Saturday, January 20, 2007

$1,000,000

So here's an idea that I think should be implemented. I thought of it when I read a friends blog post about hating Expense reports:

American Express Corporate Cards should have a website where you go, and all your purchases are 'checkable' with a check mark.

So here's how it would work.
You log in and then:

1) You fill out the Trip detail in the box for that: Chicago - McDonald's and CNA Insurance.

2) The trip Start and End dates are easily checked off on the two little calendars under the trip details title.

3) Go through the list of purchases:
Airfare - check
Hotel - check
Dinner - check (and add in the adjacent text field who dinner was with)
Running shoes - no check
etc..

If you use that specific Credit Card for nothing but work stuff, you could just click "Check All" option and be done with it all in 15 seconds flat.

4) Also, it can allow you to edit/add a few lines for cab fares and other that was cash stuff if your company has the rule of anything under $20 needs no receipt like my last one did.

5) Then you click "Create Expense Report" button at the bottom, and it creates a PDF type report thingie that you just print out (or email) in to your AP dept. Or, your company's Oracle expense report system can tie into it via Web Services that you personalize one time when you get your card, and it sends all the crap automagically upon clicking "Submit to *company* Oracle Expense System"

And POOF! you're done. (No need for receipts because it's coming straight from your Credit Card statement)

That's my 3rd million dollar idea i've come up with this week alone.

4 comments:

Tiffany said...

I love you.

Your idea is BRILLIANT.

How soon can we implement? And can I get a demo? (I hear you are the demo king!)

My AP people are gorillas though... they WANT to make my life a living hell :) This would make my job easier which is against their mantra!

JohnF said...

That idea is almost what I have at work. The credit card is just for work. My Amex bill is fed into our expense report system and I just check off the items to be expensed, and maybe send in a paper receipt for some of it. Only problem is many places don't take american express.

Tiffany said...

Uh- my process is a little archaeic. I tape all my receipts down on pieces of paper and enter it into Excel. The professional services team uses some fancy program (prob bc we are billing clients and we can't screw it up!)

Damn...I'm a dinosaur... Mike, what do you do?

Lulu said...

Yeah we have the import straight into our Expense Report software also from AmEx. Don't even have to copy your receipts. It is brilliant! Too bad I never get to go anywhere anymore.