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Your Expense Management Data Template

SAP Concur

Expense Management Attributes (19) Expense Management Activities (14) Extraction Guides (2)

Your Expense Management Data Template

This template provides a comprehensive guide to collecting the necessary data for optimizing your expense management process. It outlines essential attributes to capture, key activities to track, and practical guidance for extracting this information from your source systems. Use this resource to build a robust event log, enabling deep insights into your process performance.

Recommended attributes for detailed analysis
Key activities to track throughout the expense lifecycle
Guidance on data extraction from SAP Concur

New to event logs? Learn how to create a process mining event log.

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Expense Management Attributes

These are the recommended data fields to include in your event log for a comprehensive analysis of your expense management process.

5 Required 6 Recommended 8 Optional

	Name	Description
	Activity Name ActivityName	The name of the business event that occurred at a specific point in time within the expense management process.
Description The Activity Name describes a specific step or milestone in the expense report lifecycle, such as 'Expense Report Submitted' or 'Manager Approved'. This attribute is fundamental to process mining, as it defines the nodes in the process map, allowing for the visualization and analysis of the process flow. Analyzing the sequence and frequency of activities helps identify common paths, deviations, and bottlenecks. Why it matters It defines the steps in the process map, enabling the visualization and analysis of the expense report journey. Where to get Derived from event logs or audit trails within SAP Concur, which track the status changes and actions performed on an expense report. Examples Expense Report SubmittedManager ApprovedFinance ApprovedReimbursement Executed
	Event Timestamp EventTimestamp	The precise date and time when a specific activity occurred.
Description This timestamp marks the exact moment an event in the expense management process took place. It is a critical component for process mining, as it establishes the chronological order of activities. The accuracy of this data is paramount for calculating cycle times, durations, and waiting times between different steps, which is essential for identifying delays and performance bottlenecks in the process. Why it matters It provides the chronological sequencing for all events, making it possible to calculate durations and analyze process performance over time. Where to get Available in the audit trail or event log data for each expense report in SAP Concur, associated with every recorded action. Examples 2023-10-26T10:00:00Z2023-10-26T14:35:10Z2023-10-27T09:00:00Z
	Expense Report ID ExpenseReportId	The unique identifier for an expense report, serving as the primary case identifier.
Description The Expense Report ID is the unique key that groups all related activities for a single expense claim. It allows for the complete tracking of a report's lifecycle, from its creation by an employee to the final reimbursement and accounting posting. In process mining, this ID is essential for reconstructing the end-to-end journey of each expense report, forming the basis for all process analysis and variant exploration. Why it matters This is the cornerstone of the analysis, as it links all individual events into a cohesive process flow for each expense report. Where to get This is a primary key in most SAP Concur expense reporting data extracts and APIs, often found as 'Report ID' or 'Report Key'. Examples C6B2F1A8-4D4F-4C8D-9E9C-1F0D5B5A4B3CER-2023-08-1001400012345
	Last Data Update LastDataUpdate	The timestamp indicating when the data for this record was last refreshed from the source system.
Description This attribute records the date and time of the last data extraction or update from SAP Concur. It is a crucial piece of metadata for understanding the freshness of the data being analyzed. This helps analysts and business users know how current the process insights are and is vital for maintaining data integrity and scheduling data refreshes. Why it matters Provides crucial context on data freshness, ensuring that analyses are based on up-to-date information. Where to get This timestamp is generated and added to the dataset during the data ingestion process. Examples 2023-10-27T02:00:00Z2023-10-28T02:00:00Z
	Source System SourceSystem	Identifies the system from which the data originated.
Description This attribute specifies the source application where the expense management process data was generated, which in this case is SAP Concur. It is important for data governance and context, especially in environments where data from multiple systems might be combined for a broader analysis. Explicitly tagging the source helps maintain data lineage and troubleshoot data quality issues. Why it matters Ensures data lineage and clarity, which is crucial when integrating data from multiple enterprise systems. Where to get This is typically a static value added during the data extraction and transformation process to label the origin of the dataset. Examples SAP ConcurConcur Expense ProfessionalConcur Standard
	Approver ID ApproverId	The identifier of the manager or finance user responsible for approving the expense report.
