4 Mistakes When Choosing Time and Expense Software

If you’ve been charged with finding the best timesheet and/or expense reporting software for your company, you’ve got a big task before you. Not only is money at stake, but so are the time and effort that will be required of you and your colleagues. Here’s a list of mistakes that we’ve found that companies make when they’re looking for the best solution.

1. Big names vs. enduring solutions
   

   This issue is ubiquitous: should you go with the big brand name or with the off-brand that offers better value? We encounter this decision when we buy food, prescriptions, and everything in between. However, what makes software different is that a company without the big name can offer more because they aren’t tied down to a board or to stockholders.
   
   DATABASICS, for example, is privately owned, which allows us to prioritize customers and employees. In other words, the real needs of the real people who use the software comes first. That’s why the company can implement enduring solutions over short-term answers.
   
   

2. Underestimating the importance of customer support

   In the real world of software, problems happen. Those problems might be on the part of the software itself or on the part of the user. The point is that when there’s a problem, it needs to be solved. Time and again, users report that while software might be usable for a while, that doesn’t matter when a question or an issue arises and it can’t be solved.
   
   A quick Google search of user experiences will show that many of the big and small names in timesheet and expense reporting software cannot provide the customer support to back up their software. The reason why so many companies struggle with customer support is that they did not design customer support as part of the product; instead, they added it on as an afterthought.
   
   DATABASICS was designed for real people from its beginnings, so customer support was built into the software as part of the design. We have teams dedicated to solving problems and answering questions, unlike many of our competitors.

3. The software vendor does not listen to real needs

   Salespeople and marketers can be very good at highlighting what makes their software the best. However, those highlights can work to cover up what the company does not do so well. While they emphasize features, functionality, and how easy the software is to use, those do not matter if they do not solve the real problems of the company.
   
   The only way that your company’s needs can really be met is through listening. The vendor needs to actually work to understand the concerns and problems of the company. While it’s also smart to listen to the expertise of your vendor, they aren’t specifically in your shoes, so if they aren’t making adjustments to the software based on what you need and what you’re telling them, then that’s not the solution for you.
   
   For example, a customer recently wrote a letter to DATABASICS in appreciation of the work performed by one of our implementation specialists. This note shows the careful balance required when customers and vendors work together: “[He] helped us understand when we were being unreasonable while going above and beyond when he saw an issue that needed addressed. We also observed [him] pushing for system improvements within DATABASICS… The added functionality brought by these improvements will have lasting value for our cardholders and the programs they support.”
   
   

4. Certification and compliance

   One element of any organization to consider the vendor’s certifications and compliance with local and/or global regulations. Software can be flashy with plenty of features that make it sound like the right solution.
   
   However, that software might not be around in ten years if they aren’t compliant with regulations of the present and the future. If they’re managing credit card data, look for PCI compliant. If they manage data across the sea, check up on how the vendor maintains compliance with the E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield. Or, look at how they’re preparing for future regulations.
   
   For example, DATABASICS is already EU Privacy Shield compliant and has been working steadily for several months on becoming compliant with the GDPR (or the General Data Protection Regulation). The GDPR isn’t coming into effect until May 2018, but DATABASICS is looking ahead to ensure that we provide the best in privacy compliance for our customers and end users.
   
   If you’re currently in the market for timesheet and expense reporting software, don’t be afraid to ask about what preparations the company is undergoing to become GDPR compliant.

Be sure to avoid these mistakes that organizations in search of time and expense report software have made. Don’t take on more than you can handle by going with brand name company that offers more (and requires you to pay for more) than you actually need. Customer support and the vendor’s ability to listen are also essential when you’re looking for the best timesheet and expense report software for your needs. Finally, looking at how companies maintain certification and how they manage compliance with regulations can also tell you a lot about the company’s future.

For more information on the DATABASICS Time and Expense solutions, contact us, or call (800) 599-0434.

DATABASICS provides cloud-based, next generation Expense Reporting, P-Card Management, Timesheet Management, Leave Management, and Invoice Processing automation. Specializing in meeting the most rigorous requirements, DATABASICS offers the highest level of service to its customers around the world.

DATABASICS is relied upon by leading organizations representing all the major sectors of the global economy: financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, research, retail, engineering, nonprofits/NGOs, technology, federal contractors, and other sectors.

Connect with DATABASICS: LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. DATABASICS is headquartered in Reston, VA.