SAP Concur is the undisputed leader in the travel, expense, and invoice management market. Like SuccessFactors, Concur is a cloud-native solution that is sold on a subscription basis. Its pricing is generally straightforward, but there are still some nuances to be aware of to make sure you’re not overpaying.
The Per-User Pricing Model
Concur’s pricing is primarily based on the number of users who have access to the system. You pay a monthly fee for each user, and that fee varies depending on which Concur modules you subscribe to. The three core modules are:
- Concur Travel: A tool for booking flights, hotels, and rental cars in compliance with your company’s travel policy.
- Concur Expense: A solution for submitting, approving, and reimbursing employee expense reports.
- Concur Invoice: A module for automating the accounts payable process, from invoice capture to payment.
You can subscribe to these modules individually or as a bundle. A combined Concur Travel and Expense subscription typically starts at around $9 per user per month at list price, but this can vary significantly based on the size of your organization and the specific features you need.
Active vs. Registered Users
One of the most important things to clarify in your Concur contract is whether you are paying for active users or registered users. An active user is someone who has actually used the system within a given period (e.g., submitted an expense report in the last 90 days). A registered user is anyone who has a profile in the system, regardless of whether they have used it or not.
Paying for active users is almost always more cost-effective, especially for large organizations with a lot of infrequent travelers. If you’re paying for registered users, you could be wasting money on licenses for employees who rarely or never travel. When you’re negotiating your contract, push for an active user model and make sure you have a clear definition of what constitutes “active.”
Implementation and Add-Ons
Like most enterprise SaaS solutions, Concur requires a one-time implementation fee to get the system set up and configured to your company’s specific policies and workflows. This fee can be significant, so make sure you budget for it upfront.
Concur also offers a variety of add-on services that can enhance the functionality of the core modules. These include:
- TripLink: A service that captures travel bookings made outside of the Concur Travel tool, giving you a more complete view of your travel spend.
- ExpenseIt: A mobile app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically create expense entries from photos of receipts.
- Intelligence: A reporting and analytics tool that provides insights into your travel and expense data.
These add-ons are typically priced separately, so make sure you understand the costs and benefits of each before you add them to your subscription.
Optimizing Your Concur Spend
Here are a few tips for getting the most value out of your Concur investment:
- Negotiate for an active user model: This is the single most important thing you can do to control your Concur costs. Don’t pay for licenses you’re not using.
- Right-size your subscription: Carefully evaluate your needs and only subscribe to the modules and add-ons you will actually use. You can always add more later.
- Audit your user base: Regularly review your list of registered users and de-provision licenses for employees who have left the company or no longer need access to the system.
- Drive adoption: The more your employees use Concur, the more value you’ll get from it. Invest in training and change management to make sure your employees are comfortable using the system and are aware of its benefits.
SAP Concur is a powerful tool that can save your company a significant amount of time and money by automating your travel, expense, and invoice management processes. By understanding its pricing model and actively managing your subscription, you can ensure that you’re getting a strong return on your investment.