Description This attribute captures the user ID of the person who performs an approval activity. It is distinct from the general 'Processor User ID' as it specifically relates to approval steps. This data is essential for the 'Approver Performance & Routing' dashboard, allowing for analysis of approval times, rejection rates, and workloads per approver. It helps identify inconsistent routing and opportunities to balance workloads. Why it matters Enables detailed analysis of approver performance, helping to optimize approval workflows and identify training opportunities. Where to get This information is part of the workflow or audit trail data, linked to approval steps in SAP Concur. Examples m.joness.lee987654
	Employee Department EmployeeDepartment	The department or cost center to which the submitting employee belongs.
Description This attribute identifies the organizational unit of the employee who submitted the expense report. It is used for financial allocation and for analyzing process performance across different parts of the business. By filtering or comparing departments, managers can identify variations in approval times, policy compliance, and rework rates, helping to target process improvement initiatives where they are most needed. Why it matters Allows for process analysis by business unit, helping to identify department-specific behaviors, bottlenecks, or compliance issues. Where to get This information is typically sourced from the employee's profile data within SAP Concur, which often syncs with an HRIS. Examples SalesMarketingResearch & DevelopmentFinance
	Expense Category ExpenseCategory	The classification of the expense, such as Travel, Meals, or Office Supplies.
Description The Expense Category, also known as Expense Type, classifies the nature of the spending. This data is fundamental for financial budgeting, reporting, and analysis. In process mining, it helps analyze if certain categories are more prone to policy violations, longer approval times, or rework. This attribute is the basis for the 'Expense Categorization Accuracy' dashboard. Why it matters Provides a way to analyze process behavior by the type of spend, which can reveal category-specific issues with compliance or efficiency. Where to get This is a line-item level detail in SAP Concur. For case-level analysis, it may be aggregated or the most frequent category might be used. Examples AirfareHotelClient MealSoftware Subscription
	Policy Violation Flag PolicyViolationFlag	Indicates whether the expense report was flagged for a policy violation.
Description A boolean attribute that is true if an automated or manual check found a policy violation within the expense report. This could relate to exceeding spending limits, using non-preferred vendors, or missing required documentation. This flag is crucial for the 'Expense Policy Compliance Overview' dashboard and the 'Policy Violation Rate' KPI, helping organizations monitor and enforce their expense policies. Why it matters Directly supports compliance analysis, helping to measure and improve adherence to company expense policies and reduce financial risk. Where to get This is often a system-generated flag in SAP Concur based on configured expense policies. It can be found in report-level data. Examples truefalse
	Processor User ID ProcessorUserId	The identifier of the employee or system user who performed the activity.
Description This attribute identifies the person responsible for a given activity, such as the employee submitting the report, the manager approving it, or the finance team member processing it. Analyzing the processor allows for workload distribution analysis, performance comparisons between users or teams, and understanding how work is routed. It is key for dashboards related to approver performance and finance workload. Why it matters Enables analysis of workload distribution, user performance, and resource allocation, which is critical for identifying training needs and process improvements. Where to get Found in the audit trail data of an expense report, often associated with workflow steps like approval or submission. Examples j.doe789123asmith
	Report Total Amount ReportTotalAmount	The total monetary value of the expense report.
Description This attribute captures the sum of all expenses claimed in a single report. It is a fundamental metric for financial analysis, allowing for stratification of expense reports by value. High-value reports might follow different approval paths or require more scrutiny, and analyzing this amount helps in understanding cost drivers, compliance risks, and financial impact. Why it matters Provides critical financial context, enabling analysis based on monetary value, such as identifying high-cost reports that may require additional auditing. Where to get This is a header-level field on the expense report, available in standard data extracts from SAP Concur. Examples 150.752500.0089.50
	Approval Cycle Time ApprovalCycleTime	The calculated duration from when a report is submitted until it is fully approved by finance.
Description This calculated metric measures the total time elapsed between the 'Expense Report Submitted' and 'Finance Approved' activities. It is a direct measure of the 'Expense Approval Cycle Time' KPI. Analyzing this duration helps to identify bottlenecks in the approval chain, whether at the manager or finance level, and is critical for initiatives aimed at accelerating the approval process. Why it matters Quantifies the efficiency of the core approval process, directly impacting how quickly employees get reimbursed and how much manual effort is spent waiting. Where to get This metric is calculated during data analysis by taking the timestamp difference between the 'Finance Approved' and 'Expense Report Submitted' events for each case. Examples 2 days 4 hours1 day 8 hours 30 minutes5 days
	Audit Outcome AuditOutcome	The result of a manual or automated audit of the expense report.
