Most of the various aspects of running a business today are overseen or assisted in some way by technology. That holds true for businesses that rely on traveling employees as well, and using expense reporting software to manage and track your employee travel expenses is one of the best ways to reduce errors, improve compliance, streamline the process, and boost your bottom line.

However, plenty of different options exist when you’re looking for expense reporting software. Finding the best possible one for you is important, and not always that easy. There are a few key features that stand out, and if you’ll remember them you should find that it’s much easier to find the best software for your needs. With that in mind, here are the five features you can’t ignore.

1. Online Connectivity – Being able to access the system from any computer with an internet connection is vital. Online expense reporting software not only reduces your upfront and maintenance costs, but makes it easier for you and your team to keep track of expenses in real time.
2. Mobile Compatibility – Using mobile devices to track expenses adds even more convenience to the process. Smart phones and tablets are key parts of most professionals’ lives, and letting them use their devices for this task can help improve productivity in a big way.
3. Receipt Imaging – Instead of having to keep track of huge stacks of receipts and turn them in when they return home, your team can use receipt imaging to quickly scan and upload expense receipts. This lets them avoid a lot of hassle, reduces errors, and lets you track expenses as they occur.
4. Credit Card Integration – By integrating your credit card account into the system, you further speed up the approval process and make it much easier for everyone involved to manage expenses properly.
5. Data Tracking – This is perhaps the biggest feature to look for. When you are able to call up charts, graphs, and data reports and review the information to determine how you can improve your travel expenses, you’ll be giving yourself power that you didn’t even realize you needed. It can boost your bottom line in a big way, and the best expense reporting software will offer numerous data reports for you to utilize as you see fit.

These 5 features are the key elements of a great expense reporting software program. Plenty of other features may exist, but if you want to get the most from your program you’ll want to be certain that it offers you at least the five things listed above. They’ll have a bigger impact on your bottom line than you might realize.