A SAP Concur blog post notes that hospitals and healthcare systems are using continuing medical education (CME) to attract talent and improve quality, but CME budget management faces three key problems: manual processes, limited visibility, and difficult control. The article suggests organizations rethink CME spend management and leverage automation tools to improve efficiency.
SAP Concur published an article discussing the growth trend of supplier-direct bookings (SDBs) in the post-COVID world. It notes that pre-pandemic, SDBs were growing due to travel personalization, with suppliers offering 'book direct low-price guarantees' and applying extra fees for not booking directly. Post-pandemic, travelers prioritize flexibility and health safety, and SDBs are expected to continue increasing. The article emphasizes that transparency equals compliance, and SAP Concur solutions like Concur TripLink provide end-to-end transparency to help travel managers manage SDBs and improve travel program compliance.
SAP Concur published a blog post discussing the impact of expense and AP automation on finance staff. The article notes that automation can reduce repetitive manual tasks, allowing finance staff to focus on higher-value work such as strategic analysis and vendor negotiations. It cites a World Economic Forum projection that by 2025, automation will disrupt 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones. The article also covers benefits in compliance, accuracy, cost control, and business insights, citing cases from companies like Alkermes, Plymouth Rock Assurance, and CareerBuilder.
This SAP Concur blog post states that a clear T&E policy reduces errors, saves time, and reduces fraud risk. Ambiguous rules lead to noncompliant expenses and employee confusion. Clear guidelines improve communication and speed up approvals. It suggests using an expense policy builder to create a personalized policy.
A SAP Concur blog post states that with tighter budgets, many organizations are examining purchasing to find savings. For organizations without a formal procurement department or full-time purchasing staff, employees who purchase as a small part of their jobs represent a big savings opportunity, but they may be unfamiliar with the purchasing program, supply chains, or supplier relationships, leading to unnecessary spending and rework. The post offers five steps: set clear purchasing policies, train the team, explain the 'why' behind policies, streamline with technology to centralize purchasing, and continually gather feedback to improve. It emphasizes that even small purchases can yield big…
The article offers seven tips for controlling company credit card use: set expectations, limit liabilities, monitor spend, require receipts, set alerts, approve and control, and consider digitizing expenses. It emphasizes that automating expense processes provides real-time visibility and reduces misuse.
SAP Concur blog recommends clear expense policies for work-from-home employees, covering internet, cellular, utilities, computer equipment, office furniture, and client gifts. It stresses defining reimbursement scope, pre-approval processes, and supplier choices, and suggests forming a stakeholder team to review the policy.
According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, businesses lose more than $3.5 trillion each year to fraudsters. Any employee reimbursement program carries fraud risk. The article recommends four measures: specify which apps employees may and may not use and update expense policy; implement a corporate card program to integrate T&E data and tighten controls; go beyond automation to integration for real-time visibility and tamper prevention; and conduct regular reviews and audits of the expense management system.
SAP Concur explains how its Concur Connect apps help life sciences organizations meet healthcare provider (HCP) data compliance requirements under transparency rules such as Open Payments, partnering with healthcare database specialists MedPro and IMS Health to reduce manual entry, improve data accuracy, and lower compliance costs.
A SAP Concur blog post says most companies are still in the early vision and planning stages of AI and ML deployment, but these technologies can be used now to transform travel and expense processes. It notes that as countries increase regulations and enforcement, managing T&E compliance is more important than ever, and traveling employees face stricter immigration and taxation rules, such as having to file a foreign tax return for a single business trip. The post says AI- and ML-enabled solutions connect to systems inside and outside the organization to capture and analyze T&E data, helping companies track employee movements, identify hidden risks, prevent non-compliant practices and incre…
Citing research by Oxford Economics with SAP Concur, the blog notes that 1 in 3 employees who expect a seamless technology experience do not get one. Poor travel and expense technology can lower compliance, efficiency, and retention. Mobile receipt capture, automated approvals, embedded policy prompts, and integrated itinerary and safety information can improve employee experience while raising compliance and efficiency.