Description This attribute records the final decision from an audit review, which can be 'Passed', 'Failed', or 'Passed with Warning'. It is a direct input for the 'Audit Finding Frequency' KPI. Analyzing audit outcomes helps identify common reasons for audit failures, such as missing receipts or policy non-compliance, and provides a feedback loop for improving front-end controls and employee training. Why it matters Directly measures the effectiveness of compliance controls and is essential for monitoring and reducing audit-related risks and costs. Where to get This information comes from the audit module or audit service within SAP Concur. It's available if the organization uses this feature. Examples PassedFailed - Missing ReceiptPassed with WarningNot Audited
	Employee Country EmployeeCountry	The country of the employee submitting the expense report.
Description This attribute identifies the country where the employee is based. It is a key dimension for analysis in global organizations, allowing for comparisons of process performance, compliance rates, and costs across different regions. Country-specific regulations, policies, and user behaviors can lead to significant process variations that are important to understand. Why it matters Enables regional and country-level benchmarking of process performance and compliance, which is vital for global process harmonization. Where to get This data is part of the employee's user profile in SAP Concur, typically synced from a central HR system. Examples USADEUGBRJPN
	End To End Cycle Time EndToEndCycleTime	The total time from the creation of the expense report to the final accounting post.
Description This calculated metric measures the entire duration of the expense management process for a single report. It is typically calculated as the time difference between the first event, 'Expense Report Created', and the last event, 'Accounting Posted'. This provides a holistic view of process performance and is the basis for the 'Average End-to-End Cycle Time' KPI, used to track overall process efficiency improvements. Why it matters Provides a high-level measure of the entire process velocity, from start to finish, which is a key indicator of overall efficiency. Where to get This metric is calculated during data analysis by taking the timestamp difference between the earliest and latest events for each completed case. Examples 10 days 2 hours15 days8 days 12 hours
	Is Rework IsRework	A calculated flag that indicates if the report was sent back for revision at any point.
Description This is a derived boolean attribute that is true if an expense report has undergone at least one revision cycle, identified by the occurrence of the 'Report Sent Back for Revision' activity. This flag simplifies the calculation of the 'Expense Report Rework Rate' KPI and allows for easy filtering and comparison between reports that were approved on the first pass and those that required rework. Analyzing these cases helps pinpoint common reasons for rejection and improve first-time quality. Why it matters Simplifies the analysis of process inefficiency by directly flagging cases that required additional work, helping to quantify and reduce rework. Where to get This attribute is not present in the source system. It is calculated during data transformation by checking if the 'Report Sent Back for Revision' activity exists for a given Case ID. Examples truefalse
	Payment Type PaymentType	Indicates the method of payment for the expenses, such as Corporate Card or Out-of-Pocket.
Description This attribute distinguishes between expenses paid for with a company-issued credit card and those paid by the employee personally (out-of-pocket) who is awaiting reimbursement. The payment type can significantly influence the process flow. For example, corporate card transactions may require additional reconciliation steps, while out-of-pocket expenses are directly tied to employee satisfaction via reimbursement speed. Why it matters Helps differentiate between process variants for corporate card and out-of-pocket expenses, which often have different processing requirements and risks. Where to get This is a standard field at the expense entry level within SAP Concur. Examples Corporate CardOut-of-PocketCash Advance
	Report Currency ReportCurrency	The currency in which the expense report was submitted.
Description This attribute specifies the currency code, such as USD or EUR, for the total amount claimed in the expense report. It is essential for any financial analysis to ensure that amounts are correctly interpreted and compared. In global organizations, analyzing expenses by currency can provide insights into regional spending patterns and currency exchange impacts. Why it matters It is essential for accurate financial reporting and analysis, especially for multinational companies dealing with multiple currencies. Where to get This is a standard header-level field on the expense report in SAP Concur. Examples USDEURGBPJPY
	Report Status ReportStatus	The current state of the expense report in its lifecycle.
Description This attribute indicates the current status of the expense report case, such as 'Pending Approval', 'Approved for Payment', or 'Paid'. While process mining primarily uses the sequence of activities, the final status of a case is useful for filtering and segmenting reports. For example, analysis might focus only on completed reports ('Paid') or investigate reports that are stuck in a particular status for a long time. Why it matters Provides a snapshot of the current state of a case, which is useful for filtering ongoing versus completed reports and for operational monitoring. Where to get This is a primary status field at the header level of an expense report in SAP Concur. Examples Submitted & Pending ApprovalApproved & In Accounting ReviewPaidRejected

