For frequent business travelers, managing travel arrangements and expenses can often become a complex and time-consuming task. However, by leveraging the right tools and adopting efficient practices, organizations can simplify travel and expense management for their employees, saving valuable time, reducing stress, and allowing them to do more strategic work.
In this blog post, we will share some essential tips to help companies support their business travelers, streamline their processes, and make travel and expense management an efficient, strategically aligned effort.
1. Utilize Travel and Expense Management Software
Investing in the right travel and expense management software can revolutionize the way you manage employee travel. Software solutions, like Emburse Certify, Chrome River, and Nexonia along with travel management providers like Amadeus or Egencia, provide a centralized platform to handle all aspects of travel and expense management. From booking flights and accommodations to tracking expenses and generating reports, these tools offer automation and integration that streamline your workflow and ensure accuracy.
Busy employees enjoy features like the ability to easily record attendees of a meal or event and split or allocate expenses to the necessary categories, departments, or custom fields.
Learn how Emburse can help your organization manage travel and expense programs.
2. Use a Receipt Scanner App
One of the most time-consuming tasks in expense management is manually entering and organizing receipts. Thankfully, expense tools like those from Emburse include receipt capture functionality. Whether you use Certify, CR Snap, or the Chrome River mobile app, you can digitize your receipts, using optical character recognition (OCR), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) technology. Simply snap a photo, and the app will extract relevant information such as the date, amount, merchant, and vendor, saving you from the hassle of manual data entry.
3. Leverage a Mileage Tracker App or Map Integration
For travelers who frequently drive for business purposes, a mileage tracker app is indispensable. These apps, like TripLog, automatically track and log your mileage, simplifying the process of reporting and calculating reimbursement. By integrating with expense tools, the mileage data is automatically entered into the expense tool for reporting and reimbursement.
Expense tools like Certify and Chrome River also offer integrations with Google Maps, allowing you to enter start, end points, and any stops along the way. The tool then calculates your miles traveled, making it easy to submit for reimbursement.
4. Consolidate Travel Vendors to Earn Flight and Hotel Rewards
If employees frequently travel by air or stay in hotels, consider using loyalty programs to accumulate rewards. Airlines and hotel chains often offer loyalty programs that provide benefits such as free flights, upgrades, or discounted stays. By consolidating your travel with specific providers, travelers or your organization can maximize rewards and enjoy additional perks that make business travel more comfortable and cost-effective.
Organizations that take this approach can often negotiate preferred rates with their travel providers. By using travel and expense management software mentioned above, they can implement and manage policies that ensure travelers always get negotiated rates or services.
5. Implement Effective Travel Management Strategies
Consistent business travelers and organizations with employees that often travel can simplify their travel and expense management by leveraging the right tools and implementing efficient practices.
By utilizing travel and expense management software that includes features like receipt capture and mileage tracking, consolidating travel providers or working with a TMC, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and reduce the stress associated with managing travel and expenses.