November 2017 Expense Standard Edition Admin Summary
Update #1:: 13 November 2017
Setup
Setup Has New Look and Improved NavigationConcur has reorganised the Setup navigation links that appeared on each of the Setup pages into a central Product Settings page. The page is organised into sections, defined by business purpose, which contain links and brief descriptions for the Setup pages, to help administrators understand the purpose of each feature. On clicking a link, for example Users, you go to the existing Users page that you use today. A navigation breadcrumb trail provides a path back to the central Product Settings page.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This enhancement helps improve the Setup feature navigation, and makes it easier for new administrators to understand the settings available to them.
Self-Education Options for AdministratorsAdministrators will see a new (?) option on the Setup pages for accessing the new self-education pane. The self-education pane is also available on a number of pages outside of Setup. On the self-education pane, administrators can search a catalogue of interactive training flows, find links to administrator training videos and documents, and start a chat conversation with a Concur Coach.
The self-education pane is available on each of the Setup pages you can access from the new Product Settings page.
For more information about the new Product Settings page, refer to Setup Has New Look and Improved Navigation in these release notes.
The self-education pane is also available on the following pages:
- Processor (Expense > Process Claims)
- Admin Tools - (Administration > Company > Tools)
- Monitor Batches (Administration > Company > Tools > Monitor Batches)
- Monitor Payees (Administration > Company > Tools > Monitor Payees)
- Company Card (Card Admin) (Administration > Company > Tools > Company Card)
The self-education pane may be added to additional pages in the future.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This enhancement makes it easier for administrators to learn about the Expense, Request, and Invoice settings and get their questions answered.
Category List UpdatesThe Category list on the Expense Types page (Administration > Expense Settings or Expense & Invoice Settings > Expense Types for Expense) was updated to include spend categories for Invoice. The Category list is now shared between Expense and Invoice. As part of this change, a number of the Category list selections were added, renamed and removed.
Spend categories determine what type of spend an expense type is associated with. This information is used in Concur's reporting solutions. Certain spend categories are also used with Travel Allowance or mileage entries to present the appropriate fields to the user.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This enhancement provides clients with an updated list of commonly used spend categories for Expense and Invoice.
Overview Tab Removed from Policy GroupsThe Overview tab on the Policy Groups page (Administration > Expense Settings or Expense & Invoice Settings > Policy Groups) of Product Settings was removed.
A policy group is a group of users that have a different expense policy. These users may need different expense types to choose from, or may have different expense limits.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This update simplifies the Policy Groups page navigation.
In-Product Messaging (IPM)
In-Product Messaging for EuropeFor quite some time, In-Product Messaging (IPM) within Concur products has been available for US customers.
The messaging that is presented to each US user is based on data provided by a well-known US-based "recommendation" engine. That engine, however, is not the best fit for the stricter laws in the European Union (EU). So, in an effort to comply with the EU laws, Concur developed its own recommendation engine for its In-Product Messaging System.
In mid-November, IPM will be enabled for all EU customers, using Concur's In-Product Messaging System. Also, since the new system provides a better all-around IPM experience, US customers will soon see IPM using the new system.
Just like today for US users – the content, timing, location and frequency of a message are all defined by each message campaign and by the characteristics of each company and each user.
Japan Public Transportation (JPT)
Jorudan MaintenanceThe Japan Public Transportation (JPT) database of stations and lines received routine maintenance changes such as additions, name changes and removals.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: Lists in Expense continue to reflect JPT's current stations and lines.
QuickBooks
QuickBooks Online (QBO) and QuickBooks Desktop (QBD) Disconnect Button Now AvailableConcur has added a button to disconnect a QuickBooks Desktop (QBD) or QuickBooks Online (QBO) client from integration with Concur. The button is labelled Disconnect From Financial System, and is available on the Accounting page of Product Settings.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This button allows clients to manage their connection with QuickBooks without contacting Concur Support.
Release Calendar
2018 Release Calendar Now AvailableThe 2018 release calendar is available. The release calendar shows all of the monthly releases for 2018, as well as the release note schedule, Travel client presentations and tradeshows.
Access the calendar here: Client Release Calendar (English Only)
Terminology
Terminology Changes – French (Canada)In the November release, Concur changed the following French Canadian term:
English Term | Current French (CA) Term | Updated French (CA) Term |
|---|---|---|
expense report | note de frais | compte de frais |
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This change improves accuracy and consistency of the French Canadian version of all Concur solutions.
Planned Changes
The items in this section are targeted for future releases. Concur reserves the right to postpone implementation of – or completely remove – any enhancement/change mentioned here.
**Planned Changes** New One-Year FilterThe Available Expenses list on the Manage Expense page will soon no longer display expenses older than one year.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This new feature automatically filters expenses with transaction dates older than one year and only displays expenses added within the past 12 months, to provide an easier end-user experience. This change is consistent with behaviour in the Available Receipts sections (where unused receipts older than one year are hidden) and will result in improved performance by reducing the volume of old, unnecessary data.
**Planned Changes** Check for Missing Account Code Later in WorkflowEmployees will be able to save, submit and approve an expense claim even if one or more account codes are missing for expenses in the claim.
Currently, whenever an expense is saved, the system validates that an account code has been provided for the related expense type and adds that account code to the expense (a process not visible through the UI). If there is no account code associated with the expense, the expense cannot be saved.
With this update, the claim can be submitted and approved. However, the system will block the expense data from being extracted or posted to your financial system until your Concur company administrator provides an account code mapping for the expense type in Setup.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: Employees are no longer prevented from completing their expense claims when an account code is missing in the expense type configuration. Account codes are now populated at a single, consistent point in the workflow.
**Planned Changes** Support for Plain Text FTP to End on 15th May, 2018Concur is announcing the end of support for plain text FTP as a means to transfer data to and from Concur. Plain text FTP is not a secured protocol and has inherent security vulnerabilities. On 15th May, 2018, Concur Operations will apply a security update to our file transfer infrastructure, restricting the use of plain text FTP as a part of our ongoing commitment to securing our customers’ data and meeting the audited security requirements of the "Concur Trust Platform".
**Planned Changes** Category List Will Display Spend Category SuggestionsThe Category list on the Expense Types page (Expense > Expense Types) in Setup will show spend category suggestions at the top of the list.
Business Purpose / Client Benefit: This update simplifies the spend category selection process for expense types.
Client Notifications
Concur Non-Affiliated SubprocessorsThe list of non-affiliated subprocessors is available here: Concur Non-Affiliated Subprocessors (English Only)
Monthly Browser CertificationsMonthly browser certifications, both current and planned, are available with the other Concur monthly release notes, accessible from What's New - Standard Edition
