Happay Vs. Concur: An Expense Management Face-off

Introduction

“The best way to save money is to not spend it.”

– Mark Twain

In today’s world, “not spending” is not an option. In fact, it is impossible to ignore spend, which is the second-most difficult expense for organizations. The need of the hour is to use technology to manage and control spend.

A growing demand for real-time spend analysis and integrated expense management solutions drives revenue growth in the expense management software market. It is expected to reach 9.08 billion by 2032.

In your research about the best expense management software, you are bound to arrive at a point when you must choose between two expense management software. With our comprehensive comparative analysis of features, pros and cons, and other important factors, you can make this decision efficiently and effectively. 

This article gives you everything you need to make the right choice in a Happy vs. Concur faceoff.

About Happay

There are many players in the travel and expense software management market. Still, only one  4th generation company offers the best features in T&E. You need a company that understands the travel and expense industry and uses the latest technology and solutions that work for your organization.   

Happay offers a comprehensive travel & expense ecosystem on a single platform, ensuring that your travel and expense management is entirely streamlined.  

Apart from travel and expenses, Happay offers solutions for petty cash management, invoices, corporate payments, and corporate cards. Happay’s end-to-end integration, security, complete visibility, and control allow you to manage multiple workflows on a single platform.

With 7,000+ customers and over 4 million users across 40+ verticals, Happay is a well-recognized name in the travel and expense management software industry. Offering a complete stack- travel, expense, and payment, Happay is the most flexible T& E platform in the market today.

Watch a short video

About SAP Concur

SAP Concur offers small, mid-size, and large enterprises features that can transform travel and expense management. The expense management software can simplify everyday workflows while promising better employee experiences.

You can use an app to simplify and guide users to plan and book their business travel arrangements. The software allows users to upload information and file expense reports automatically.

Sap Concur’s head office is in Bellevue, Washington, USA. They have offices in India, Australia, China, Japan, Mexico, and other European countries.

SAP Concur offers cloud-based services that integrate well with each other and the existing systems (ERP, HRMS, or other accounting systems) in organizations. The travel and expense management technology connects you to all expenses to give you complete visibility into the organization’s business expenses. 

Concur’s solutions ensure you are connected to your vendors, travel agencies, credit card companies, and other suppliers efficiently, so expenses are captured and recorded quickly. Concur’s Business Intelligence offers analytics that promises to help organizations manage their expenses and cash flow better.

Must Read: 5 Best SAP Concur Alternatives and Competitors 2023 – 2024

Comparison Table

A comparison table is informative and gives you a good idea of how the two brands stack up against each other. To make this comprehensive, we will compare both the pricing and the features

1. Travel

Travel	Travel	Happay	SAP Concur
Mobile App	1. UI/UX Application 2. Mobile app 3. Self-booking tool	1. Modern, user-friendly 2. Fully-functional 3. Modern and connected	1. Legacy system 2. No mobile app in India for travel requests 3. Acquired system with legacy platform

1.1 G2 Rating for Mobile App Performance – Ranking out of 10

Features	Happay	Sap Concur
Receipt Capture	9.0	8.8
Mileage Tracking	9.0	8.6
Travel Itinery and Flight Status	8.7	8.6

2. GST

GST Capture

1. Airlines GST compliance 2. GST tracker and portal integration 3. Auto ticketing feature

1. Automatic 2. Available 3. Automatic

1. Manual 2. NA 3. Manual

2.1 G2 Rating for Technology – Ranking out of 10

Features	Happay	Sap Concur
Embedded AI and machine learning	8.4	7.9
Complex approval workflow	8.6	8.1

3. Supplier Ecosystem

Supplier Ecosystem

1. New TMC onboarding  2. Travel partner integration in India 3. Integration with LCCs

1. Open integration 2. Very high 3. Direct integration with LCC

1. Only select partners 2. Limited 3. Indirect through third-party

3.3 G2 Rating for Travel Management – Ranking out of 10

Features	Happay	Sap Concur
Ease of booking	9.0	8.1
Itinerary management	8.6	8.3
Advanced integrations	8.6	8.3

4. Approval Workflows

Approval Workflows

1. Pre-booking budget checks 2. Flight fare protection mode 3. Automatic allowance

1. Available with ERP 2. Available 3. Auto-calculate

1. Not applicable 2. Not available 3. Manual

4.1 G2 Rating for expense management software – Ranking out of 10

Features	Happay	Sap Concur
API / Integration	9.0	8.8
Performance and reliability	9.0	8.6
Travel Itinerary and flight status	8.7	8.6

