University of Portsmouth

Driving efficiency through automation

Results

3,500

staff unified on a single, automated travel and expense management platform

29,000

students benefiting as the university reinvests efficiency savings back into education

3rd

in the UK among modern universities for research power - with travel management now built to match academic ambition

100% paperless

- manual, paper-based expense claims fully eliminated

How the University of Portsmouth streamlined expense management with SAP Concur

The University of Portsmouth - a 5-star rated institution with 3,500 staff and 29,000 students - replaced outdated, manual expense processes with a fully integrated SAP Concur solution, transforming how it manages travel, expenses, and compliance across the organisation.

The challenge

Before 2019, the university relied on paper-based expense processes that offered limited visibility, slow reporting, and no reliable way to track staff locations for duty of care. As academic travel resumed post-pandemic, the need for a smarter, scalable solution became urgent.

The SAP Concur Solution

Working closely with the SAP Concur team, the University of Portsmouth implemented Concur Expense, Concur Travel, Concur Request, and Audit Services - fully integrated with its existing finance systems. This created a single, end-to-end platform for managing all travel and expense activity.

Key benefits

Eliminated paper processes - fully digital, automated expense claims from submission to approval
Centralised visibility - managers gain real-time oversight of travel spend, supporting governance and compliance
Duty of care - staff locations trackable at all times, protecting employee wellbeing
Sustainability insights - users can compare routes and carbon footprints to make more informed travel decisions
Finance integration - expense data feeds directly into financial systems, enabling smarter budget planning
Repeatable change framework - a Lean Six Sigma-led transformation model now supports future digital initiatives across the university
Improved ROI - optimised user experience and streamlined processes delivering measurable return on investment

Download the full case study

See exactly how the University of Portsmouth transformed expense management across a complex, 3,500-person organisation. Download the full SAP Concur case study to get the complete picture, including the change management strategy that made adoption stick.

"We needed to get expense management working post-COVID to support efficiency and increase our duty of care. Having efficient systems allows us to focus on what matters most – sharing knowledge with studentsand reinvesting in education" - Nicola Nestor, Deputy Director of Finance, University of Portsmouth