Required Recommended Optional

Expense Management Activities

These are the key process steps and milestones to capture in your event log for accurate discovery and optimization of your expense management process.

6 Recommended 8 Optional

	Activity	Description
	Accounting Posted	The financial transaction for the reimbursement is officially posted to the company's general ledger. This final step is often recorded when data is extracted and loaded into the ERP system.
Why it matters This is the final activity in the end-to-end process. It is essential for measuring the full process cycle time and the accounting posting lag. Where to get Typically comes from the connected financial ERP system. The event is captured from the posting date associated with the expense report's journal entry. Capture Event captured from the posting date in the financial system, linked back to the report ID. Event type explicit
	Expense Report Created	Marks the initiation of a new expense report by an employee. This event is captured when a user saves a new expense report for the first time, generating a unique Expense Report ID.
Why it matters This is the starting point for all end-to-end cycle time calculations. It provides the baseline for measuring the total process duration. Where to get Typically logged explicitly in SAP Concur's audit trail tables, such as a Report Header table, with a creation timestamp when a new report ID is generated. Capture Event logged upon creation of a new report entry. Event type explicit
	Expense Report Submitted	The employee formally submits the completed expense report for approval. This is a key user-driven action that changes the report's status from 'Draft' to 'Submitted' and triggers the approval workflow.
Why it matters This activity is a critical milestone that marks the beginning of the approval cycle. It is essential for measuring manager and finance approval times. Where to get Explicitly logged in the SAP Concur audit trail. The report header status changes, and a submission timestamp is recorded. Capture Event captured from the report's submission timestamp field or workflow log. Event type explicit
	Finance Approved	The finance or audit team completes their review and gives final approval for reimbursement. This is a critical milestone captured as an explicit event in the approval history.
Why it matters This event marks the end of the entire approval cycle. It is the endpoint for measuring overall approval cycle time and the trigger for the reimbursement process. Where to get Recorded in the workflow history tables in SAP Concur. This event includes the approver's identity and a final approval timestamp. Capture Event logged in approval history upon finance team's approval action. Event type explicit
	Manager Approved	The line manager reviews the expense report and approves it, advancing it to the next step in the workflow. This action is captured as a status change and is recorded with the approver's details and a timestamp.
Why it matters This is a key approval milestone. Tracking this helps analyze manager approval cycle times and identify bottlenecks in the first level of review. Where to get Recorded in the workflow or approval history tables in SAP Concur, linked to the Expense Report ID. It includes the approver's identity and an approval timestamp. Capture Event logged in approval history upon manager's approval action. Event type explicit
	Reimbursement Executed	The payment is processed, and funds are disbursed to the employee. This is typically an explicit event triggered by the payment system, which then updates the status in SAP Concur.
Why it matters Marks the completion of the payment step and is critical for employee satisfaction. It's the end point for measuring reimbursement efficiency. Where to get Captured from the payment processing date field or a status update from an integrated payment system. The 'Paid Date' on the report is often used. Capture Captured from the payment processing date field or a status update from an integrated payment system. Event type explicit
	Audit Review Required	The expense report is routed to an audit or compliance team for additional scrutiny. This is often triggered by specific expense types or amounts and is captured by a status change indicating it has entered the audit queue.
Why it matters Identifies an additional, often time-consuming, step in the process. Analyzing this path is important for understanding delays for specific report types. Where to get Inferred from a status change in the report's workflow, such as moving to an 'Pending Audit' or 'In Audit Queue' status. Capture Derived from a change in the report's status field to an audit-related value. Event type inferred
	Finance Rejected	The finance team rejects the expense report, which typically terminates the process for that claim. This is a final negative outcome captured as a 'Rejected' status by the finance approver.
Why it matters Represents a hard stop in the process from the final approver. Analysis of these rejections is key to improving compliance and data quality. Where to get Logged in the SAP Concur approval history with a 'Rejected' status, timestamp, and the identity of the finance approver. Capture Event logged in approval history upon finance team's rejection action. Event type explicit
	Finance Review Started	The expense report enters the finance or accounts payable team's queue for final review. This event is inferred from the timestamp when the report's status changes to 'Pending Finance Review' or a similar state.
Why it matters Marks the beginning of the finance review cycle. This is a key starting point for measuring finance team workload and efficiency. Where to get Inferred from the workflow log or status history, specifically the timestamp associated with the report entering a 'Pending Accounting Review' or similar status. Capture Inferred from the timestamp of the status change to 'Pending Finance Review'. Event type inferred
	Manager Rejected	The line manager rejects the expense report, typically stopping the process unless it can be resubmitted. This is a terminal event for the current workflow, captured with a final 'Rejected' status.
Why it matters This activity represents a process exception or failure. Analyzing rejections helps understand reasons for non-compliance or invalid claims. Where to get Logged in the SAP Concur approval history with a 'Rejected' status and a timestamp. The workflow for the report is terminated. Capture Event logged in approval history upon manager's rejection action. Event type explicit
	Policy Violation Flagged	An automated system rule or a manual reviewer flags the expense report for a policy violation. This may be inferred from a specific flag or exception code being applied to the report or a line item.
Why it matters This event is critical for the Policy Compliance Overview dashboard. It enables analysis of frequent violation types and helps improve policy adherence. Where to get Inferred from changes in a policy violation flag or exception code field within the report data. It may not be a discrete event but a change in an attribute's state. Capture Inferred from a change in the 'Policy Violation Flag' attribute from false to true. Event type inferred
	Receipts Image Attached	Represents the action of a user uploading a receipt image and attaching it to an expense report. This is typically captured as an explicit event in the system's audit logs for each attachment.
Why it matters Analyzing the timing and frequency of this activity helps understand user behavior and identify delays between report creation and readiness for submission. Where to get Recorded in SAP Concur's image or attachment logs, linked to the specific Expense Report ID. The system's audit trail often captures this user action with a timestamp. Capture Event logged when an image file is successfully uploaded and linked to the report. Event type explicit
	Reimbursement Scheduled	After final approval, the expense report is sent to a payment system and queued for reimbursement. This is often inferred when the report moves into a 'Pending Payment' or 'Approved for Payment' status.
Why it matters This activity marks the transition from approval to payment. It's the start point for measuring the reimbursement execution time. Where to get Can be inferred from a status change to 'Sent for Payment'. In integrated systems, this could be an explicit event from a payment batch creation. Capture Inferred from the timestamp of the status change to a payment-pending state. Event type inferred
	Report Sent Back for Revision	An approver, either a manager or finance reviewer, returns the expense report to the employee for correction. This is an explicit action that changes the report's status back to a draft or pending state for the employee.
Why it matters This activity is the primary indicator of rework and process inefficiency. Analyzing its frequency helps identify common errors and improve first-pass approval rates. Where to get Captured in the SAP Concur workflow history. The system logs the 'Send Back' action with a timestamp and often requires a comment from the approver. Capture Event captured from the workflow log when an approver executes the 'Send Back' action. Event type explicit

