Integrating SAP Concur with SAP Business Intelligence Tools: Unlocking Deeper Insights for Travel and Expense Management
In the realm of enterprise resource planning and finance, data integration and analytics are crucial for driving strategic decisions. SAP Concur, a leading solution for travel and expense (T&E) management, generates a wealth of data about corporate spending patterns, policy compliance, and travel behavior. To fully harness this data, organizations increasingly turn to SAP Business Intelligence (BI) tools such as SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) and SAP BusinessObjects.
This article explores the benefits, challenges, and best practices for integrating SAP Concur with SAP BI tools, enabling businesses to transform transactional T&E data into actionable insights that fuel cost control, compliance, and operational excellence.
While SAP Concur provides built-in reporting and dashboarding capabilities, enterprise BI platforms offer advanced data modeling, visualization, and predictive analytics features. Integration allows organizations to:
In essence, BI integration empowers organizations to take a holistic, data-driven approach to managing T&E spend within their broader financial ecosystem.
| SAP BI Tool | Description and Benefits |
|---|---|
| SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) | Cloud-based analytics platform enabling data visualization, planning, and predictive insights with real-time data integration. Ideal for interactive dashboards and collaboration. |
| SAP BusinessObjects BI Suite | Enterprise-grade reporting and analytics solution supporting ad hoc queries, multidimensional analysis, and operational reporting. Well-suited for large organizations with complex BI needs. |
| SAP Data Warehouse Cloud | Combines data from multiple sources into a single repository for real-time analytics and governance. Facilitates smooth data integration from Concur and other SAP systems. |
Direct API Integration
SAP Concur offers robust APIs that enable direct extraction of T&E data, such as expense reports, travel bookings, invoices, and user profiles. BI tools can connect to these APIs to pull data continuously or on-demand.
Data Extraction via Concur Intelligence
Concur Intelligence reports can be exported and scheduled for transfer to BI systems in formats like CSV or Excel, then imported into BI platforms for further analysis.
Middleware and ETL Tools
Tools such as SAP Cloud Platform Integration or third-party ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools automate and standardize data transfer between Concur and SAP BI systems, ensuring data consistency and cleansing.
Data Warehouse Integration
Combining Concur data with enterprise financial data in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud enables cross-functional analytics, such as correlating travel spend with project budgets or revenue performance.
Define Business Objectives First
Identify key questions you want answered — for example, “Which departments exceed travel budgets?” or “What is the ROI of business travel?”
Ensure Data Governance and Security
Establish roles and access controls, especially when combining sensitive employee and financial data.
Standardize Data Models
Harmonize data fields between Concur and BI systems to avoid mismatches and improve data quality.
Leverage Real-Time Data When Possible
Use API-driven integrations for up-to-date insights rather than relying solely on periodic data exports.
Train Users on BI Tools
Provide training for finance and travel teams to fully utilize advanced analytics and customize dashboards.
Monitor and Maintain Integration Flows
Regularly review data pipelines and error logs to ensure smooth and accurate data flow.
| Benefit | Impact |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Spend Visibility | Ability to analyze travel and expense data alongside financial and operational data sets. |
| Improved Forecasting | Predict future travel costs based on historical trends and business cycles. |
| Enhanced Policy Compliance | Identify policy violations faster through sophisticated analytics and alerts. |
| Operational Efficiency | Automate report generation and distribute insights across departments seamlessly. |
| Strategic Decision-Making | Support leadership with data-driven insights on travel ROI and cost-saving opportunities. |
A global manufacturing firm integrated SAP Concur with SAP Analytics Cloud to consolidate travel and expense data with procurement and project management systems. This integration enabled the company to:
Integrating SAP Concur with SAP Business Intelligence tools is a strategic step toward unlocking the full potential of travel and expense data. By merging transactional data with advanced analytics platforms, organizations gain actionable insights that drive better compliance, cost control, and operational agility.
For businesses aiming to optimize their SAP landscape, leveraging this integration creates a seamless bridge between day-to-day expense management and high-level financial strategy.
Tags: SAP Concur, SAP Business Intelligence, SAP Analytics Cloud, Expense Management, Travel Data Integration, SAP BusinessObjects, Data Visualization, SAP Field, Corporate Travel Analytics