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An open letter to anyone considering the purchase of Concur Technologies software.
I am publishing this letter I wrote in the hope that it will motivate Concur Technologies to improve their software. In its current incarnation (circa, 2007), I feel that Concur's Expense Reporting software is needlessly costing its clients vast amounts of money in training, lost productivity and employee aggravation. Fortunately, the problems are fixable in my opinion. What follows is a litany of egregious user-interface errors that, once fixed, would go a long way towards reducing employee training, time and aggravation.
The primary reason Concur requires so much training (even for savvy Internet users) is that the software ignores nearly ALL common Internet interface conventions. Most people these days surf and shop online without problems. This is possible because online companies do Usability Testing to make sure people can easily use their site. Had Concur done ANY customer testing at all, they might have noticed the following flaws.
For example:
Right off the bat, they've combined Travel Planning and Expense Reports under the heading: “Concur Expense.” This is indicative of their confusing nomenclature throughout. Why not call the heading what it is: “Travel & Expense?”
In the “Expense Reports” box of Concur Central, there are SEVEN different lines of text when they only need 3: “View & Edit Expense Reports” and “Create New Expense Report” and “Help.” This sort of needless confusion is what makes the software so aggravating to use.
Then, they've got the heading: “Company Links” (do they mean MY company, or THEIR company?) under which we find all sorts of Help links, ostensibly to show people how to use their horrible software. But even MORE amazingly, they've got an entire, “How do I?” section devoted to “How to use the software.” Out of over TWENTY links on the front page, there are only FOUR links that AREN'T related to helping people figure out the software. And I'm not even going to go into how useless those links are—NO ONE (who isn't an accountant) is going to take the time to read them. When you spend two-thirds of your home-page on just using the software, it's obviously too difficult for people to use.
Their “Breadcrumb” links at the top of the page echo the confusing taxonomy of the front page. “Concur Expense” is the second breadcrumb link, yet it's not an option on the front page (there, it's called both “Edit & View Travel Requests” as well as “Edit & View Expense Reports”).
To view a new credit card charge (a frequent need), people have to click through “Edit & View Expense Reports” (even though they haven't created a new Expense report yet), and then on “Company Card.” Why not have a “New Credit Charges” link on the front page?
The “Add to List” and “Add to report” submission links (again, text links instead of the more common Submit-style buttons) are located counter-intuitively at the TOP of the lists, instead of BELOW them where users expect them to be. In addition, they use “OK”-text links ABOVE the referring list instead of the more obvious Submit-style button at lower right.
Then there's the unintuitive search functionality. Concur's search function isn't intelligent enough to suggest “possible” answers to a query, so the user must toggle between “Code” and “Name” in order to return ANY visible results from which to choose.
Not only that, but the resulting sidebar that lists selectable options offers no scroll bars or any other indication that there are additional results/listings beyond what is initially visible. Not having scroll bars makes the user believe the selection isn't there even though it may just hidden below.
Error flags on the Report List are BELOW the related item, rather than 'in-line' with them as users would expect (at least the item itself should be red or asterisked, too).
On the itemization page, Concur asks for a Vendor name despite the fact that the actual vendor name is CLEARLY identified above the very question itself (from AmEx—I'm guessing). Why doesn't the system know what AmEx obviously knows?
There's no “progress bar” or other visible indicator--in the browser or anywhere on the page--that tells users whether or not the web page is fully drawn. Users think the answer or information just isn't there, when it is actually still being sent from the server.
Printing the fax receipt is a THREE(!) step process that is confusing, complex and again lacks any obvious “NEXT” buttons to make moving from step to step more apparent. Printing is also inconsistent on different platforms. For instance, on a Mac, the receipts prints too large and has to be manually resized 85% by the user.
After faxing in receipts, why does the USER have to go “check receipts” in order to know that a submission went through? The system should auto-generate a confirmation email upon getting of the user's receipts. (No wait! I just got an email confirmation! Yay!)
To alter a previously filled-in field on the New Expense Report page, people must click on the list in the SIDEBAR, not in the actual field itself. Again, counter-intuitive to any average Internet user—no other website works like that.
When adding expense items, trying to go back using the browser's “Back” button requires a Repost that causes errors requiring the user to re-login. (The first rule of Web 2.0 is “Don't break the back button!”)
When expensing airline tickets, airline classes are listed alphabetically, as Business, Coach and First Class? Why not order them by context: in ascending or descending order of expense like a logical person would list them? Either Coach, Business, First Class. Or else First Class, Business, Coach.
Another huge problem with Concur is the lack of user-notification. There is no confirmation after an expense report has been submitted. Most websites return a page that says, “Your report has been submitted successfully.” so that users know it went through. Concur simply sends you back to the previous page where, if you're REALLY paying attention, you can see a small notation. At least, you should put “Submitted & Pending Approval” in red text or something so the user doesn't resubmit the report.
There are more—so many more—confusing usability aspects to Concur, but these are the biggest ones, in my opinion. If you could ask them to find the time to make their software follow widespread Internet conventions of any popular e-commerce website, your many confused and frustrated employees would certainly appreciate it.
Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!