Recommended Optional

Extraction Guides

How to get your data from SAP Concur

Steps

Access SAP Concur: Log in to SAP Concur with a user account that has the required permissions, such as Web Services Administrator or Expense Processor, to configure and run extracts.
Navigate to Extract Configuration: Go to the Administration menu. Select Company, then navigate to Tools. From the list of tools, choose Standard Accounting Extract.
Define the Extract: Either create a new extract definition or select an existing one to modify. Give the extract a descriptive name, for example, ProcessMind_Event_Log_Extract.
Configure Extract Fields: This is the most critical step. Go through the configuration tabs and select the fields necessary to build the event log. Ensure you include:
- Report Header Data: Report ID, Report Create Date, Report Submit Date, Report Total, Employee Org Unit fields, Paid Date, Processing Payment Date.
- Workflow History: Enable the export of workflow audit trail data. This is crucial for capturing approval, rejection, and sent back events. Include fields like Workflow Step Code, Workflow Step Date, and Approver Login ID.
- Exception Data: Include fields like Has Exception or specific exception codes to identify policy violations.
Set the File Format and Delivery: Configure the output file format as a delimited text file, such as pipe-delimited (|) or comma-separated. Ensure the character encoding is set to UTF-8. Specify the delivery method, which is typically to the company's designated SFTP site.
Schedule the Extract: Configure a recurring schedule for the extract to run automatically. A daily schedule is recommended to keep the process data current.
Run the Initial Extract: For the initial data load, run the extract manually for a historical period, for instance, the last 3 to 6 months. This is done from the 'Run Extract' screen.
Download the Extract Files: Once the extract run is complete, the output files will be available on your SFTP server. The output may consist of multiple files, such as a report header file, a journal entry file, and a workflow history file.
Transform the Data: The raw extract files are not in an event log format. Use a script (e.g., Python, PowerShell) or an ETL tool to process and combine these files. The script must pivot the data, creating a distinct row for each business activity (e.g., Created, Submitted, Approved) based on the dates and workflow steps in the files.
Generate the Event Log: The transformation script should output a single CSV file with the columns specified in the data requirements, including ExpenseReportId, ActivityName, EventTimestamp, and other attributes.
Upload to ProcessMind: Upload the final, transformed CSV file to your ProcessMind project for analysis.

Configuration

Extract Definition: Use the Standard Accounting Extract feature available under Administration > Tools.
Key Data Sources: The configuration must pull data from multiple record types within Concur. Ensure the following are enabled in your extract definition:
- Report Header Record: For core report details and key dates.
- Workflow Audit Trail Record: Essential for capturing all approval, rejection, and revision steps with their specific timestamps and user IDs.
- Employee Profile Data: To include attributes like EmployeeDepartment.
Date Range: The extract runs for records modified within a specific date range. For the initial load, configure a historical period of 3 to 6 months. For ongoing refreshes, the extract should run daily for the previous day's data.
File Format: A pipe-delimited (|) text file is recommended to avoid conflicts with commas in text fields. Use UTF-8 encoding.
Prerequisites: The user configuring and running the extract must have administrative roles in Concur, typically 'Web Services Administrator' or permissions for 'Expense Configuration' and 'Processor'. Access to the SFTP server where Concur delivers the files is also required.

a Sample Query config

-- This is a logical representation of the transformation required to convert the
-- SAP Concur Standard Accounting Extract files into a process mining event log.
-- The source files (e.g., ReportHeader.csv, WorkflowHistory.csv) are the output of the extract.

-- Activity: Expense Report Created
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Expense Report Created' AS ActivityName,
    ReportCreateDate AS EventTimestamp,
    EmployeeLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Expense Report Submitted
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Expense Report Submitted' AS ActivityName,
    ReportSubmitDate AS EventTimestamp,
    EmployeeLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv
WHERE ReportSubmitDate IS NOT NULL

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Manager Approved
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Manager Approved' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepAction = 'Approve' AND w.ApproverRole = 'Manager'

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Report Sent Back for Revision
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Report Sent Back for Revision' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepAction = 'Send Back'

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Manager Rejected
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Manager Rejected' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepAction = 'Reject' AND w.ApproverRole = 'Manager'

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Finance Approved
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Finance Approved' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepAction = 'Approve' AND w.ApproverRole = 'Processor'

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Finance Rejected
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Finance Rejected' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepAction = 'Reject' AND w.ApproverRole = 'Processor'

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Reimbursement Scheduled
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Reimbursement Scheduled' AS ActivityName,
    PaymentProcessingDate AS EventTimestamp,
    'SYSTEM' AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv
WHERE PaymentProcessingDate IS NOT NULL

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Reimbursement Executed
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Reimbursement Executed' AS ActivityName,
    PaidDate AS EventTimestamp,
    'SYSTEM' AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv
WHERE PaidDate IS NOT NULL

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Accounting Posted
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Accounting Posted' AS ActivityName,
    ExtractDate AS EventTimestamp,
    'SYSTEM' AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv
WHERE ExtractDate IS NOT NULL

-- The following activities are more complex and may require specific configuration or inference.
-- The logic provided is a common approach.

