Trends report, conducted by the Institute of Financial Operations & Leadership (IFOL) and sponsored by SAP Concur, found more than 80% of AP teams still manually key invoices into ERP or accounting software. 51% of AP teams process between 500 and 5,000 invoices per month, 56% spend more than ten hours a week processing invoices, and 41% spend over ten hours a week processing supplier payments. The report says that although AP teams recognize technology can improve invoice management, the rate and speed of automation failed to pick up much pace over the last three years.
An SAP Concur blog post argues that without clearly spelled-out policies, employees cannot know what is reimbursable, so clear and adaptable travel and expense policies are critical. It cites research showing 100% of travel managers expect to change policies in the coming year, 94% of business travelers plan greener travel steps over the next 12 months, 72% of companies say automated T&E improves response to business challenges, and 34% of businesses adopting T&E automation saw fewer reports rejected over receipts. It advises formalizing policies covering flights, lodging, food and entertainment while building in flexibility.
An SAP Concur blog post says T&E processes still relying on paper receipts, manual forms and employee-funded cards hurt productivity and frustrate staff. Automated T&E solutions provide an accurate, up-to-date view of travel spending that helps control costs, improve cash flow and target spending. Cloud solutions are now more affordable for SMBs, and the post cites Analysys Mason finding that businesses using SAP Concur T&E solutions save an estimated $54,000 a year and 148 hours weekly for finance or accounting teams. Selection should weigh integration, ease of use, and visibility and control.
An SAP Concur blog post says IT leaders adopting, integrating and implementing business applications face a tight labor market, budget pressure and the need to fold sustainability and social goals into metrics. A report by Oxford Economics and SAP Concur shows 46% cite increasing functional efficiency as their organization's top priority, 75% use basic automation to boost efficiency and 68% say advanced automation raises more efficiency. It suggests IT leaders focus on four areas: simplify integration, provide wide-ranging support, secure data, systems and people, and measure sustainability.
An SAP Concur blog post says travel and spending are rebounding toward pre-pandemic levels. In 2022 SAP Concur processed 192 million expense reports, up 42% over 2021, and nearly 43 million travel transactions, up 110% year over year. But the spending mix has shifted: public transportation as an expense category fell from as much as 30% pre-pandemic to 10%, with more travelers opting for rental cars and spending on mileage, parking and tolls; the 'other' category rose from 4% in 2019 to as high as 25% in 2021 and remains a top-three category. Health and safety considerations and remote and hybrid work have added complexity, requiring new policies, processes and oversight.
An SAP Concur blog post says refining T&E with intelligent automation and digitized processes is a natural step in finance digital transformation, cutting paper, data entry errors and making expense data timelier and more trustworthy. It stresses that controls and compliance are often neglected when manual work is heavy: miscategorized spend causes budget, tax and compliance issues, and international travel spend carries anti-bribery risk with fines up to $2 million per violation. The SAP Concur and Oversight Spend Insights Report 2021 found excessive missing receipts up 58.6%, expense header keyword match violations up 26.7%, and duplicate mileage submissions up 2,127% from Q3 to Q4 2021.
