Understanding the benefits of a digital expense report

Quick insights

• Using digital expense reporting software can expedite the reimbursement process and reduce administrative overhead.
• Integrating technology into expense management promotes a more environmentally friendly approach to business management.
• Migrating to digital software may present initial challenges such as training employees and ensuring data privacy protections.

Integrating technology in expense management

Tracking expenses is an essential part of business management and in today's fast-paced business environment, maintaining efficient and accurate bookkeeping is crucial. Digital expense reporting software can be a vital tool for companies looking to enhance their accounting practices.

Expense reporting can be a tedious process, but the rise of online expense management software has made managing expenses easier. Being able to digitally track your business expenses can streamline your operations in several ways. It can potentially save your business time, increase efficiencies and enhance your business’ eco-friendliness.

Benefits of digital expense tracking

Reduce errors

Automating the expense reporting process can reduce errors and improve accuracy of documents because the process no longer relies on humans to transcribe or input data. Additionally, some digital expense software can send alerts if data entry is duplicated, or incomplete.

Save time

One of the biggest incentives to make the switch is the potential for time savings. Unlike a paper system, a digital system does not require manual upkeep, tracking and storage of documents. When expense documents are stored electronically, they are easier to locate and access. Additionally, employees can eliminate paperwork when submitting documents and expense reports, for example.

Increase efficiencies

Eliminating data entry and expense reporting can free up time for employees to focus on other tasks and efficiencies.

Improve reliability

With a paper filing system, it can be easy to misplace receipts or invoices. In digital systems, documents are stored in one place, decreasing the possibility of documents being lost.

Access real time analytics

A digital expense reporting software can provide real time insights on your businesses such as: employee credit card spending patterns, policy violations and budget tracking. Some digital reports may also offer automated analytics that can alert you to any duplicates or flags within your expense documents.

Environmental impact of going paperless

• Reduced carbon footprint: Eliminating paper documents and the transportation of those documents may reduce your business’ carbon footprint by reducing the amount of carbon emissions your business produces.
• Paper conservation: Forgoing the need to print out paper documents may reduce energy and water usage from paper production. By not using paper, your business will contribute to minimizing deforestation and landfill waste.
• Reputation boost: Committing to more eco-friendly and sustainable business practices can positively impact your business’ reputation. Making an effort to be more environmentally responsible may positively increase the perceived trustworthiness of your company.

Advantages of digital documentation

• Cloud storage: Using cloud-based storage allows easier access to financial documents. Cloud-based storage may help organize and retrieve data more quickly making it easier for employees and clients to integrate into their workflow.
• Data security and privacy: Digital expense reporting systems may add more privacy and security to your business’ financial data. Many expense management systems work to ensure that your sensitive data is encrypted which may help prevent theft.

Understanding the challenges of expense trackers

While digital expense management comes with many benefits, navigating the change from manual to digital expense reporting can present challenges.

Data protection

Choosing an expense management software that offers cybersecurity protections should be a priority. Some examples of features that help protect sensitive data would be data encryption and multifactor authentication.

Training employees

Onboarding employees to the new digital system can sometimes be challenging and time-consuming. A new system could present a learning curve for employees, but it could lead to greater efficiencies in the future.

In summary

From reducing manual errors and freeing up valuable time, automating the expense reporting process may be beneficial to businesses. Going digital may also provide benefits such as being able to build sustainable business practices and may streamline the expense tracking process. Take the time to consider your company’s needs and both the challenges and advantages of integrating a digital expense software into your business.