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Receipts Image Attached (inferred from first submission)
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Receipts Image Attached' AS ActivityName,
    ReportSubmitDate AS EventTimestamp, -- This is an approximation; precise time is not in standard extracts
    EmployeeLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv
WHERE HasImage = 'Y' AND ReportSubmitDate IS NOT NULL

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Policy Violation Flagged (inferred from exception flag at time of submission)
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Policy Violation Flagged' AS ActivityName,
    ReportSubmitDate AS EventTimestamp,
    'SYSTEM' AS ProcessorUserId,
    ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM ReportHeader.csv
WHERE HasException = 'Y' AND ReportSubmitDate IS NOT NULL

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Audit Review Required (inferred from workflow step)
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Audit Review Required' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    w.ApproverLoginID AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepName LIKE '%Audit%'

UNION ALL

-- Activity: Finance Review Started (inferred from entering Processor queue)
SELECT
    ReportID AS ExpenseReportId,
    'Finance Review Started' AS ActivityName,
    WorkflowStepDate AS EventTimestamp,
    'SYSTEM' AS ProcessorUserId,
    h.ReportTotal AS ReportTotalAmount,
    h.EmployeeOrgUnit AS EmployeeDepartment,
    h.HasException AS PolicyViolationFlag,
    NULL AS ApproverId,
    NULL AS ExpenseCategory,
    'SAP Concur' as SourceSystem,
    GETDATE() as LastDataUpdate
FROM WorkflowHistory.csv w
JOIN ReportHeader.csv h ON w.ReportID = h.ReportID
WHERE w.WorkflowStepName LIKE '%Processor Review%';

Steps

Prerequisites and Environment Setup: Ensure you have Python 3.6 or newer installed on your system. Install the required Python libraries, pandas for data manipulation and requests for making API calls, by running the command: pip install pandas requests.
Obtain API Credentials: Log in to your SAP Concur instance with a user who has the "Web Services Administrator" role. Navigate to Administration > Company > Web Services to register a new application. Note the Client ID, Client Secret, and your company's Base URI (e.g., https://us.api.concursolutions.com). These credentials are required for OAuth 2.0 authentication.
Configure the Python Script: Copy the provided Python script into a file, for example, extract_concur_events.py. In the script, locate the placeholder variables in the configuration section and replace them with your actual Client ID, Client Secret, and Base URI.
Set Extraction Parameters: Define the date range for the data extraction by setting the START_DATE and END_DATE variables in the script. It is recommended to start with a smaller date range, such as one month, to test the extraction process.
Execute the Script: Run the script from your terminal using the command: python extract_concur_events.py. The script will authenticate with the SAP Concur API, fetch a list of expense reports within the specified date range, and then retrieve detailed information for each report.
API Data Processing: The script iterates through each report's header, entries, and audit trail. It maps API data points, such as the CreateDate, SubmitDate, payment statuses, and audit trail entries, to the required process activities like 'Expense Report Created', 'Manager Approved', and 'Reimbursement Executed'.
Handling API Pagination: The Concur Reports v4 API returns paginated results. The script automatically handles this by checking for a nextPage URL in the API response and making subsequent requests until all reports for the given period have been retrieved.
Event Log Assembly: For each identified activity, the script constructs a record containing the ExpenseReportId, ActivityName, EventTimestamp, and all other required and recommended attributes. These records are collected into a single list.
Transform and Export Data: Once all reports have been processed, the script uses the pandas library to convert the list of event records into a structured DataFrame. This DataFrame is then exported to a CSV file named concur_event_log.csv in the same directory where the script was run.
Prepare for Upload: The generated concur_event_log.csv file is formatted and ready for upload into the ProcessMind platform. No further structural changes are needed.

Configuration

API Credentials: You must have a registered client application in SAP Concur's Web Services administration. The script requires the following for authentication:
- Client ID: The unique identifier for your application.
- Client Secret: The secret key for your application.
- Base URI: The base URL for your Concur instance's API (e.g., https://us.api.concursolutions.com).
Date Range Filters: The script uses a lastModifiedDate filter to pull reports modified within a specific timeframe. It is crucial to set the START_DATE and END_DATE parameters to control the volume of data. For an initial extraction, a period of 3 to 6 months is recommended.
API Endpoints: The script primarily interacts with the following SAP Concur Platform REST API v4 endpoints:
- POST /oauth2/v0/token: To obtain an OAuth 2.0 access token.
- GET /expensereports/v4/reports: To fetch a list of expense reports based on filters.
- GET /expensereports/v4/reports/{reportId}: To retrieve the full details of a specific expense report, including its audit trail and payment information.
Performance Considerations: Extracting data for long periods can result in a large number of API calls. The Concur API enforces rate limits. For very large datasets, the script may need to be enhanced with sleep intervals or more robust error handling to manage these limits and prevent timeouts.
User Permissions: The data returned by the API is limited by the permissions of the user account associated with the API credentials. Ensure the user has sufficient permissions to view all necessary expense report data across the organization.

