As enterprises grow globally, managing travel and expense processes across multiple companies and countries becomes increasingly complex. SAP Concur, a leading travel and expense management solution, offers robust capabilities to handle these complexities efficiently. Successfully deploying and managing SAP Concur at scale requires strategic planning, configuration, and governance to support diverse business units and regional requirements while maintaining compliance and control.
Large organizations operating in multiple legal entities and countries face several challenges when implementing a unified travel and expense management system:
SAP Concur is designed to address these challenges through features and functionalities tailored for global enterprises:
SAP Concur allows central administrators to set up global travel and expense policies and configurations, while enabling localization for country-specific requirements such as tax codes, receipt rules, and language preferences. This balance ensures compliance without compromising user experience.
The platform supports multiple companies within a single SAP Concur instance. Each company can have its own set of policies, approval workflows, and reporting structures. Users belonging to different entities can operate under their respective rules while benefiting from a unified system.
SAP Concur automatically converts currencies based on current exchange rates and allows expense reporting in users’ preferred languages. This capability simplifies expense submission for global travelers and reduces reconciliation effort.
Role-based permissions enable precise control over data visibility and process access. Approvers, finance teams, and travel managers can be assigned roles specific to companies or regions, enhancing security and governance.
SAP Concur integrates with local tax and compliance systems to automate tax calculations, digital receipt validation, and VAT reclaim processes — critical for multinational organizations.
Establish a global governance team responsible for overarching policy and configuration management, supported by regional champions who understand local nuances. This collaboration ensures consistent standards and local relevance.
Implement SAP Concur in phases, starting with pilot countries or business units. Use feedback from pilots to refine configurations and training materials before full-scale deployment.
Tailor training programs to user roles, languages, and regional specifics. Clear communication about policy differences and system benefits fosters user adoption and compliance.
Use Concur’s analytics to monitor usage, policy adherence, and spend patterns by company and region. Data-driven insights help optimize travel policies and budget management globally.
Integrate SAP Concur with ERP systems like SAP S/4HANA, HR systems, and local financial systems to maintain data consistency and streamline end-to-end processes such as expense reimbursement and intercompany billing.
Managing SAP Concur at scale across multiple companies and countries is a complex but achievable goal with the right strategy and tools. SAP Concur’s scalable architecture, localization capabilities, and integration options provide a powerful foundation for global travel and expense management. By following best practices in governance, deployment, and user engagement, enterprises can realize significant efficiencies, compliance, and cost savings — all while delivering a seamless experience to their worldwide workforce.