SAP Concur argues that as companies expand into international markets, their financial and IT systems become increasingly complex and decentralized, making it hard to gain the visibility and control needed to manage SAP Concur solutions. It cites Deloitte's Global Outsourcing Survey (2018, more than 500 executives) that the focus of outsourcing has shifted from traditional work transfer to upfront transformation and automation, and that organizations see 'buying' capabilities in the marketplace as generally faster and more scalable than developing them internally. It describes the Preferred Care service, which offers Authorized Support Contact training, tailored release support, product roa…
SAP Concur published a blog post discussing the impact of technology on the future of K-12 schools. The article notes that automating administrative tasks can free teachers and staff to focus on teaching. Smart expense management systems can help schools control budgets, improve efficiency, and enhance supplier relationships. Additionally, technology can strengthen compliance and reduce fraud risk. The article was written by Sasha Nunes, COO and co-founder of N&B Team Consulting.
This SAP Concur blog explains compliance, including policy and regulatory compliance. It notes that T&E is one of the largest costs after payroll and supplier invoices, and is vulnerable to compliance risks. Common areas include expense, invoice, and travel management. Automation improves compliance, reduces fraud, avoids fines, and boosts employee satisfaction.
A SAP Concur blog post describes how global medical devices company Smith & Nephew eliminated manager expense approval. Travel and expense lead Jorge Monge says the biggest challenge was assuring managers that expenses are properly controlled and compliant. After adopting artificial intelligence technologies, the company not only completely removed the manager approval step but also increased expense reporting accuracy. Monge says Concur Detect enabled the change and positioned the company as a benchmark internally and externally. The company took a top-down approach, securing buy-in from compliance, legal, and communications stakeholders, and emphasized efficiency and compliance benefits.…
A SAP Concur blog post discusses travel and spend management challenges for companies expanding globally or maintaining overseas supplier relationships. Citing the IMF's World Economic Outlook Update, it notes international trade pressures and a plateau in global growth threaten the certainty of global expansion. Common challenges listed include managing multiple complex travel policies and capturing data in outdated or disparate systems; supporting multiple languages, currencies, banking institutions, and financial regulations; under-recovery of VAT by US-based companies sending travelers across borders; compliance with international laws including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA);…
A SAP Concur blog post notes the pandemic changed how physicians approach continuing medical education (CME). A 2020 PlatformQ Health survey of 200 physicians found 9 in 10 said they will use online courses as their primary CME format post-COVID-19, while at least 22% still plan to seek most CME at in-person meetings. The article lists three CME spend management problems: manual processes relying on spreadsheets and paper receipts are hard to manage and error-prone with remote work; limited visibility makes it hard to track compliance as online and incentive-based CME grows; and budgets are hard to control without pre-approval and adjustment capability. SAP Concur customer data shows 40% of…
SAP Concur says many aerospace, defense, and government contracting (ADG) organizations still use manual, paper-based travel and expense processes, which can frustrate employees, cause costly errors and noncompliance, and raise fraud risk. The sector also faces Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audit requirements, government oversight, and red tape. SAP Concur offers mobile-friendly travel and expense management, using automation and integration to control employee spend and meet government audit and compliance checks, with ADG packages that include tools to detect fraud and support travelers in emergencies.
A SAP Concur blog post introduces The Intelligent Business, a five-episode podcast series created in partnership with The Wall Street Journal, exploring how businesses can use emerging technologies to automate more processes and control company spending. It summarizes each episode's themes: AI plays a huge part in simplifying spend management and automating processes; more sources of data allow better service to travelers on the road and keep them safer, lowering risk and increasing employee satisfaction; manual expense reports are time-consuming and could result in unintentional T&E fraud, while AI-driven technology makes receipt capture, reporting, and approvals nearly effortless; AI allo…
SAP Concur blog cites an AMI Partners survey of over 400 financial decision-makers at SMBs, identifying barriers to automation such as lack of IT expertise, cost, and resources. However, automation delivers time savings (15% decrease in expense report processing time, 16% decrease in invoice processing time), cost savings (average annual savings of $30,000 for T&E automation and nearly $34,000 for invoice automation), improved employee satisfaction (up to 80% reduction in reimbursement time), and better compliance.
