Configuring Advanced Travel Policies in SAP Concur
Subject: SAP-Concur | SAP Domain
Managing corporate travel efficiently requires not only well-defined policies but also the ability to enforce them consistently across the organization. SAP Concur offers robust tools to create, configure, and automate advanced travel policies, helping companies control costs, improve compliance, and enhance traveler experience.
This article provides an in-depth look at how to configure advanced travel policies in SAP Concur to meet complex business needs.
Advanced travel policies in SAP Concur go beyond basic rules by incorporating detailed controls such as multi-level approvals, spend limits by travel type, preferred vendor mandates, and exceptions management. These policies are customizable to align with an organization’s unique travel strategy and regulatory requirements.
- Spend Controls: Define limits on airfare, hotel rates, meals, and transportation costs.
- Preferred Vendors: Mandate booking through approved airlines, hotels, or travel agencies.
- Approval Workflows: Set tiered or conditional approval paths based on spend thresholds or traveler roles.
- Travel Restrictions: Enforce rules on trip destinations, booking timelines, or class of service.
- Exception Handling: Define how policy violations are flagged, approved, or rejected.
- Compliance Checks: Automate policy enforcement to prevent out-of-policy bookings.
- Collaborate with stakeholders (finance, procurement, HR) to outline detailed travel rules.
- Identify exceptions and escalation procedures.
- Log in as an administrator.
- Navigate to Administration > Travel Settings > Policy Rules.
- Use the Policy Editor to build specific rules such as spend caps per travel category (e.g., airfare max $1000).
- Configure allowed booking classes (economy, business) and travel windows (e.g., book at least 14 days in advance).
- Assign preferred vendor lists and require their use when available.
- Design multi-level approval chains triggered by rule violations or expense amounts.
- Define fallback approvers and escalation contacts.
- Specify what happens when a traveler books outside policy — e.g., block booking, require justification, or allow with managerial approval.
- Enable real-time alerts for travelers and approvers.
¶ 6. Test Policy Rules and Workflow
- Simulate booking scenarios to validate that policies trigger correctly.
- Gather user feedback and adjust as necessary.
¶ 7. Deploy and Communicate Policies
- Roll out updated travel policies with clear communication to all travelers.
- Provide training and documentation on policy details and booking processes.
- Regularly Review Policies: Update rules to reflect changing business goals or market conditions.
- Leverage Analytics: Use SAP Concur reporting to monitor policy adherence and identify trends.
- Simplify Where Possible: Avoid overly complex rules that frustrate users or create loopholes.
- Encourage Compliance: Use positive reinforcement like travel rewards for policy adherence.
- Integrate with Other Systems: Connect policies with ERP, HR, and expense modules for seamless data flow.
- Improved cost control through automated spend limits
- Increased traveler compliance with clear, enforced guidelines
- Reduced administrative overhead from manual reviews and approvals
- Enhanced visibility into travel spend and compliance metrics
- Better traveler experience with personalized and consistent policy enforcement
Configuring advanced travel policies in SAP Concur empowers organizations to enforce complex travel rules effectively, balancing cost savings and traveler convenience. By leveraging SAP Concur’s flexible policy tools and automation capabilities, companies can drive stronger compliance, reduce risk, and optimize their travel programs.
For administrators, investing time in thoughtful policy design and configuration is key to unlocking the full value of SAP Concur’s travel management platform.
Keywords: SAP Concur, Advanced Travel Policies, Travel Policy Configuration, Corporate Travel, Spend Controls, Approval Workflows, Policy Enforcement, Travel Compliance