a Sample Query python

import requests
import pandas as pd
import json
from datetime import datetime

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Configuration Section --- #
class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Replace with your SAP Concur API credentials and settings
CLIENT_ID = class="hl-string">'YOUR_CLIENT_ID'
CLIENT_SECRET = class="hl-string">'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET'
BASE_URI = class="hl-string">'https://us.api.concursolutions.com' class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Or your specific regional URI

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Define the date range for the extraction
START_DATE = class="hl-string">'2023-01-01T00:00:00.000Z'
END_DATE = class="hl-string">'2023-06-30T23:59:59.000Z'

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- End Configuration Section --- #

def get_access_token():
    class="hl-string">"""Authenticates with Concur API to get an OAuth 2.0 access token."""
    token_url = fclass="hl-string">'{BASE_URI}/oauth2/v0/token'
    headers = {class="hl-string">'Content-Type': class="hl-string">'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}
    data = {
        class="hl-string">'grant_type': class="hl-string">'client_credentials',
        class="hl-string">'client_id': CLIENT_ID,
        class="hl-string">'client_secret': CLIENT_SECRET
    }
    try:
        response = requests.post(token_url, headers=headers, data=data)
        response.raise_for_status()
        token_data = response.json()
        return token_data.get(class="hl-string">'access_token')
    except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
        print(fclass="hl-string">'Error getting access token: {e}')
        return None

def get_reports(token, next_page_url=None):
    class="hl-string">"""Fetches a paginated list of expense reports."""
    if next_page_url:
        url = next_page_url
    else:
        url = fclass="hl-string">'{BASE_URI}/expensereports/v4/reports?lastModifiedDateAfter={START_DATE}&lastModifiedDateBefore={END_DATE}'
    
    headers = {class="hl-string">'Authorization': fclass="hl-string">'Bearer {token}', class="hl-string">'Accept': class="hl-string">'application/json'}
    try:
        response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
        response.raise_for_status()
        return response.json()
    except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
        print(fclass="hl-string">'Error fetching reports list: {e}')
        return None

def get_report_details(token, report_id):
    class="hl-string">"""Fetches the full details for a single expense report."""
    url = fclass="hl-string">'{BASE_URI}/expensereports/v4/reports/{report_id}'
    headers = {class="hl-string">'Authorization': fclass="hl-string">'Bearer {token}', class="hl-string">'Accept': class="hl-string">'application/json'}
    try:
        response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
        response.raise_for_status()
        return response.json()
    except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
        print(fclass="hl-string">'Error fetching details for report {report_id}: {e}')
        return None

def main():
    class="hl-string">"""Main function to orchestrate the extraction process."""
    access_token = get_access_token()
    if not access_token:
        print(class="hl-string">'Could not obtain access token. Exiting.')
        return

    print(class="hl-string">'Successfully obtained access token. Starting report extraction...')
    event_log = []
    last_data_update = datetime.utcnow().isoformat() + class="hl-string">'Z'

    next_page = None
    page_count = 1

    while True:
        print(fclass="hl-string">'Fetching page {page_count} of reports...')
        reports_data = get_reports(access_token, next_page)
        if not reports_data or not reports_data.get(class="hl-string">'value'):
            print(class="hl-string">'No more reports found or API error.')
            break

        for report_summary in reports_data[class="hl-string">'value']:
            report_id = report_summary.get(class="hl-string">'id')
            if not report_id:
                continue

            details = get_report_details(access_token, report_id)
            if not details:
                continue

            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Base Attributes for all events related to this report --- #
            base_event = {
                class="hl-string">'ExpenseReportId': report_id,
                class="hl-string">'ReportTotalAmount': details.get(class="hl-string">'approvedAmount', {}).get(class="hl-string">'value'),
                class="hl-string">'EmployeeDepartment': details.get(class="hl-string">'orgUnit', {}).get(class="hl-string">'name'),
                class="hl-string">'PolicyViolationFlag': details.get(class="hl-string">'hasExceptions'),
                class="hl-string">'SourceSystem': class="hl-string">'SAP Concur',
                class="hl-string">'LastDataUpdate': last_data_update
            }

            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Activity: Expense Report Created --- #
            event_log.append({
                **base_event,
                class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Expense Report Created',
                class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'createDate'),
                class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': details.get(class="hl-string">'owner', {}).get(class="hl-string">'id'),
                class="hl-string">'ApproverId': None,
                class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
            })

            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Activities from Audit Trail --- #
            for audit_entry in details.get(class="hl-string">'auditTrail', []):
                action = audit_entry.get(class="hl-string">'action')
                activity_name = None
                processor = audit_entry.get(class="hl-string">'processor', {}).get(class="hl-string">'id')
                approver = audit_entry.get(class="hl-string">'approver', {}).get(class="hl-string">'id')
                
                if action == class="hl-string">'Submit':
                    activity_name = class="hl-string">'Expense Report Submitted'
                elif action == class="hl-string">'Approve':
                    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># This logic assumes any approval is class="hl-string">'Manager Approved'. 
                    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># A more complex system might check processor roles.
                    activity_name = class="hl-string">'Manager Approved'
                elif action == class="hl-string">'Reject':
                    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Differentiating manager vs finance rejection may require checking processor role.
                    activity_name = class="hl-string">'Manager Rejected'
                elif action == class="hl-string">'Recall':
                    activity_name = class="hl-string">'Report Sent Back for Revision'
                
                if activity_name:
                    event_log.append({
                        **base_event,
                        class="hl-string">'ActivityName': activity_name,
                        class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': audit_entry.get(class="hl-string">'entryDate'),
                        class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': processor,
                        class="hl-string">'ApproverId': approver,
                        class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                    })