SAP Concur announced its 2020 Innovation Awards winners at its annual Fusion customer event: Airbus Americas, Cisco, Globe Telecom, PACCAR and VMware. Airbus Americas adopted a paperless T&E solution, saving $1 million in employee hours over three years and lifting travel policy compliance to 85%. Cisco deployed Concur Travel and Expense in more than 88 countries in under a year, with employee satisfaction rising from 48% to 77%. Globe Telecom reached 100% adoption four months after go-live. PACCAR identified $100K in potential annual savings. VMware cut its expense processing and payment workflow from up to 11 days to four or less and saw a 75% reduction in employee complaints.
The George Washington University (GW) operates in more than 100 countries, creating a large volume of student and faculty travel and expense management. Manual reimbursement processes and siloed data previously made it hard for security teams to track travelers. After adopting SAP Concur solutions, students and faculty can photograph receipts and auto-generate expense reports, improving finance approval efficiency; the security team uses Concur Locate to consolidate location data, proactively monitor risks, and send notifications to affected individuals.
A SAP Concur blog post, citing the 2022 ACFE Anti-Fraud Technology Benchmarking Report, says the use of AI and machine learning in anti-fraud programs is expected to more than double over the next two years. It notes state government agencies reported a median of $91,000 in fraud losses in 2020 and local government entities $75,000, and recommends county finance teams use data sources such as exception reporting, policy violations and predictive analytics to identify fraud risk.
SAP Concur published an article examining the hidden costs of manual, paper-based expense management. It provides a formula for calculating cost per expense report and cites multiple data points: 81% of finance leaders admit to blind spots in travel, expense, and invoice spend; automation can reduce AP data entry time by 37% and invoicing errors by 33%; the typical organization loses 5% of annual revenue to fraud. The article also notes that organizations creating exceptional employee experiences see 17% higher productivity, 21% higher profitability, and 24% lower turnover.
A SAP Concur blog post offers four tips for optimizing expense processes: 1. Audit existing processes to identify bottlenecks and fraud opportunities; 2. Evaluate for change, leveraging mobile apps and automation tools to improve compliance and efficiency; 3. Focus on saving time to save money, streamlining processes reduces rework and delays; 4. Take the expense process to the next level by following best practices. The article emphasizes that a clear process reduces employee confusion, non-compliant expenses, and delayed reimbursements, while also decreasing fraud risk.
The article explores the rise of bleisure travel (business + leisure), with a market size of $692.7 billion and projected CAGR of 17.8%. 83% of workers have taken bleisure trips, and 22% would decline a business trip without extension options. Companies need policies to manage costs, compliance, and employee well-being.
SAP Concur published an article explaining the value of expense management automation. It states manual expense management takes a toll on productivity, employee happiness, and the bottom line, while automation can streamline operations, cut costs, and reduce time-wasting tasks. The article analyzes benefits for finance, IT, employees, and CEOs, and lists capabilities automated software should have, such as e-receipts, auto-populating expense reports, ERP integration, card reconciliation, secure data tracking, and mobile app management.
SAP Concur research shows 69% of U.S. companies are not confident in reclaiming VAT from U.S. travelers going overseas. Cost containment is the leading reason for re-evaluating processes. Automation and cloud technology can simplify VAT reclaim, with a case study showing a 75% increase in reclaimable VAT.
SAP Concur published an article explaining how intelligent spend management helps organizations achieve business outcomes. The article groups employee-spend business outcomes into three pillars: controls and compliance, spend visibility and management, and employee satisfaction and workforce engagement. It recommends capturing every source and category of spend in a unified view and adopting best practices such as using mobile devices for receipt scanning, leveraging OCR and machine learning to automate invoice data capture, and integrating travel reservations with expense reporting systems.
A survey by SAP Concur and Kelton Global of 313 financial decision makers in state, city, and local government and higher education found that 59% believe their financial tools and systems are error-prone, and 68% report making decisions without full visibility into necessary information. Two-thirds admit fraud, waste, and abuse are current challenges, more than one in four say their vulnerability to fraud risk increased in the past year, and about one-third report an increase in inaccurate expense reports and invoices. About one-quarter unintentionally reported incorrect budget data due to inaccuracies.
