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Sep 25Wed
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: The Development of Verify, a Thoughtful Automation Tool

    SAP Concur published an article on the development of Verify, its AI-powered expense audit tool. It cites ACFE data that organizations lose an estimated 5% of revenue to fraud annually, and a 2022 survey showing 89% of business travelers submitted at least one expense they weren't sure complied with company travel policy. SAP Concur introduced Policy Audit and Receipt Audit over a decade ago, which evolved into Intelligent Audit and then Verify. Verify can audit 100% of expense reports based on configurable rules, with a 24/7 team of auditors confirming when AI is unsure. The article also notes nearly one-third (32%) of occupational frauds are associated with a lack of internal controls.

Sep 23Mon
  1. US Travel Advisories

    U.S. State Department: Angola Level 2 Travel Advisory

    The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Angola: Exercise Increased Caution due to crime, health, unrest and landmines. It notes that violent crime such as armed robbery, assault, carjacking and homicide is common, and local police lack resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. Health facilities are under-resourced and may lack basic vaccines or medications, especially outside large cities. Recommendations include always traveling with required medicines and written prescriptions, not physically resisting robbery, using caution when walking or driving at night, keeping a low profile, and enrolling in STEP.

Sep 17Tue
  1. US Travel Advisories

    U.S. State Department: Kingdom of Denmark Level 2 Travel Advisory

    The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Kingdom of Denmark: Exercise Increased Caution due to terrorism. It notes that terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the Kingdom of Denmark, which can occur with little or no warning and could target tourist spots, transport hubs, markets/shopping malls, government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of religious importance, parks, major sporting and cultural events, schools, airports and other public areas. The Kingdom of Denmark consists of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Recommendations include being aware of surroundings at tourist locations and crowded public venues, following lo…

Sep 16Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: Concur Invoice Automates Accounts Payable

    SAP Concur published an article on automating accounts payable (AP) with Concur Invoice. It cites a CFO survey showing 63% of CFOs are investing in cutting-edge technology to support agility, up from 33% the previous year; over half of CFOs name cost control as a top three internal challenge in 2024; and 52% say there is risk that costs rise quickly as companies grow. The article also presents case studies of Honda NZ, Canaccord Genuity and Ingeus using Concur Invoice, including Honda NZ saving NZD 17,000 per month, Canaccord Genuity completing approvals and payments typically within a week, and Ingeus processing 3,000 invoices per month.

Sep 2Mon
  1. MCT Tourism Statistics

    MCT Releases Q2 2024 National Star-Rated Hotel Statistics Report

    The Market Regulation Department of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism published the Q2 2024 national star-rated tourist hotel statistical survey report on September 2, 2024. Four Excel attachments accompany the report, covering national star-rated hotel operating performance overall and by star rating, plus the same breakdowns for 50 key tourism cities. No specific figures appear in the body text; the data is contained in the attached spreadsheets.

  2. MCT Tourism Statistics

    MCT Releases Q2 2024 National Travel Agency Statistics Report

    The Market Regulation Department of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism published the Q2 2024 national travel agency statistical survey report on September 2, 2024. Five Word attachments accompany it, covering survey reporting status, domestic tourism organized and received, inbound tourism received through overseas liaison, outbound tourism organized, and regional rankings of travel agency organization and reception indicators. No specific figures appear in the body text.

Aug 30Fri
  1. MCT Tourism Statistics

    MCT Releases 2023 Statistical Communiqué on Culture and Tourism Development

    The Finance Department of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the 2023 Statistical Communiqué on Culture and Tourism Development on August 30, 2024. At end-2023 there were 56,275 travel agencies, with full-year revenue of RMB 444.27 billion and operating profit of RMB 3.74 billion. There were 8,253 star-rated hotels, with full-year revenue of RMB 160.9 billion, an average room rate of RMB 370.8 per room-night, and average occupancy of 50.7%. There were 15,721 A-level scenic areas, receiving 5.75 billion visits and generating RMB 406.87 billion in tourism revenue. Domestic trips reached 4.89 billion, up 93.3% year on year, with total domestic tourist spending of RMB 4.9 trillion…

