Travel and Expense Integration: A Platform Compatibility Matrix
Expense & Cost Control
In the modern finance tech stack, integration is everything. A standalone travel or expense tool that does not seamlessly connect with your core accounting or ERP system is a recipe for manual work, data entry errors, and a lack of real-time visibility. When selecting a travel and expense (T&E) management platform, one of the most critical evaluation criteria is its ability to integrate with the financial systems you already use. A deep, reliable, pre-built integration is what transforms a T&E tool from a simple data collection app into a powerful engine for financial automation.
This guide provides a compatibility matrix, showing how top T&E platforms, including all-in-one solutions and standalone expense tools, integrate with the most popular accounting and ERP systems. This will help you understand which platforms are the best fit for your company's existing technology ecosystem.
Why Integration is Non-Negotiable
A T&E platform that is not integrated with your accounting software creates a "data island." You are forced to manually export data from one system and manually import or re-key it into another. This manual "last mile" is a major source of inefficiency and errors.
A pre-built, two-way integration automates this entire process.
- It Syncs Your Accounting Structure: The integration pulls your Chart of Accounts, departments, classes, and project codes from your accounting system into the T&E platform, ensuring consistent data categorization.
- It Automates Expense Entry: It automatically pushes fully approved and coded expense data from the T&E platform into your accounting system, creating bills or journal entries without any manual work. Our guide on connecting travel booking with accounting software explains this in detail.
- It Provides Real-Time Data: This automated sync means your financial records are always up-to-date, providing a real-time view of your T&E spend.
The Compatibility Matrix
Here is a look at the integration capabilities of some of the leading T&E platforms on the market.
(Note: "Direct Integration" means a pre-built, one-click connection. "API/File-Based" means integration is possible through a more custom process, either via an API or a structured file export/import.)
1. Routespring
As a modern, all-in-one travel and expense platform, Routespring prioritizes deep and seamless integrations.
- QuickBooks (Online & Desktop): Direct Integration
- NetSuite: Direct Integration
- Xero: Direct Integration
- Sage Intacct: Direct Integration
- SAP (Various): Direct Integration & API/File-Based
- Microsoft Dynamics: Direct Integration & API/File-Based
- Summary: Routespring offers one of the most comprehensive sets of pre-built integrations for the most popular accounting systems, making it an excellent and flexible choice for businesses of all sizes.
2. SAP Concur
As an SAP product, Concur's strongest integrations are naturally within the SAP ecosystem.
- SAP S/4HANA & ECC: Deep, native integration.
- NetSuite: Direct Integration
- QuickBooks (Online & Desktop): Direct Integration
- Xero: Integration via third-party connectors.
- Microsoft Dynamics: Integration via third-party connectors.
- Summary: Concur is the obvious choice for large enterprises already running on SAP. For companies using other accounting systems, the integration can be less seamless and may require a third-party middleware solution.
3. Navan (formerly TripActions)
Navan has built a strong set of direct integrations with modern, cloud-based accounting platforms.
- NetSuite: Direct Integration
- QuickBooks Online: Direct Integration
- Xero: Direct Integration
- Sage Intacct: Direct Integration
- Summary: Navan has a good offering for mid-market companies and startups that are using modern cloud accounting software. Integration with older, on-premise ERP systems may be more complex.
4. Expensify
As a long-standing expense management leader, Expensify has developed a wide range of accounting integrations.
- QuickBooks (Online & Desktop): Direct Integration
- Xero: Direct Integration
- NetSuite: Direct Integration
- Sage Intacct: Direct Integration
- Summary: Expensify's integration capabilities are a major strength, making it easy to connect with most major accounting platforms used by SMBs.
5. Ramp
As a newer spend management platform, Ramp has focused on direct integrations with the most popular cloud accounting systems.
- QuickBooks Online: Direct Integration
- NetSuite: Direct Integration
- Xero: Direct Integration
- Sage Intacct: Direct Integration
- Summary: Ramp is a good fit for modern companies running their finances on a cloud-based system.
How to Evaluate an Integration
When a vendor says they "integrate" with your accounting system, you need to dig deeper.
- Ask for a Demo of the Integration: Do not just take their word for it. Ask them to show you exactly how the integration works. How is it configured? What does the data sync look like in real-time?
- Is it Two-Way? Does the integration only push data from the T&E tool to the accounting system, or can it also pull data (like your Chart of Accounts) from the accounting system? A two-way sync is much more powerful.
- Is it Pre-Built or Custom? A pre-built, "native" integration is almost always more reliable and easier to maintain than a custom integration that needs to be built by your IT team or a third-party consultant.
- Talk to Reference Customers: Ask the vendor for references from other customers who use the same accounting system as you. Talk to them about their experience with the reliability and depth of the integration.
Choosing a T&E platform is a long-term technology decision. Ensuring that it integrates seamlessly with your core financial system is one of the most important factors in making that decision a successful one. A strong integration strategy is the key to unlocking the full efficiency and visibility benefits of a modern travel and expense program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What if our company uses a custom-built or legacy accounting system? If a pre-built integration is not available, you can still automate the data transfer. A good T&E platform will allow you to create a custom, formatted file export (e.g., a CSV file) that can be configured to match the import template of your accounting system. While this is less seamless than a direct API integration, it is still far more efficient than manual data entry.
2. Who is responsible for setting up the integration? Your T&E platform provider should have a dedicated implementation or support team that will guide you through the process of setting up and configuring the integration. For a standard, pre-built integration, this is usually a simple process that does not require deep technical expertise from your team.
3. How does the integration handle different currencies for international travel? A robust integration will handle multi-currency transactions automatically. The T&E platform will record the expense in its original currency and then convert it to your company's home currency for reporting. The integration will then pass all of this detailed currency information to your accounting system, ensuring your financial records are accurate.
4. Can an integration sync data other than just expense reports? Yes. A deep integration can often sync other data as well, such as invoice information. For example, if your travel management platform provides a single monthly invoice for all your travel, the integration can automatically push this invoice into your accounts payable system.
5. How important is real-time sync versus a daily or weekly sync? While a daily sync is better than a manual process, a real-time sync provides the most value. It ensures that your financial data is always completely up-to-date, which is critical for accurate cash flow management and proactive budget tracking. When you are evaluating platforms, ask about the frequency and speed of the data sync.