5. Other Advanced Features

Other Advanced Features

1. Travel vendor payment automation 2. Meta search support 3. Travel confirmation

1. ERP integration available 2. Multiple suppliers for a single service 3. Available

1. NA 2. Supports one supplier 3. Manual

5.2 G2 Rating for Other Features – Ranking out of 10

Features	Happay	Sap Concur
API / Integration	8.7	8.2
Performance and reliability	8.9	8.4
Policy compliance management	8.7	8.5

What’s Unique: Happay Vs. Concur?

Unique features are what you would consider special features of a product that make the product valuable. Whether these are features that your organization finds indispensable is something that you must consider.

In a Happy Vs. Concur comparison, here are some unique features.

Unique Features	Happay	SAP Concur
Technology	Modern tech stack ( based on Python and Mysq + AWS).	Lacking in terms of personalization and optimization. According to a user on G2, the GUI seems a bit dated.
Forex	One platform that manages 100% of spend, including forex invoices and vendor invoicing.	It lacks capabilities regarding foreign advances as it only offers standard rates. Also, according to one user, there are several nuisance charges to contend with when filing expense reports
GST	Happay automates GST calculations and Income Tax credit claims. Tax calculations are automatic, along with pre-configured GST reports for airports and hotels.	SAP’s GST automation falls short. A user mentions that technologically challenged users have trouble adapting. Also, he says that setting up GST is challenging and not user-friendly.
Integration	Happay’s software integrates end-to-end with HRMS, SSO, TMC, and Credit Cards.	According to one user, the integration tools need to be improved. Also, the ensuing errors are frustrating. Other users also highlight the complexity of the integration process.

Key Solutions

1. Happay

• Xpendite – Eliminate this cumbersome and manual process to replace it with Happay’s Xpendite, as it automatically captures data at the source. 
• Smart Audit – Whether it is tracking, identifying, or addressing, Smart Audit assures

            1. Time and effort savings for finance teams

            2. 100% policy compliance, 0 violations

Here’s a video indicating how you can find overstated expenses with the help of the Smart Audit Feature 

• ApprovNov – You can create soft or hard blocks to eliminate out-of-policy claims (prevent claims with hard blocks, notify and confirm to proceed with soft blocks). Also, you can add another layer of approval with “Adhoc” approvers (which can be added right in the app).
• DeepAnalyze – helps you make well-informed and more intelligent decisions. It also offers 360^o visibility in travel and expenses. With this feature, your regular data becomes insightful information.
• Self-Booking Tool – A state-of-the-art self-booking tool allows travelers to book flights, hotels, and cabs and even raise VISA requests without emailing their travel desk or admin.

2. SAP Concur

• Travel – Offering a simple and easy interface, SAP allows users to navigate as they book flights, hotels, and rental cars. A simple integration with travel providers allows them to offer competitive prices and promise an easy booking experience.
• Expense management – Capturing expenses and filing expense reports can be fully automated with SAP’s solution. Automatic categorization, travel policy compliance, and reduction of expense fraud are now more than just a possibility.
• Invoice management – You can capture and store invoices in a centralized location. Offering ease, the feature streamlines the accounts payable process. It also reduces the risk of manual entry errors.
• Mobile App – A simple mobile app allows users to track and manage travel and expenses on-the-go. This feature helps capture receipts, book travel, and submit expense reports.
• Analytics – Real-time analytics and data help users identify trends and better insights into travel and expense spend. Customizable reports help stakeholders focus on data points to create actionable insights.
• Integration – Smooth and easy integration with business systems such as ERP, CRM, and HRIS offers a bird’s eye view of business spend.

3. Differentiating Factors

On several accounts, Happay seems ahead of SAP concur. While these have been discussed in each section above, the main differentiating factors that allow Happay to steam ahead of SAP Concur are.

4. Mobile Application

In a Happay Vs. Concur comparison, Happay performs better than its counterpart in the performance of UI/UX of the mobile application. Modern and user-friendly, the integrated self-booking tool offers features such as missed savings alerts and fare freeze. 

