In the world of business processes, expense reporting has always been seen as a thorn in the side. With employees losing receipts, timely data reconciliation and frequent entry errors, T&E expense is hardly anyone’s favorite part of the job. And with so many small businesses still relying on some form of a manual process to manage T&E expense reporting, it’s no wonder why this reputation still stands.
Although many small businesses think T&E automation is a larger company’s game, most automated solutions today are available on a per-user or per-report fee. This can make even the most sophisticated solutions affordable and accessible to the smallest of companies. Plus, manual automation proves to be time consuming and tedious for accountants, administrators and users alike. In fact, 40% of small business respondents in Certify’s 2017 T&E Expense Trends for Today’s Small Business survey, named the time it takes to reconcile, review and approve reports as the biggest pain point in the process.
But, with the increasing burden of manual T&E, coupled with the growing popularity of automation, more and more small businesses are finding themselves turning to cloud-based expense management software. And while each software platform is a little different, small businesses can agree on one thing; simplicity and ease of use for employees is the number one, must-have expense management software feature. Consider the other top features that small businesses from the survey, deem as “must-haves”:
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Expense management automation
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Integration with HR/finance systems
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Mobile applications/accessibility
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Reporting and insight into spend
A number of factors play into a company’s decision to move to an automated, web-based expense management system. But when it comes to selecting the right software for your small business, it’s important it includes these must-have features to help make expense management easier for you and your team. So, whether your small business is looking to switch to an automated T&E system, considering other vendors, or has already made the switch, Certify’s 2017 T&E Expense Trends for Today’s Small Business gives a complete rundown on the current state of T&E, the benefits of automation, and the best practices for small businesses.
The Certify Professional plan offers a feature-rich automation solution that helps small to mid-sized businesses streamline expense reporting, while allowing you to focus on growth. With seamless accounting software integrations, time-saving optional services, and training to jumpstart you and your team, Certify helps your company grow. Ready to find out more? Current Certify customers can contact their dedicated account manager anytime. Not yet a customer? Request a free demo, or contact support for more information on Certify Professional.