A SAP Concur blog post argues that hybrid and flexible work, combined with increasingly sophisticated enterprise applications, has made digital adoption platforms (DAPs) a key tool. A DAP is a codeless software addition that simplifies processes within an enterprise application via in-interface guidance and tool tips. The post cites IDC research showing 87% of surveyed line-of-business respondents are automating their own work, and an IDC prediction that by 2025 CIOs investing in DAPs and automated learning technologies will see a 40% productivity increase. It also notes that more than 170 countries operate VAT systems, with regimes such as the UK's Making Tax Digital and the EU's SAF-T evo…
A SAP Concur blog post aimed at county governments examines how manual expense and invoice processes undermine spending control. It notes that employees delay submitting travel expense reports because the process is time-consuming, so organizations may not know total travel costs until weeks later; vendor invoice sign-off takes an estimated 11 days from receipt; and accounting and finance staff each spend an estimated 14 hours a week processing expenses and another 13 hours handling vendor invoices. It recommends capturing spending earlier via a central invoice portal, purchase order processes, and mobile receipt capture, and using automation to cut errors and fraud risk and unify data for…
A SAP Concur blog post examines whether corporate spending processes and key performance indicators need updating. It recommends focusing on several areas: paying expenses with corporate cards improves spend control and visibility and can yield rebates of up to 2%; automated receipt management shortens paper trails, and companies using SAP Concur solutions average 36% time savings in expense report handling; manual mileage tracking can result in as much as 15% more miles than actually traveled, while GPS-enabled mobile apps improve accuracy; and AI-based auditing reduces manual review burden. It also suggests measuring budget-versus-actual variance, employee refunds or updates, and adding o…
A SAP Concur blog post aimed at small businesses examines the hidden costs of manual credit card reconciliation. It says out-of-policy spending and outright fraud can easily fly under the radar with manual processes, and risks multiply if multiple employees share a single corporate card or if personal credit cards are used for business expenses; the average time span fraud lasts before detection is 14 months, and 76% of cases are committed at the employee or manager level. It says SAP Concur users reported 32% less time to approve expenses, 13 hours saved per finance/accounting employee per week, $18 saved per expense report, and positive ROI in 8 months after automating the expense process.
SAP Concur released ROI data reported by Concur Expense customers. Customers report a 43% reduction in misplaced receipts, 32% reduction in expense approval time, 50% less time to reimburse expenses, 65% more compliant expense reports and 26% reduction in budget overspending after automating. Customers also say it took only 7 months to pay back the initial investment, with a three-year ROI of 628%. The data comes from an AMI 2022 global study.
A SAP Concur blog post cites a 2022 Analysys Mason study finding that nearly half of finance leaders worldwide say fraud and risk management are their biggest challenges, and 44% cannot make informed decisions due to lack of timely financial information. The article highlights that manual expense management is costly, while automated solutions can mitigate fraud and noncompliance risks and improve productivity and profitability. The study estimates a T&E solution saves 13 hours weekly per finance or accounting team member. One customer reports spending 65% less time processing expense reports. 72% of businesses believe digital transformation is key to growth.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that automating accounts payable reduces paper and manual entry, fewer lost invoices and late fees, more early pay discounts, increased efficiency, and a more accurate cash flow view. It cites data: invoice processing time decreased by 82% to 3.1 days per invoice, cost per invoice decreased by 80% to $2.78, and invoice exceptions decreased by 59% to 9%. Another study shows companies with automated AP process 64% more vendor invoices monthly, over 66% of teams reported cost decreases, with average savings of 20%. The article suggests building the case with efficiency and savings data plus a 'what's in it for you' strategy.
A SAP Concur blog post emphasizes that in uncertain times, businesses gain certainty by controlling spending and strengthening compliance. It recommends automated solutions to integrate travel and expense processes, centralize data, adhere to budgets, optimize invoice processes, and improve compliance culture. The article also mentions auditing and intelligent automation to identify non-compliant spending.
A SAP Concur blog post discusses how spending patterns have changed, requiring businesses to adjust processes and KPIs. It recommends using corporate cards over cash, automating receipt management, GPS mileage tracking, and AI auditing. It cites data: SAP Concur solutions average 36% time savings in expense report handling, and manual mileage tracking can overstate miles by 15%.
This SAP Concur blog post discusses how businesses can prepare for unexpected changes by automating finance processes, setting priorities, managing cash flow, establishing remote work policies, and debriefing processes. It emphasizes that automation reduces errors and improves visibility, making businesses more resilient to disruptions.
This SAP Concur blog post highlights how manual processes and spreadsheets lead to poor spend visibility, inefficiency, and errors. Automated expense and invoice solutions can capture spending early, reduce errors and fraud risk, and support better decision-making with improved data.
This SAP Concur blog post explores how automated travel and expense solutions save costs by reducing manual processes, improving accuracy, and enhancing spend visibility. It also mentions savings through negotiation, tax reclaim, and avoiding roaming charges.