I'm just trying to enter an expense report today and losing my mind! How about the blurb on the login page that tells you what the naming convention of your login i.d. should be...only that's NOT the naming convention of your login id.? Since the naming convention hint is wrong, when your login fails you then assume it's because you forgot your password (which you probably didn't- you just made the stupid mistake of believing what they tell you about your login i.d.) and never receiving the email confirmation that your password has been reset, so you have to wait until Monday for your account administrator to do it for you manually. And my favorite today is trying to submit an expense for a hotel stay. I enter the daily amounts for the room charge and the three taxes, plus the one-time internet access fee- and the software keeps telling me that the charges don't add up to the amount of the expense...when I've had THREE people check it and yes- they DO add up to the amount of the expense. I'm a programmer and pretty tech-savvy so I'm not just being a moron here. I HATE Concur Solutions.
Concur
I have had no issues with it. Look at their client roster...govt. NFL teams, bill gates foundation, united way, AT&T, comcast..the list goes on. They are doing something right
It's a sales job of a time-wasting product
What CONCUR is doing right is SELLING their product. Ask people who are actually using it in those companies to see the problems with it. You have to listen to the users, not to the Concur salesforce.
Agreed
... as a frequent user, the software is crap and wastes more of my time than it could possibly save our accountants.
hate it
concur turns everyone into a frustrated admin....
Frustrating
The web interface is glacially slow compared to other systems I've used before (Deltek T&E). The Android app seems to work pretty well and is much faster than the web interface, which is stupid.
Concur equals "Turkish Prison"
I have worked professionally for 36 years as an oil analyst. In my opinion, the people who concocted Concur (concoct would be a better name) should be thrown in a Turkish Prison. They have feloniously assaulted anyone who honestly does expenses and now is treated much like a Turkish prisoner might be treated in Midnight Express.
Concur is horrendous
I have worked for more than 20 years using many on-line systems and software and Concur is without a doubt the most poorly designed system I have ever had to use. Concur is a product that egregiously wastes time and I hope someone does an MBA research paper on how this product is slowing work productivity and alienating employees who are forced to use it. Horrendous product. Do not buy it.
The slowest website on Earth
Not since I had a dial up connection in the early 90's have I stared at a screen so long waiting for it to do the simplest things. It should take me 20 mintues to do my expenses, instead it takes over 3 hours. I can not stand this product, it makes me miserable for 3 hours a month.
Over 2 minutes to move from one screen to another?
Really? Why? Do they only have one little server for thousands of customers? Beyond the interface being moronic, it's not usable due to how slow it is.
Concur is killing me
Concur is not designed for people who travel far! They schedule supposedly regular maintenance at night, sure but at night for Whom
?? I am presently in Singapore and will most likely have to get up in the middle of the night to access their site. Accessing via Internet Explorer is a big no no, it can take 2 minutes for a page refresh. I have found that Firefox has less problems on the Concur site. I cannot believe the crap tehy filled my company administrators with, Oh it will never cost more than $15 dollars to fill in a claim. I have news for them, the average claim takes 3 hours for a normal 2 week stay in a foreign country. In the good old times it took me 30 minutes and 4 admins took care of hundreds of travellers in our company. I am a test pilot and I have with me highly qualified engineers, at 3 hours each we have cost the company a fortune compared to a few admins that are far more qualified than I am.
I just got into a wicked situation where the hotel charged one hotel stay for 2 weeks, i.e. one bill but split the Amex charge in 2 seperate transactions, TILT, concur cannot understand anythinbg that is not one bill one charge. Here we go, emails all over the place, managers trying to figure a way out. Any company wishing to purchase concur services had better be aware that they will pay through the nose. Then again companies love hiding overhead costs by passing the problem on to us.
Thought it was in Beta
The first time I used this program and encountered several issues best described as "non-intuitive" and "annoying" as well as clearly technical issues such as the one where all my uploaded receipts suddenly ceased to exist, I assumed that Concur was in Beta. NOPE! It's been around a while, I was told. This program wastes time. Really needs a retool.
Best alternative?
Anyone actually enjoy their expense report system and can recommend?
LOVED Gelco ExpenseLink until
LOVED Gelco ExpenseLink until Concur bought them out and forced us to switch to their software. Worst thing ever! Why didn't they keep the Gelco platform and get rid of this crap!
Yes But
I agree with all the complaints about this Piece of $%&T software.
2 companies I work for have used it and once again I find my self in a battle of wills - should I simply just give up or smash something.
Now everytime I use it I have to re-install Acrobat so I can upload the receipts image.
I just wish this company would fail!
Easy guys
Many of these issues have to do with the configuration. Each company is unique. Dont blame the software or Concur. Blame your company implemt team for not configuring the tool properly.
I'm ready to quit my job over Concur
I CONCUR with all the others on here. This software is garbage. What used to take me less than an hour to complete a 2 week international travel expense report has taken me over 12 and I'm still getting errors.
In one case I returned from a trip in the morning and took off the same day and Concur forbids me from creating two expense reports.
I used to be able to work on expenses on the return leg of a flight. But with Concur, I need to be on line. This is such a waste of my time and the hundreds of admins whose managers dump expense reports on their desks because they can't be bothered. In another case I'm working in a foreign city on a temporary assignment. The dates aren't easily bracked. Concur can't deal with this.
It's costing me not only in time but time where my money is tied up in company travel costs because I simply can't spend the time on this distraction. I'm seriously considering leaving the company because of this.
Is there nobody from Concur who is reading this blog and can comment?
Best Expense System by far!
Concur is by far the best expense system available. I really enjoy the e-receipts and the mobile application. As per the "Easy Guys" comment above, your company's configurations may tint your views of Concur.
Better Alternatives?
I could convince the company to switch if there was something better at a low cost for a small - mid-sized business. Any suggestions?
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