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Submitted by Mike Grenville on Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:36 |
Employees can now use their mobile phones to log expense claim items as they occur with a new service launched today by Signifo Expenses.
No longer will an employee have to rifle through his wallet, purse or pockets in an effort to compile an accurate expense claim. Instead, users simply send each expense item as and when it is incurred as an SMS message from their mobile phone to a special number provided by Signifo.
The expense items, sent by SMS to a dedicated iTAGG.com long number, are instantly posted to an employee’s claim within the Signifo Expenses online system via iTAGG.com’s SMS gateway. Once online, claims are automatically submitted to a line manager for approval. No special software is required for the phone.
The iTAGG.com system also includes an online control panel that provides a complete audit trail of each transaction, the mobile number and network used, time received etc., allowing Signifo to monitor usage and troubleshoot.
How it Works
The SMS messages sent can be short and concise, allowing claims to be posted in a matter of seconds. For example, the message below will record the currency (GBP, the user’s base currency), the amount (20.40), the category (taxi) and the description (to station):
20.40 taxi to station
Alternatively, the SMS messages can be more extensive. For example, the message below would populate the currency, amount, category and description fields:
EUR 46.50 entertainment met client for lunch in Paris to discuss new project launch
An exclamation mark allows multiple expense items to be sent. For example, the message below will record both items:
20.40 taxi to station ! EUR 46.50 entertainment met client for lunch in Paris to discuss new project launch
Additional data can be added or amended online before a claim is submitted for approval.
Simple Mobile App
James Brewis, Managing Director, Signifo Expenses said: “Customers have been telling us for some time that they’d like a way to record expense items immediately, instead of having to remember them when they compile an expense claim, often days or even weeks later.
“So we looked at how we could best enable our users, which number in the thousands, to capture expense items as they are incurred. We’ve kept it very simple and expense items can now be sent in a matter of seconds using any mobile phone from almost anywhere in the world.â€
Steve Procter, CEO, iTAGG.com said: “Signifo Expenses is a great example of how mobile applications can simplify everyday tasks. What makes this concept work well is that Signifo is providing a service at the point of need. Once Signifo had briefed us on what they required, the iTAGG.com team where able to quickly build a mobile system that met its needs head on.â€
The SMS functionality is only the latest development for Signifo Expenses. The company’s web-based expense claim solutions include an offline version and a credit card interface and allow expense claims to be submitted rapidly, approved electronically and posted on a consolidated basis to a company’s accounts. The benefits in terms of process cost savings, greater accuracy of data and management control are considerable.
Headquartered in London, Signifo Expenses has active customers across Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Implementations of Signifo range from companies with a single employee claiming expenses to those with up to a thousand users spread across the globe.
www.signifo.com
www.itagg.com
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