Aug 26Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Launches Request Assistant to Streamline Trip Approvals with Generative AI

    In March 2024 SAP Concur added Request Assistant to Concur Request, using generative AI to provide cost estimates for business trips based on trip duration, destination, and services, as well as user preferences such as flight class, number of connections, and hotel ratings. The feature integrates with Concur Travel to carry approval-stage details into booking, and with Concur Expense to populate an expense report from expected costs; if the final total matches the original estimate, companies can configure auto-approval. SAP Concur's 2024 Global Business Travel Survey found that 84% of business travelers say their company requires pre-trip approvals for at least some trips, 67% have observ…

  2. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Survey: Higher Education Travel Faces Flexibility and Budget Pressures

    SAP Concur's Global Business Travel Survey, commissioned through Wakefield Research and now in its sixth year, focused specifically on higher education for the first time. The global survey covered 3,750 business travelers in 24 markets. Among higher education respondents, 67% of U.S. business travelers consider business travel essential for career growth; 94% experienced cutbacks in travel flexibility over the past year, with 34% reporting cuts to authorizing remote work during personal travel and 21% noting restrictions on adding personal travel to business trips; 85% were forced to take unanticipated actions due to unexpected circumstances in the past 12 months, including canceling or re…

Aug 22Thu
  1. US Travel Advisories

    U.S. State Dept: French West Indies Level 1 Normal Precautions

    The U.S. Department of State reissued its French West Indies travel advisory on Aug 22, 2024 after a periodic review with minor edits, keeping it at Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). The advisory covers Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. The Department recommends enrolling in STEP, reviewing the Country Security Report for the French Caribbean, preparing a contingency plan, and consulting CDC travel health information.

Aug 20Tue
  1. Tongcheng News Center

    Tongcheng Travel 2024 Interim Results: International Revenue Doubles

    Tongcheng Travel Holdings (0780.HK) reported unaudited 1H 2024 results: revenue up 48.8% YoY to RMB 8,111.6 million, adjusted EBITDA up 12.7% to RMB 1,733.7 million, adjusted net profit up 10.9% to RMB 1,215.2 million, and GMV up 9.7% to RMB 128.2 billion. In 2Q, transportation ticketing revenue rose 16.6% to RMB 1,742.7 million and accommodation revenue rose 12.8% to a record RMB 1,190.9 million; international air ticketing volume grew 160% YoY and international room nights nearly 140%. The company launched international booking platform HopeGoo in 1H 2024, supporting 16 currencies.

Aug 19Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: Five Principles for Choosing Spend Management Tech

    SAP Concur published a blog outlining five principles for choosing a spend management solution, urging companies to deploy AI-driven tools within six to twelve months to cut costs and lift employee productivity. It cites customer examples from Unisys, New York University, Prison Fellowship and AtriCure, emphasizing spend visibility from integrating travel and expense data. SAP Concur says its solutions serve more than 51,000 businesses and integrate with over 200 ERP, CRM, HR and accounting systems.

  2. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Survey: Safety and Sustainability Shape Business Travel

    SAP Concur released its 2024 Global Business Travel Survey of 3,750 business travelers in 24 markets and 600 travel managers in six markets. 44% of travelers would consider declining a trip over destination safety concerns, 35% over political or social concerns and 33% over transport-mode safety. 39% of travel managers said geopolitical safety concerns will make their job harder over the next 12 months, and 37% said duty of care is hard without full trip visibility. Only 23% of travelers said their company requires use of its booking tool. On sustainability, 27% would decline a trip over environmental impact, up from 23% in 2023.

  4. US Travel Advisories

    U.S. State Department: Sint Maarten Remains Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions

    The U.S. Department of State reissued its Sint Maarten travel advisory on August 19, 2024, keeping it at Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) after a periodic review with no changes. The advisory references enrolling in STEP, reviewing the Country Security Report for the Dutch Caribbean, preparing a contingency plan, and consulting CDC travel health information.

Aug 13Tue
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Customers Share Top Benefits of Automation

    SAP Concur released a video series in which customers share real-world benefits of automation. Caris Life Sciences' Compliance and T&E Manager said a risk management solution streamlined the audit process; AtriCure's Senior Manager of Finance Projects said Concur Invoice workflow automation improved employee productivity and satisfaction; Lincoln International's Global Concur Specialist uses the Consultative Intelligence add-on to boost decision-making; and Great Hearts Academies' Director of Financial Shared Services said automated mileage tracking saves employees time.

