Feature: Expense Management
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information on to their expense report. We have to bridge those gaps by allowing people to send screenshots of websites.” Other experts confirm the change in attitude
and say that while companies can see the benefits they are demanding more of systems. “The market is much more open and willing
to pay. Lots of companies are looking to computerise expense reporting. It’s more than just paper or Excel, they want to integrate with the financial system and want gadgets to go with it and to automatically upload from the credit card into the expense report,” says Yossi Zuckerman, vice president of sales and marketing at Atriis. ABT Global says it originally developed the
Atriis tool to provide clients with travel and expense management solutions. While Atriis is now a standalone company the technology is still a core part of ABT Global’s offering. According to ABT UK managing director, Cilla Goldberger, more and more companies are recognising the benefits of putting an advanced expense management system in place. “Adoption of the Atriis Expense Management Solution represents a complete change in the way both corporate travellers report on their expenses and corporations control their expense and travel policies. Before, organisations used simple Excel files or complicated ERP / financial systems, but now after they implement online solutions they are able to provide their travellers with a simple to use form that enables them to simplify the entire reimbursement process.” Making systems easier to use for travellers
“Mileage is one of the biggest areas for expense fraud with more than one in four people thinking it’s acceptable to exaggerate their claims”
in four respondents thinking it’s acceptable to exaggerate their claims. Many technology providers have already developed mileage calculation systems within their solutions to save time and because of the high incidence of fraud. A number of high profile HM Revenue & Customs cases around fraudulent travel and expense activity are also likely to make more companies sit up and take notice of the importance of having an efficient system. Other companies, such as Meridian Global Services, have also made progress in ensuring mileage calculation tools are built into the software. The company is using Bing Maps to enable travellers to enter their postcode and up to ten stops within a single trip and the system will automatically calculate the total mileage of the journey. Click Travel, meanwhile,
has also included mileage calculation within its Click Expense tool and uses Google Maps to help automate the process and calculate the carbon cost of trips. “Until quite recently with most systems you
will be key to driving further adoption in expense management. Research from Concur, released in January, shows that mileage is one of the biggest areas for potential expense fraud with more than one
THE MAIN PROVIDERS
• Atriis Technologies • Concur Breeze, also known as Concur Small Business • GetThere • KDS – KDS Corporate, KDS Express • Meridian Global Services – Expenseflo • Click Travel – Click Expense (launching soon)
had to calculate the mileage yourself. We recognised the fact that for SMEs a mileage tool was key,” says Adam Smith, Meridian Global Services, commercial director, outsourcing. Software developments such as these are
making the process easier for travellers and travel managers and therefore driving both adoption and usage. BT Engage IT, a client of WebExpenses, says
it has been able to redeploy two full-time staff in the purchase ledger department by replacing paper-based systems with online tools. Parekh sees further improvements in the technology with more focus on mobile devices to help travellers by enabling them to capture
expenses as soon as they are incurred. “The likelihood of claiming everything back diminishes the longer the trip,” he says. The company has also developed a ‘greenlight’ system which automatically approves a claim if it meets the criteria and is within the rules already built into the system. “If it’s already pre-approved it doesn’t have to
go to your approver. It makes sense because if that’s the policy you’re wasting your manager’s time if they have to approve it,” says Parekh. Meridian Global Services is also looking at
ways to improve the approval process using mobile devices and new technology. “It’s all about convenience and bringing consumer-led technology into the business world. There’s a generation coming in to the workplace that will not accept tools that are not convenient,” says Smith.
TOP TIPS FOR JOINED-UP EXPENSES
• First, devise an expense policy in terms of what travellers are allowed to claim for. Analyse where your spend is and whether a tool can efficiently manage the profile of your spend.
• What will the cost of the technology be to your business and will you get a return on investment? Are there any hidden costs?
• Is the system able to cope with multi-language, multi-currency and multi-policy if you have offices in more than one country or frequent travel abroad?
• Is the system flexible enough to cope with change on a company level but also from a legal, national or international perspective?
• Does the system have any scope for mobile developments? Employees coming into the workplace now expect to be able to conduct business on their mobile devices.
• How quickly can you get up and running on the system and what will be the impact on your employees' routines?
• Ensure employee buy-in by highlighting the cost saving benefits to the company as well as any benefits to travellers such as time savings or other incentives.
SOURCE: Tips provided by Amex, Atriis, Concur, Meridian Global Services and WebExpenses
60 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 18 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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