A SAP Concur blog post discusses how to improve the efficiency of corporate expense report auditing. Citing an IDC report, it states that automating the audit process can make expense report intake and handling 36% more efficient, reduce report completion time by 43%, and result in 65% more policy-compliant expense reports. The article recommends best practices such as reducing internal auditor effort, increasing data entry accuracy, using data to identify improvement opportunities, employing pre-authorized requests, reducing exceptions, improving first-pass ratio, increasing card adoption, and providing ongoing training.
A SAP Concur blog post provides a guide to assess accounts payable (AP) automation levels. Citing survey data, it notes that the average company processes 252 vendor invoices per month, spends 13 hours per week processing them, and takes 11 days to get sign-off approval for payment from receipt. The article categorizes AP automation into four levels: little to no automation, some automation, fully automated, and AI-enhanced automation, and provides characteristics and upgrade suggestions for each. It also mentions that after implementing an automated invoice management solution, 36% of businesses cited finance/accounting employee time savings as a top benefit, 46% cited increased employee s…
A SAP Concur blog post discusses how utilities and energy companies can improve employee experience. It cites Gartner's prediction that employee turnover will be 50% to 75% higher than companies have previously experienced; Gallup data showing it costs up to two times an employee's annual salary to replace them; 78% of employees strongly believe their employer is responsible for helping them increase job satisfaction and well-being; and 34% of employees expect a seamless technology experience but feel they don't have one. The article recommends improving satisfaction with enterprise applications, automating expense reporting and approval processes, and automating mileage capture to enhance…
Many county governments still use manual or paper-based expense reimbursement processes, leading to inefficiencies and lack of transparency. Manual systems are slow, error-prone, and more susceptible to fraud. Automating expense processes can speed up cycle times, eliminate human error, reduce fraud, and provide clear visibility into expenses. The article outlines benefits in spend management, control and compliance, and employee experience, and recommends SAP Concur solutions to help counties modernize their expense systems.
The article notes that policy violations for excessive personal expenses rose 21.8% from 2020 to 2021. It recommends four steps to improve expense policy compliance: review and refine expense categories (the 'Other' and 'Miscellaneous' categories ballooned to over 60% of spending from 2019 to 2021); write a more effective reimbursement policy; automate expense reports and reimbursements (SAP Concur customers reported 43% less time to submit, 65% more compliant claims, 50% less time to reimburse); and analyze expense data to inform business growth.
This article rounds up five spend management automation resources: a 3.5-minute video on building a business case for expense management automation; an updated expense policy guide and template; a KPI scorecard to measure spending program success; an expense automation solutions buyer's guide; and an accounts payable automation buyer's guide. These resources aim to help busy finance professionals quickly learn about automation and improve efficiency.
The article introduces two mileage tracking solutions integrated with Concur Expense: Drive and Motus FAVR. Drive, part of the Concur mobile app, uses phone sensors and GPS to measure distance, suitable for drivers reimbursed on a fixed per-mile rate; it can automatically or manually track trips and adds them to a draft expense claim in Concur Expense. Motus FAVR, an SAP Concur-endorsed app, is for U.S. employees driving over 5,000 miles annually, using a fixed and variable rate (FAVR) model that accounts for location, vehicle type, and other factors, tracking miles in real time and automatically generating expense reports.
The article notes governments are seeking new tax revenue, exposing businesses to compliance risks including fines and penalties. Global potential VAT reclamation is $74.9 billion, but 54% of VAT goes unclaimed annually. Compliance requirements span over 150 countries, challenging finance teams. SAP Concur offers Concur Benefits Assurance and Concur Tax Assurance by Blue dot, using AI and machine learning to automatically track, report, and calculate taxable benefits, optimize tax data integrity, help companies keep up with regulatory changes, avoid audits and penalties, and ensure VAT-eligible expenses are not left unclaimed.
SAP Concur and TransferMate discuss the challenges of cross-border payments, including manual processes, high fees, and compliance issues. TransferMate's automation solution reduces labor and improves efficiency, supporting 162 countries and 134 currencies.