Users of SAP Concur on G2 seem appreciative of the intelligent automation. While the mobile application helps to claim reimbursements on the go and recognizes car receipts, many users feel that the mobile app is slow and could be updated to suit modern needs. Also, a user claims to have noticed “image processing issues.”

5. Contract and Pricing

Happay promises a clear, simple, transparent pricing experience along with a low total cost of ownership. The absence of restrictive contractual obligations is a huge plus point for customers.  Users on G2 praise the competitive pricing, while some seem to feel that it is not suitable for small or entrepreneurs with small teams. 

Users feel that SAP can work on the response time for those who want a downgrade. Another user claims that the sales team is pushy, and you can end up signing a contract for a higher price. Another user claims that the contract is a little difficult to back out from.

6. GST

Happay’s GST automation certainly has an advantage over SAP. The state-wise GST details are automatically captured. Airlines GST compliance is automated, resulting in 5% saving on flights. Also, with the GST tracker and portal integration, the finance team can save effort and time as they receive invoices for each flight.

SAP’s GST automation leaves you wanting more as users say that, among other things, they must input appropriate tax codes (for banks) against the expenses. Other users also suggest that expenses must be categorized or itemized manually. 

7. Implementation

Happay offers a modern tech stack, a seamless change management process, and an OEM implementation to ensure customers have a smooth and simple transition from a manual to a completely digitized travel and expense management process.

SAP offers an integrated tool that eliminates manual tasks and speeds up the approval process, eventually helping users get timely payments. However, one user suggests that implementation timelines are not maintained, and another user mentions that the process was painfully slow at times and frustrating at other times. 

8. Support

Happay offers continual support for all customers with 24*7 support through dedicated account managers. Users mention the quick turnaround time in addressing and the fast access to the support team improves the experience of using this expense management solution. 

Users on G2 mention that customer support has downgraded considerably, affecting their SLAs and resolution time. Customer support (personal) is available on select plans. Otherwise, you have access to training manuals and other material online that you may use to troubleshoot.

Trust Building Elements

“Trust-building elements” refer to the features, practices, and attributes within a product, service, or organization designed to instill trust and confidence in the minds of customers, clients, or users. 

These elements are essential for building and maintaining a positive reputation and establishing credibility. Trust is a crucial factor in business relationships and consumer decisions, and businesses invest in trust-building elements to ensure that their customers have faith in their products or services.

Some common trust-building elements include

• Transparency– Open and honest communication with customers, including clear and accurate information about products, pricing, and policies.
• Security and Privacy–  Demonstrating a commitment to protecting sensitive customer data through encryption, data security practices, and clear privacy policies.
• Quality– Consistently delivering high-quality products or services that meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Customer Reviews and Testimonials– Positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers can build trust by showcasing real-world experiences.
• Awards and Certifications– Recognition from industry bodies or independent organizations can validate a company’s expertise and commitment to quality.
• Customer Support– Providing efficient and responsive customer service to address concerns and issues promptly.
• Social Responsibility– Demonstrating commitment to social and environmental causes, which can resonate with socially conscious consumers.
• Longevity and Reputation– A well-established and reputable history can be a trust-building element, implying a track record of success and reliability.

Trust-building elements are critical in establishing and maintaining a positive brand image and fostering strong, long-lasting customer relationships. Let’s analyze a few of the above with respect to Happay vs. Concur.

1. Major Customers

Happay, a rapidly growing fintech company, has been making waves in the corporate world with its innovative expense management and payment solutions. A significant factor contributing to its success is the impressive array of big-name customers in its portfolio. Companies like KPMG, Tata, PwC, Sula, ITC, Piramal, and Welspun have partnered with Happay for their expense management needs.

SAP Concur boasts names such as Blueprint Technologies, ServiceNow, Panasonic, and Beumer Group. SAP’s expense management solutions allow you to automate, connect, and simplify travel, expense, and AP processes.

2. Testimonials

2.1 Happay

Sula Vineyards:  “With 300+ employees across verticals filing an average of 7-8 bills per month, finance teams had to check every single policy violation manually. For some of the remote employees, reimbursements would take up to a month! That’s ~2,250 bills a month and ~27,000 bills a year!

Needless to say, doing it manually was a tedious and cumbersome task”

-Bittu Varghese, CFO of Sula Vineyards

GenWorks: Our team is spread across rural areas of the country, and it took months for bills to reach the main office and for the reimbursement process to start. Excel was not working out.