Aug 9Fri
  1. US Travel Advisories

    U.S. State Department: Netherlands at Level 2 Due to Terrorism Risk

    The U.S. Department of State reissued its Netherlands travel advisory on August 9, 2024, keeping it at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) due to terrorism after a periodic review with no changes. The advisory notes terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas. Travelers are advised to be aware of their surroundings, stay alert in crowded locations, follow local authority instructions, monitor local media, and enroll in STEP.

Aug 6Tue
  1. US Travel Advisories

    U.S. State Department: Palau Remains Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions

    The U.S. Department of State reissued its Palau travel advisory on August 6, 2024, keeping it at Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) after a periodic review with no changes. The advisory references enrolling in STEP, following the Embassy on Facebook, reviewing the Country Security Report, consulting CDC travel health information, preparing a contingency plan, and reviewing the Traveler's Checklist.

Aug 5Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: To Fuel Productivity, Focus on the System, Not the Employee

    A SAP Concur blog post argues that meaningful productivity gains happen at the organizational level through efficient systems and the right tools, not by focusing on individual employees. It cites McKinsey data that more than half of surveyed employees say they are relatively unproductive, potentially costing a company $228 million to $355 million a year. The post outlines how T&E tools boost organizational productivity through digitization (ExpenseIt receipt capture), automation (Concur Request approvals, Verify audits), and integration to eliminate data silos.

Jul 26Fri
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Reflects on 30 Years of Innovation and Future Vision

    SAP Concur published an article reflecting on its 30-year history, claiming it was first to establish expense reporting as a service, first to create an integrated travel and expense platform, and first to build AI and machine learning into T&E solutions. It describes redefining the expense experience, business travel, and intelligent data through timely notifications, policy tips, smart receipt handling, real-time credit card authorizations, preference-based booking, sustainability metrics, and generative AI and predictive auditing.

Jul 22Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Launches Hotel Connector to Revolutionize Business Hotel Booking

    SAP Concur launched the Hotel Connector API for new Concur Travel, displaying TMC or hotel aggregator rates directly in the platform to combine consumer-grade choice with corporate compliance controls. The feature supports connecting to multiple content aggregators, giving access to up to six million accommodation options versus 650,000 with GDS only. HRS is the first hotel-focused technology provider to go live with fully certified features through Hotel Connector. Features include richer content and amenities, omni-search, optimized booking workflows, sustainability indicators, more payment options, and e-receipt integration.

Jul 17Wed
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Releases Business Travel Management Tools and Survey Data

    SAP Concur released business travel management tools during the GBTA Convention and published results from its sixth annual Global Business Travel Survey of 600 travel managers across six markets. The survey found 99% say their job will be more challenging in the next 12 months, 37% say delivering high-quality programs despite increased stress is difficult, and 31% struggle to remain motivated due to feeling undervalued. 21% are likely to seek a travel manager position at a different company, and 20% may seek a role outside travel management. SAP Concur also released Concur Expense data: average airfare expense was $770 in 2023, up 10% from $698 in 2019; average gasoline expense transaction…

  2. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: How IT Can Drive Spend Management Success

    A SAP Concur blog post for CTOs/CIOs offers six recommendations for evaluating spend management solutions: get senior leadership buy-in early, understand needs at all levels, start with must-have features and look long-term, champion great user experiences, look for a long-term technology partner, and test the software yourself. The post mentions SAP Concur has more than 85 million users and has used AI and machine learning in its spend management solutions for nearly a decade.

  3. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: How CFOs Can Use Collaboration to Buy Better Tech

    A SAP Concur blog post advises CFOs to collaborate with IT, HR, and business transformation leaders when purchasing spend management solutions. It notes IT leaders focus on ERP, CRM, and HR integration and data security; HR leaders understand employee pain points, with 54% agreeing too many manual processes make work-from-anywhere difficult; and business leaders can help clarify requirements. The post mentions SAP Concur has more than 51,000 customers.

