SAP Concur introduces the 'Beyond the Balance Sheet' series, a thought-leadership series for modern finance leaders. Each 20-minute episode covers trends shaping finance, including growth strategy, AI, and the evolving role of business travel. Episodes include 'Vision for Growth', 'AI — Hype or Game-Changer?', 'The Role of Business Travel', and 'Integrations: Making Every Connection Count'.
SAP Concur blog shares small business growth tips, emphasizing cost control for expansion. Citing a report by SAP Concur and Oxford Economics, 93% of cost-conscious SMB executives agree they have the right platforms and systems to adapt to growth, versus 79% of less cost-conscious executives. SMBs that do not prioritize spending face administrative issues (59%), increased travel and expense reporting (52%), onboarding problems (48%), and digital security challenges (45%).
A SAP Concur-commissioned survey of 500 finance leaders found 91% say the finance team plays a vital role in achieving growth objectives; 79% say financial insights are important for driving growth strategy; and 96% say the role will become even more important. However, 60% of the finance team's time is taken up by day-to-day tasks, and one in five respondents want more visibility into finance data. 98% say automation would benefit their organization, and 93% agree that connecting expense, travel, and invoice processes is important to achieving growth objectives.
A SAP Concur blog post cites a Vanson Bourne survey of 500 UK finance leaders on growth strategies amid Brexit. 96% of surveyed businesses plan to grow, and uncertainty is not seen as a barrier. The top five barriers for the business overall are IT/finance infrastructure (43%), staff productivity (41%), growing customer base (40%), profits for investment (39%), and cash flow (38%). Lack of efficiency in finance systems causes problems for 92% of finance leaders. 53% of travel booking processes, 45% of expense processes, and 38% of invoice processes are not automated. 67% of finance leaders are not confident their systems will scale. 98% say automation would benefit their organization, and 9…
SAP Concur's blog cites a global paper from The Economist Group, based on surveys including 550 senior executives in 11 countries, showing that businesses have put growth back on the radar due to investments in efficiency and productivity. Nearly 90% of executives agreed that increased speed and flexibility in managing travel, expense, and invoice (TE&I) is critical for profitability and growth.