How to Choose Your SAP Concur Implementation Partner

Selecting the right SAP Concur implementation partner is one of the most important decisions of your Travel & Expense project. The right partner accelerates time-to-value, secures user adoption and avoids costly rework. The wrong one can derail the entire program, even when the SAP Concur solution itself is perfectly suited to your needs.

This article presents the seven criteria we believe matter most when evaluating an SAP Concur integrator, based on years of field experience on international rollouts.

Why the choice of integrator is critical

SAP Concur is a powerful but highly configurable solution. The same module can be set up in very different ways depending on your country footprint, accounting rules, expense policy, card programs and ERP. An implementation partner does not just "install" the tool — they translate your business requirements into a configuration that will live with you for the next 5 to 10 years.

A poor implementation typically results in:

• Workarounds that complicate every future evolution
• Low user adoption and a return to expense report spreadsheets
• Manual accounting reconciliations that erase the expected ROI
• A configuration that nobody on your team understands or can maintain

Choosing the right partner from the start is therefore far more cost-effective than fixing things later.

1. SAP Concur certifications and partner status

The first filter is formal: is the company an official SAP Concur partner, and what is its certification level?

SAP Concur maintains a [partner directory] listing certified implementation partners. Being listed is a baseline requirement — it guarantees that the partner has signed the SAP partner agreement, that its consultants have access to official training and that they follow SAP's implementation methodology.

Ask explicitly:

• How many certified consultants on each module (Expense, Travel, Request, Invoice)?
• Are the certifications up to date? SAP Concur evolves continuously.
• Does the partner have a dedicated SAP Concur practice or is it a side activity?

2. Real Travel & Expense expertise, not just SAP expertise

Many large SAP integrators add Concur to their portfolio without having the specific T&E expertise the product requires. SAP Concur is closer to a SaaS Travel & Expense product than to a classic ERP module — its logic, vocabulary and best practices are different.

A good integrator should be able to discuss with you:

• Per Diem and mileage allowance rules across multiple countries
• VAT recovery on travel expenses
• Corporate card programs (individual liability vs corporate liability, AMEX, Visa, Mastercard)
• Audit Rules and Workflow design patterns
• Local legal requirements (digitization of receipts, archiving, electronic signature)

If your interlocutor only talks about "data flows" and "interfaces", you are probably talking to an ERP integrator, not a T&E specialist.

3. Implementation methodology

SAP Concur projects follow a well-defined methodology (Discovery, Design, Configuration, Test, Deploy, Hypercare). What matters is how the partner adapts it to your context.

Key questions:

• Do they use a structured design document covering Group, Policy, Forms, Fields and Workflows? (See our [Concur Expense configuration diagram].)
• How is testing organized? Is there a formal UAT phase with end users?
• What deliverables will you own at the end of the project (configuration workbook, test scripts, training materials)?
• How is knowledge transfer handled towards your internal team?

A partner who cannot describe their methodology in concrete terms — with templates and deliverables — is a red flag.

4. Team profile and seniority

The team that sells the project is rarely the team that delivers it. Always ask to meet the consultants who will actually work on your account, especially the lead functional consultant and the project manager.

Look for:

• 3+ years of hands-on SAP Concur experience for the lead consultant
• At least one consultant with experience on your specific country / industry
• A project manager who has already delivered at least 2 or 3 Concur projects
• Linguistic coverage matching your geographic footprint

Beware of pyramid structures where one senior architect "covers" several projects while the actual work is done by very junior profiles.

5. References on comparable projects

Ask for client references on projects similar to yours in terms of:

• Modules deployed (Expense, Travel, Request, Invoice)
• Number of countries and users
• ERP integrated (SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.)
• Card program complexity

Do not settle for a list of logos: ask to speak directly with two or three of these clients. A confident partner will facilitate the conversation. A reluctant one is telling you something important.

6. Pricing model and contract terms

SAP Concur implementations can be billed at fixed price, time & materials, or capped time & materials. Each model has trade-offs:

• Fixed price protects your budget but pushes the partner to limit scope discussions. Make sure the scope is precisely defined.
• Time & materials offers flexibility but requires strong governance on your side.
• Capped T&M is often a good compromise: flexibility with a financial safety net.

Beyond the rate, pay attention to:

• Change request process and pricing
• Travel expenses (capped or actuals?)
• Hypercare duration and what it covers
• Hand-off conditions to your support partner (if different)

7. Post go-live support

SAP Concur evolves continuously: quarterly releases, new modules, new local legal requirements. Your integrator should propose a continuous improvement service beyond the initial project: AMS (Application Management Services), evolution roadmap, change impact assessments on each release.

Make sure that:

• The same team can support you after go-live (continuity matters)
• SLAs are clearly defined
• You retain ownership of your configuration and documentation

Red flags to watch out for

A few warning signs that should make you reconsider:

• The partner cannot name their certified consultants
• The proposal is built only on day-rates without a methodology
• References cannot be contacted or are years old
• The partner is reluctant to put the lead consultant in writing in the contract
• Implementation timelines look too good to be true (a full Concur Expense rollout in 6 weeks across 10 countries is not realistic)

In summary

Choosing your SAP Concur implementation partner is a strategic decision. Take the time to evaluate certifications, T&E expertise, methodology, team seniority, references, contract terms and post go-live support. The cheapest proposal is rarely the most cost-effective once total cost of ownership is taken into account.

At [Bratsi], we are 100% dedicated to SAP Concur implementations. If you would like to discuss your project, your selection process, or get a second opinion on proposals you have received, feel free to [contact us] — the first exchange is always free.