Introduction
Standardizing on a common system platform with as few instances as possible is an important enabler for streamlined processes, in addition to reducing technology support costs. What is true for your company’s ERP system [1] is also true for bolt-on applications, including systems and processes for managing the travel process.
For Shared Services organizations, paying attention to ensuring your Travel process [2] is leading edge can pay big benefits since the impression that senior leaders have of the travel process has such a big influence on their overall impression of Shared Services.
iPollingTM Results Review
A recent Peeriosity poll created using the iPollingTM technology explores how Peeriosity member companies structure their T&E system instance [3]. The results indicate that 50% of member companies have implemented one global instance, with 33% indicating that they have implemented using a different instance per region. Other alternatives reported include segmenting by general ledger systems (11%) and having multiple instances because of recent acquisition activity (6%). Here are the details:
When considering future plans, 58% of the companies expect to stay the same, 24% expect to decrease the number of instances, and, interestingly, 18% expect to increase the number of instances.
Poll comments from Peeriosity members on this topic include:
- Not all regions are using the same software yet, but eventually, the goal is to use the same software with different instances to reflect regional requirements.
- We are in the process of moving towards a global standard in which one T&E system will be used globally. 22 countries to date have been implemented on the corporate standard, with additional countries still on the project plan.
- We are finishing our rollout of Concur [4] globally. We have 4 countries going live this month and the last 9 countries will go live in Q1 2018. Then we will be on one global platform. In most of the places where we haven’t implemented it yet, they are on a paper-based process.
- We have basically one system, but several countries remain on the Excel spreadsheets. We are at 99% of our company on SAP T&E, with an ongoing project to transition the rest.
- We have a global system, with standard processes and controls. The number of instances may grow depending on the increase in our international footprint.
- We have one global instance that is configured by regional policies. We continue to implement the T&E system through a strategic approach while balancing other corporate initiatives.
- This is one of the few applications at our company that is fully implemented globally with no exceptions. Concur is a very solid tool, which makes up for the fact that their customer service can sometimes be slow to respond.
- We are currently running multiple instances due to the recent acquisition and their legacy instance still running.
Closing Summary
Reducing the number of system instances can help reduce technology costs, but, perhaps more importantly, can be a significant enabler for standardizing processes so that high-value employees don’t experience added complexity or unnecessary differences when preparing and submitting travel expense reports. In addition, for many senior-level employees, the most visible touch-point to Shared Services is the Travel process, so for Shared Service professionals, this is one area where it probably makes sense to over-perform.
What system are you using for the Travel process at your company? How many instances have you deployed to support your global operations?
Who are your peers and how are you collaborating with them?
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“iPollingTM” is available exclusively to Peeriosity member company employees, with consultants or vendors prohibited from participating or accessing content. Members have full visibility of all respondents and their comments. Using Peeriosity’s integrated email system, Peer MailTM, members can easily communicate at any time with others who participated in iPolling.
Peeriosity members are invited to log into www.peeriosity.com [5] to join the discussion and connect with Peers. Membership is for practitioners only, with no consultants or vendors permitted. To learn more about Peeriosity, click here [6]