            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Activities from Statuses and Dates --- #
            if details.get(class="hl-string">'approvalStatus', {}).get(class="hl-string">'code') == class="hl-string">'A_APPR': class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Approved
                class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Inferring Finance Approval from final approval date
                event_log.append({
                        **base_event,
                        class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Finance Approved',
                        class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'approvedDate'),
                        class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': details.get(class="hl-string">'lastApprover', {}).get(class="hl-string">'id'),
                        class="hl-string">'ApproverId': details.get(class="hl-string">'lastApprover', {}).get(class="hl-string">'id'),
                        class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                    })

            payment_status = details.get(class="hl-string">'paymentStatus', {}).get(class="hl-string">'code')
            if payment_status == class="hl-string">'P_PROC': class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Processing Payment
                event_log.append({
                    **base_event,
                    class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Reimbursement Scheduled',
                    class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'paymentProcessingDate'),
                    class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': class="hl-string">'System',
                    class="hl-string">'ApproverId': None,
                    class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                })
            
            if payment_status == class="hl-string">'P_PAID': class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Paid
                event_log.append({
                    **base_event,
                    class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Reimbursement Executed',
                    class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'paidDate'),
                    class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': class="hl-string">'System',
                    class="hl-string">'ApproverId': None,
                    class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                })

            if details.get(class="hl-string">'isPosted'):
                 event_log.append({
                    **base_event,
                    class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Accounting Posted',
                    class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'postDate'),
                    class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': class="hl-string">'System',
                    class="hl-string">'ApproverId': None,
                    class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                })
            
            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Other Inferred Activities --- #
            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Note: The following are examples and may need adjustment based on specific Concur configuration.
            if details.get(class="hl-string">'hasExceptions'):
                 event_log.append({
                    **base_event,
                    class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Policy Violation Flagged',
                    class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'lastModifiedDate'), class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Best guess timestamp
                    class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': class="hl-string">'System',
                    class="hl-string">'ApproverId': None,
                    class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                })

            if details.get(class="hl-string">'workflow', {}).get(class="hl-string">'currentStep', {}).get(class="hl-string">'name', class="hl-string">'').lower().find(class="hl-string">'audit') != -1:
                 event_log.append({
                    **base_event,
                    class="hl-string">'ActivityName': class="hl-string">'Audit Review Required',
                    class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp': details.get(class="hl-string">'lastModifiedDate'),
                    class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId': class="hl-string">'System',
                    class="hl-string">'ApproverId': None,
                    class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory': None
                })

            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Placeholder for activities not directly available via standard fields
            class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># e.g., class="hl-string">'Receipts Image Attached', class="hl-string">'Finance Review Started' may require parsing specific audit trail descriptions

        next_page = reports_data.get(class="hl-string">'nextPage')
        if not next_page:
            break
        page_count += 1
    
    print(fclass="hl-string">'Extraction complete. Total events generated: {len(event_log)}')

    if event_log:
        df = pd.DataFrame(event_log)
        class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Reorder columns for clarity
        cols = [class="hl-string">'ExpenseReportId', class="hl-string">'ActivityName', class="hl-string">'EventTimestamp', class="hl-string">'ProcessorUserId', 
                class="hl-string">'ReportTotalAmount', class="hl-string">'EmployeeDepartment', class="hl-string">'PolicyViolationFlag', class="hl-string">'ApproverId', 
                class="hl-string">'ExpenseCategory', class="hl-string">'SourceSystem', class="hl-string">'LastDataUpdate']
        df = df[cols]
        df.to_csv(class="hl-string">'concur_event_log.csv', index=False)
        print(class="hl-string">'Event log saved to concur_event_log.csv')
    else:
        print(class="hl-string">'No events were generated.')

if __name__ == class="hl-string">'__main__':
    main()

Your Expense Management Data Template

Your Expense Management Data Template

Expense Management Attributes

Expense Management Activities

Extraction Guides

SAP Concur Standard Accounting Extract Configuration

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query config

Python Script using SAP Concur Platform REST APIs

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query python

Ready to Get Started?

Unlock Efficiency: Start Optimizing Expense Management Now

Your Expense Management Data Template

Your Expense Management Data Template

Expense Management Attributes

Expense Management Activities

Extraction Guides

SAP Concur Standard Accounting Extract Configuration

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query config

Python Script using SAP Concur Platform REST APIs

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query python

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Ready to Get Started?

Unlock Efficiency: Start Optimizing Expense Management Now