  4. SAP Concur Blog

    Five must-have spend management features for business transformation

    A SAP Concur blog post outlines five features that business transformation leaders consider must-haves for a future-forward spend management solution: a mobile app for employees on the go, a smart dashboard for real-time spend visibility, versatile data integration and compatibility, scalable architecture, and customer support with a knowledge base. It says best-in-class mobile apps use AI and machine learning to extract receipt details from photos, import and categorize corporate card transactions, and flag non-compliant expenses, and stresses seamless integration with CRM, ERP, and accounting systems.

Jul 11Thu
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    GROW with SAP premium subscription to include SAP Sales Cloud and Concur Expense

    SAP announced that as of July 15 its GROW with SAP premium subscription will include access to SAP Sales Cloud and Concur Expense. Concur Expense offers automated expense management from receipt capture to report approval, supports compliance needs, and includes a mobile app; SAP Sales Cloud provides AI-powered sales automation. SAP says the combination delivers a complete lead-to-cash process on cloud-native, user-centric UX.

Jul 10Wed
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    A beginner's guide to business compliance: tax digitization, ESG, AI, and data security

    A SAP Concur blog post, produced with Accenture, examines internal and external compliance areas for businesses, including tax digitization, ESG, AI, cybersecurity, and internal spending. It cites data that 77% of business leaders say detecting and managing risk is harder than ever and 72% say their risk management capabilities haven't kept up. It suggests spending and tax management solutions can streamline global processes and identify taxable spend and reclaimable VAT.

  2. SAP Concur Blog

    Industry leaders on maximizing AI ROI

    SAP Concur's CFO Insights Series article 'Solving the ROI Puzzle' combines research and finance-leader input on how businesses can measure and maximize AI returns. It says 51% of finance leaders are investing in AI, and measuring ROI requires understanding the challenges of defining returns, using nontraditional performance indicators, and recognizing long-term human benefits. It cites McKinsey's estimate that about 75% of generative AI's total value comes from customer operations, software engineering, R&D, and marketing and sales.

Jul 9Tue
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur survey: how AI could transform business travel

    SAP Concur's Global Business Travel Survey found 88% of business travelers globally took unanticipated steps in the past 12 months due to unexpected challenges, with 38% spending extra time on the road and 36% incurring extra expenses. 64% of travel managers want AI to automate at least some responsibilities, and 95% of business travelers would consider AI-powered automation. The survey also found 95% of Gen Z and 92% of millennial travelers are uncomfortable using AI-enabled booking tools, versus 83% of Gen X and 68% of baby boomers.

Jul 8Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur partners with Amadeus to add NDC content to new Concur Travel

    SAP Concur announced it has added Amadeus' NDC content to the existing NDC content base in the new Concur Travel, making Amadeus' 27 globally NDC-activated carriers available to corporate customers. SAP Concur says business travelers will get a richer booking and flight management experience, while travel managers gain access to new offers including continuous pricing and more retail and merchandising options.

Jul 2Tue
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    Best practices for easing tax compliance and expense reporting for SMBs

    A SAP Concur blog post offers best practices for SMB tax compliance, including unifying expense and invoice systems, adopting digital tools and automation, recognizing the tax implications of remote work, building a culture of compliance, and teaming up with a trusted partner. It says SMBs face inefficient expense tracking, time-consuming tax document management, missed filing deadlines, and cash-flow difficulties, which can lead to fines and fraud risks.

Jun 26Wed
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    The connection between T&E tools and organizational productivity

    A SAP Concur blog post cites survey and IDC analysis data on how travel and expense (T&E) tools affect productivity. IDC's analysis of select SAP Concur customers found the time needed to book a trip fell 54% with Concur Travel, employees completed expense reports 43% faster with Concur Expense, and reimbursement time was cut in half. The post says organizations adopting SAP Concur solutions saw a 48% reduction in user time costs, saving about $777,000 annually in travel- and expense-related costs.