SAP Concur published an article exploring how finance managers can help businesses identify and manage business risks beyond T&E compliance, including human error, machinery and technology lifecycles, business policies and best practices, strategic direction, and reputational risk. The article notes technology can help spot errors like duplicate invoices, and automating processes frees finance staff to analyze data and support strategic direction more effectively.
This SAP Concur blog post discusses the health of life science organizations, focusing on employee engagement, compliance management, and financial visibility. It cites a Deloitte study showing only 56% of life science employees are satisfied with their work, compared to 70% in other sectors. The article suggests using automation to reduce administrative burdens and improve engagement, emphasizes the importance of tone from the top for effective compliance programs, and recommends tools like Concur Invoice to streamline accounts payable and increase financial visibility.
The SAP Concur blog states that accounts payable plays a critical role in managing spending and preparing for change, and a strong vendor invoice policy is key to building agility. It offers seven tips for policy design, including cross-departmental collaboration, standardizing invoice submission and payment methods, reviewing drafts, emphasizing benefits, ensuring accessibility, taking questions, and seeking process improvements. The policy should cover purpose, compliance expectations, delegation of authority and approval chains, periodic review, and operational subject areas.
A SAP Concur blog post uses a fictional story to highlight the impact of expense fraud on businesses and introduces its Concur Audit service. Citing data from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the article notes that a typical organization loses up to 5% of its annual revenue to occupational fraud. It lists outlandish items employees have tried to expense (like wedding costs, spa trips, teeth whitening) and notes that even small violations (like mixing personal purchases into a meal) can add up. Concur Audit offers an unbiased audit service to check up to 100% of claims and receipts.
A SAP Concur blog post discusses the benefits of automating government invoice payments. It cites AIIM data: the cost to process one invoice is on average between $13 and $25, and processing a single paper check adds another $7.15. SAP Concur partnered with StateScoop to quantify the costs of manual AP systems. The article lists five benefits of automating invoice payments: increase productivity and employee satisfaction, get more visibility into spending, manage invoice payments from anywhere, be more efficient and generate revenue, and reduce audit and compliance costs. The report concluded that automating invoice payments can pay for itself in less than one year.
SAP Concur announced two new solution extensions delivered through its partner ecosystem: Concur Tax Assurance by VATBox and Concur Detect by Oversight. The former leverages AI and VAT/GST compliance knowledge to help organizations comply with global tax regulations and increase reclaim potential; the latter combines Oversight's spend management and risk mitigation expertise to analyze expenses before and after payment, spot suspicious spend patterns, and prioritize risk. The article cites the ACFE 2020 report stating the median loss from expense report fraud is $33,000.
SAP Concur's blog notes that non-profits can improve efficiency through cloud-based automated expense management. Prison Fellowship achieved a hard-cost ROI of 3:1 and soft-cost ROI of 4-5:1 using Concur Expense with Policy Audit. Simons Foundation gained near real-time spending visibility with Concur Expense and Concur Invoice. The article also notes that over 20% of organizational expenses are non-compliant.
A SAP Concur blog post recommends that companies review their travel and expense (T&E) program in Q4. It notes that employee spending continues to increase across more categories, more payment methods are used, and spend data is often tracked disparately. T&E expenses account for about 10% of a company's entire budget. The post offers a cheat sheet covering audits, fraud, compliance, and tweaks, and suggests that driving changes mid-year is often more challenging, so assessment should be done before the new year.
SAP Concur published a podcast conversation between former SAP Concur executives Mike Eberhard and Chris Juneau, and Jeanne Dion, discussing the impact of technology on finance and accounting. The conversation covers the evolution from GUI to SaaS, smartphones, and now AI and machine learning. They note that AI is uniquely suited for pattern identification, helping finance professionals focus on strategic tasks and address challenges like compliance and fraud detection. The conversation also mentions that during the pandemic, cases of noncompliance or potential fraud increased by over 200%, and issues such as unused tickets, gift card purchases, and excessive mileage reimbursement.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that as the U.S. elderly population grows, demand for mobile healthcare rises, increasing driving mileage for healthcare staff. Manually tracking mileage is complex and expensive, and self-reported mileage can lead to fraud and compliance risks. SAP Concur's Concur Drive solution automates distance capture, improving accuracy and reducing spending.