Happay has been a real saviour, especially during our scaling period, automating everything, completely making us go paperless, and ensuring utmost policy compliance. From our 1st employee to our 400th employee, everyone likes Happay as it solves their challenges while being easy to use.

2.2 SAP Concur

HCL Technologies: SAP Concur solutions enabled us to achieve seamless integration of online booking, keeping in mind our current IT landscape. The new solution offers a consistent and enhanced user experience across countries and entities. It also ensures visibility to the real-time travel expenses while adhering to existing travel policies.”- Binayak Singh 

Rhipe: “With minimal training, it’s now clear to employees what their responsibility is, and that’s resulted in a complete change in staff, manager, and company behaviour.” – TV Satheesan

3. Rating

Ratings are a critical factor when selecting expense management software. They offer valuable insights into the user experience, functionality, and reliability of a platform. Ratings alone often indicate user satisfaction, but detailed reviews provide real-world perspectives. Choosing software with favorable ratings can streamline expense management processes, enhance user adoption, and minimize potential issues. 

Ratings are based on user reviews, and in Happay vs. Concur, you can see that the ratings indicate that Happay edges ahead of SAP. For instance, Happay scores 8.7 and 8.4, while SAP scores 7.9 and 7 in Quality of Support and Ease of Setup. Some of the reasons Happay scored slightly higher may be that account managers ensure seamless migration. Further, irrespective of the plan, customers have access to a dedicated account manager and 24/7 customer support.

Ease of use is an important metric to measure as it indicates the usability of the intuitiveness of the design. In a comparison between the two, Happay impresses with a score of 9 as against SAP’s 7.9. What works in happay’s favor is that it offers a complete, integrated, and single platform to manage 100% of business spending, payments, cards, and travel. 

Read About: SAP Concur Reviews: Pricing and Features

4. Awards

4.1 Happay

Happay has won the CIO CHOICE award for Travel & Expense Management for the year 2023. They were the recipient of the award in 2019 and 2020, too. 

Happay received an impressive 23 badges in G2’s summer report 2023. The highlight among the badges was the “leader” badge in the travel and expense category, competing and winning against legacy giants such as Concur and Expensify. Among the 23 badges, Easiest Admin, Easy-To-Do-Business-With, and Best Usability are the other unique badges they secured. 

4.2 SAP Concur

SAP has been favorably recognized in several categories by Trust Radius. For the year 2023, it has been rated “ Top Rated”. Furthermore, they were also recognized as having the “Best Feature Set,” “Best Relationship,” and “ Best Value for Price.”

G2 has also recognized SAP Concur as a “Leader” in Fall 2023. 

Customer Success Case Studies

Customer success case studies are real-world stories that provide valuable insights into how products or services have solved specific challenges and delivered tangible results. They offer a glimpse into the practical benefits and capabilities that a solution can provide, helping potential users understand its potential impact on their own situations. 

Customer success stories build trust and confidence by showcasing the positive experiences of others, making it easier to make informed decisions and choose the right solutions. They serve as a source of inspiration and guidance, guiding individuals and businesses toward making choices that align with their goals and needs.

1. Happay

Genworks and their journey to improved employee experiences.

1. Genworks is an initiative by GE to empower healthcare professionals to operate in rural areas. It hopes to deliver better medical facilities and diagnostics while keeping things affordable.
2. The challenge: A big chunk of their employees worked from different rural parts of India. The manual expense management process not only affected the employee experience negatively, but it increased policy violations, and it was extremely challenging to measure or analyze expenses. 
3. Solution: Happay’s mobile app helped digitize the process, which helped to bring about sweeping changes in the 

• Employee experiences,
• 100% policy compliance,
• Accurate analytics

2. SAP Concur

1. Beumer India is the subsidiary of Beumer Group, Beckum Germany. A 100% subsidiary headquartered in Gurgaon, India, it is involved in the material handling space. 
2. The challenge: The expense management was done through an Excel sheet. This completely manual process was not only time-consuming but any analysis or tracking was complicated. Beumer, being present worldwide, has several employees working remotely. This made it crucial to look for a quicker and more efficient system.
3. Solution: SAP Concur’s travel and expense solution helped streamline and quicken the process. Whether it is monitoring or expense reporting, there was significant savings in time and effort. Smoother workflows, better visibility, and compliance automatically contributed to an overall improvement in the expense management process. 

FAQs