Jun 25Tue
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    2024 accounts payable automation trends report: key takeaways

    An accounts payable automation trends study sponsored by SAP Concur and conducted by IFOL found 52% of AP professionals now spend fewer than ten hours per week processing invoices, down from 62% a year earlier; manual invoice entry into ERP or accounting systems fell to 60% from 85% in 2023. 64% of respondents cited stress from outdated processes as their biggest hurdle, and 40% pointed to strained vendor relationships. Only 7% currently use AI for spend management, but 40% are considering adoption within the next year.

  2. SAP News Concur Search

    SAP Concur research reveals five challenges for business travel in 2024

    SAP Concur's survey of 3,750 travelers and 600 travel managers identifies five challenges for business travel in 2024: 88% of travelers were forced to make last-minute changes due to unexpected delays, cancellations, or re-routing, and 80% add booking buffers; safety and political or social concerns are top reasons travelers decline trips; the trade-off between sustainability and cost; unequal access to travel opportunities; and the need for AI solutions and education.

Jun 24Mon
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: Pairing ERP with Spend Management Can Fast-Track ROI

    A SAP Concur blog post argues that because ERP implementations require significant time, effort and money without immediate ROI, companies should implement a spend management solution alongside a new ERP. It says spend management can integrate spend data with systems such as HR, eliminate manual expense steps, enhance compliance and cap overspending. SAP Concur recommends integrating ERP with its travel and expense (T&E) solutions for a holistic view of spend and automating manual expense processes.

  2. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: Automated T&E Can Balance People, Business and Sustainability

    A SAP Concur blog post says business travel must balance employee, business and environmental needs, and that an automated spend management system can clamp down on out-of-policy spend while giving employees more autonomy. It cites data: 90% of senior finance leaders agree their key task is to prepare for the unexpected; 67% of business travelers say travel is critical for career advancement; 88% were forced to take unanticipated steps in the past 12 months due to delays, cancellations or re-routing; and 92% would decline a trip for safety, social or environmental concerns or work-life balance impact. It also presents Campari Group, KUKA and Standard Chartered Bank cases using SAP Concur to…

  3. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur Webcast: How AI Is Redefining Business Productivity

    SAP Concur released an on-demand webcast on AI and productivity, moderated by Brian Veloso with guests Deborah Maynard and Harsehaj Dhami. The discussion cites the CFO Insights Report: 98% of CFOs believe AI threatens them, while 61% see it as an essential tool for managing the unexpected. Guests said AI should be seen as a complementary tool to support staff and suggested measuring adoption via quantitative metrics such as task completion time. On regulation, they noted the private sector has more freedom and less regulation than the public sector, and that regulation can ensure public trust. A KPMG Canada report shows 72% of U.S. companies use AI in operations versus only 35% of Canadian…

  4. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: AI, Automation and Virtual Payments Are Reshaping Spend Management

    A SAP Concur blog post says AI, automation and virtual payments are transforming spend management, making expense processes more integrated, automated and secure. It describes Concur Expense using ExpenseIt for photo-based automatic entry, itemization and categorization, and a Mastercard integration that auto-populates corporate card purchases. It also mentions an Extend virtual card integration embedded in Concur Invoice for invoice payments. Vantage Market Research expects the global virtual card market to triple by 2030.

Jun 7Fri
  1. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: Essential Financial KPIs for Strategic Spend Analysis

    A SAP Concur blog post outlines essential financial KPIs for travel and expense (T&E) spend analysis, including total spend, category spend breakdown, supplier performance, traveler behavior, cost per trip, compliance rate, report cycle time and ROI. It says KPIs can improve spend visibility, cost control, process efficiency and decision-making. It also cites the Analysis Mason 2022 study: solutions like SAP Concur helped organizations achieve a 28% reduction in excess mileage claims, a 26% decrease in budget overspending and a 26% increase in tax reclaim.

  2. SAP Concur Blog

    SAP Concur: Using Data Analytics to Improve Corporate Travel Programs

    A SAP Concur blog post describes four types of travel analytics—descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive—and how they help optimize costs, enforce policy, reduce risk and improve traveler experience. It recommends tracking KPIs such as total spend, cost per trip, booking rates, preferred vendor compliance and travel policy compliance rate. It also says analytics can support vendor sourcing and negotiation, policy optimization, demand management, experience enhancement and benchmarking.