Effectively Configuring and Utilizing Concur Travel & Expense

Introduction

Results from a recent Peeriosity poll regarding the system utilized to support Travel & Expense processing showed that 80% of our member companies currently utilize the Concur Travel Expense system ^[1].  This research abstract highlights the experiences of one of those companies in implementing this system and what they have learned in carrying out this major system implementation.

Company Experience

In a recent Peeriosity Peercast^TM, a Peeriosity member company shared its experiences implementing the Concur Travel Expense solution.  They first explained the importance of understanding the project model, including reading all the configuration documentation provided by Concur, understanding all of the available options, identifying requirements outside of the normal Concur setup, and the importance of documenting and discussing requirements before any configuration begins.  They also emphasized that while Concur provides tools and templates to assist with the system configuration, they are not meant to replace more in-depth efforts related to process requirements and design.

Some of the other points made regarding the system implementation include the following:

• Don’t underestimate the scope of the project
• Don’t make Concur a better version of your old system
• Don’t underestimate resource requirements for the project
• Allow time for pre-work
• Engage knowledgeable resources
• Divide and conquer
• Conduct group discussions
• Understand that your organization is the driver, not Concur
• Review and update Travel and Expense policies
• Evaluate receipt requirements ^[2] and report approvals ^[3]

As described by our feature company, the Concur solution allows for rapid deployment, but a company must ensure that its suppliers (including their bank, travel booking company, and IT group) are on board, and that the Legal team is included early to review the usage agreements, and that cardholders ^[4] are properly prepared with appropriate training on new procedures and policies.  Additional details regarding the Concur implementation can be found on the Peeriosity member website, including the Peercast^TM recording, presentation material, and detailed poll results.

iPolling^TM Results Review

In conjunction with the Peercast^TM, a poll was developed using Peeriosity’s iPolling^TM technology.  The first of two poll questions addressed the issue of what solution companies are currently using for Travel Expenses.  The results are interesting, with 80% of the companies utilizing Concur, with 68% of those being satisfied, 8% neutral, and 4% indicating that it needs improvement.  The remaining 20% are either currently evaluating the Concur solution (8%) or have evaluated it and decided not to proceed (12%).

The second poll question then looked at the level of satisfaction the surveyed companies had with their Concur implementation, for the 80% of companies who have implemented.  Reviewing the results, 19% indicated that they had a great experience, with no major issues, while 57% said it was a good experience, with any issues being resolved without too much trouble.  The remaining 24% said that they had wished it had gone a little smoother.

Some of the poll comments made by Peeriosity members regarding this poll include the following:

Computers & Electronics Member:  Concur is a great tool, but getting resources to troubleshoot issues or work on improvements can be a challenge.

Manufacturing Member:  Roll-out in Australia had issues last year, and roll-outs in other countries for this year are taking longer than expected. Also having issues with their Expense-It app posting duplicate transactions globally.

Computers & Electronics Member:  This is a good system, effective as a tool for monitoring spending and also a user-friendly experience for those submitting expenses

Closing Summary

The popularity of the Concur Travel Expense solution among major corporations is not a surprise, with its rich functionality and leading-edge technology platform making it an excellent choice for many companies.  The ability to effectively implement this system is key to its long-term value to the company, with not only the need to configure it properly being critical to its success, but also carrying out the proper due diligence in such areas as process design, policy updates, and cardholder training.

What is the status at your company with respect to the system utilized for Travel Expenses?  Is your current solution meeting your needs or is it time to take another look at this critical technology?

Who are your peers and how are you collaborating with them?

“Peercasts^TM” are private, professionally facilitated webcasts that feature leading member company experiences on specific topics as a catalyst for broader discussion.  Access is available exclusively to Peeriosity member company employees, with consultants or vendors prohibited from attending or accessing discussion content.  Members can see who is registered to attend in advance, with discussion recordings, supporting polls, and presentation materials online and available whenever convenient for the member.  Using Peeriosity’s integrated email system, Peer Mail^TM, attendees can easily communicate at any time with other attending peers by selecting them from the list of registered attendees. 

“iPolling^TM” 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 Mail^TM, members can easily communicate at any time with others who participated in iPolling^TM.