Max Bögl Group transforms travel expense management with SAP Concur and p78
Digitalisation meets construction industry: Rethinking travel expense processes
Company / Industry
Max Bögl / Construction Company
Service Portfolio
Max Bögl is one of Germany's largest construction companies, with over 6,500 employees, 40 locations, and approximately 2.6 billion euros in revenue. The group develops and implements innovative comprehensive and individual solutions in building construction, infrastructure, mobility, and renewable energy – characterised by high value creation and cutting-edge technology.
Website
www.max-boegl.de/en
Paper-based processes, complex tariff regulations, and long processing times made travel expense management at Max Bögl an administrative challenge. With SAP Concur and p78 as experienced partners, the company took the step into the cloud. The result: Transparent, automated processes tailored specifically to the requirements of the construction industry.
Travel expense management at Max Bögl had long been a time-consuming and error-prone process. Excel spreadsheets, paper receipts, and manual processing led to increased administrative effort. This also created additional coordination needs for employees and relevant departments such as HR, accounting, and finance.
Together with p78, Max Bögl decided on a fundamental transformation: With SAP Concur, a digital system was introduced that not only reduces administrative effort but also considers the industry-specific requirements of the construction sector. From the conception phase to go-live, p78 ensured that all project phases were smoothly implemented. The results speak for themselves: faster processes, more transparency, and more satisfied employees.
Management
From analogue to cloud-based processes: How Max Bögl makes SAP Concur usable for the construction industry
Previously, Max Bögl already relied on on-premise systems like SAP FICO (Finance & Controlling) and SAP HR for certain processes. However, travel expense management remained an analogue process: Employees submitted Excel spreadsheets, which were printed out and forwarded along with receipts through various departments. Process-related sources of error, processing times of up to eight weeks, and lack of transparency characterised the process – to the detriment of employees, especially frequent travellers.
In addition, there were industry-specific challenges: Managing five different collective agreements with various regulations on daily allowances, travel time compensation, and taxable expenses required immense time in manual administration. Occasionally faulty or delayed processing could lead to further delays – for the accounting and HR departments, this meant a high coordination effort, as there could be loops of queries or corrections.
The existing way of working not only led to frustration among employees but also made it difficult to comply with internal and legal requirements. One example was the payment of allowances, which regularly amounted to high sums for employees on construction sites. Delays in processing increased the workload of the accounting departments and created additional clarification needs among the parties involved.
The requirements for a new solution were therefore clear: The accounting should be digitised, the processes automated, and transparency increased. A key point was the ability to track the status of an application at any time – from submission to payment. A well-thought-out integration into the existing IT landscape and payroll processes should ensure that all systems communicate seamlessly with each other.
With SAP Concur, Max Bögl chose a digital, cloud-based solution that met these requirements. The move to the cloud was both a technical and cultural transformation. The company, which had previously relied on individualised on-premise solutions, opened up for the first time to standardised, future-proof applications.
Max Bögl sought a partner who could cover the technical aspects as well as understand and implement industry-specific requirements. With p78, the company found an expert with deep knowledge in the implementation of SAP solutions and the optimisation of HR and financial processes. p78's long-standing experience in supporting complex projects was a decisive factor that supported Max Bögl in the implementation.
Step-by-Step to a Digital Travel Expense Solution with p78
The introduction of SAP Concur began in March 2023 and was marked by intensive collaboration between Max Bögl and p78. Initially, both partners analysed the existing processes and developed detailed requirements, particularly regarding the complex regulations of the five collective agreements. These included specific provisions on daily allowances, travel time compensation, and tax aspects. Their precise and iterative mapping in the system – including automated taxation – was one of the central challenges. Here, p78's extensive experience in implementing similar projects, complemented by Max Bögl's in-depth industry knowledge, proved invaluable.
p78 took on the central coordination role, ensuring that all project phases were clearly structured, efficient, and completed on schedule. Max Bögl worked in parallel with p78 on developing technical interfaces to ensure the seamless integration of SAP Concur into the existing IT landscape. The native SAP interface was used and specifically adapted to Max Bögl's requirements. SAP Concur was successfully integrated into Max Bögl's payroll processes, ensuring smooth processing of tax and accounting-relevant data. A carefully coordinated timeline and prioritisation of key milestones enabled steady progress.
In November 2023, an intensive testing phase began, followed by a pilot phase in December with 150 frequent travellers. This initial user group was essential as they provided valuable feedback that directly contributed to optimising the system. The gradual rollout from February 2024 allowed more employees to be gradually introduced to and familiarised with the new system. This staggered introduction proved crucial for ensuring a smooth transition.
The close collaboration between the teams from Max Bögl and p78 ensured that challenges were effectively resolved. The clear division of tasks – p78 as coordinator and technical advisor, Max Bögl as the driving force for internal adjustments – enabled swift implementation of changes and configurations. Additionally, extensive training materials, videos, and tutorials were created to optimally prepare the workforce for the system change.
On construction sites and within teams, informal conversations promoted knowledge transfer between experienced and new users. This mutual support significantly contributed to the successful and smooth go-live on 1 May 2024.
Success through Collaboration: p78 and Max Bögl Overcome Technical and Cultural Barriers
The introduction of SAP Concur was a demanding project that presented Max Bögl with technical, organisational, and cultural challenges. Thanks to close collaboration with p78, all barriers were successfully overcome, and valuable insights were gained for future digitalisation projects:
Mastering the Complexity of Collective Agreements:
Five collective agreements, each with its own regulations on daily allowances, travel time compensation, and taxable expenses, posed special requirements for system configuration. Here, the combination of industry-specific expertise at Max Bögl and p78's proficiency in implementing SAP solutions proved effective. Iterative adjustments, regular tests, and close coordination with SAP enabled precise mapping of even complex tax requirements. The introduction of automated taxation resulted in faster and less error-prone processes, increasing efficiency and reducing the burden on accounting departments. This interplay of technical and organisational expertise was crucial to meeting the high demands of the construction industry.
Creating Acceptance for Cloud Technology:
As the first cloud solution in the company, SAP Concur brought not only technical innovations but also a cultural shift. Employees had to learn to work with a standardised system and recognise the benefits of digital processes. Targeted change management measures proved essential here. Well-timed communication, practical training, and a clear support plan helped reduce reservations and strengthen acceptance.
Gradual Introduction as a Success Strategy:
The step-by-step rollout proved to be a key success factor, especially in a decentralised organisation like Max Bögl. During the pilot phase with 150 frequent travellers, valuable insights were gained that flowed into optimising the system.
Efficient Collaboration and Clear Role Distribution:
Another key success factor was the clear division of tasks between Max Bögl and p78. While Max Bögl was responsible for technical adjustments and developing internal training materials, p78 took on project coordination, milestone prioritisation, and providing best practices. This coordinated collaboration enabled quick and effective resolution of emerging challenges such as system errors or necessary configuration changes.
More Transparency and Faster Processes:
A noticeable added value was the increased transparency of the entire travel expense process. The ability to track applications at any time and have them processed faster led to improved employee satisfaction. Especially on construction sites, where high allowance amounts are common, the faster payment process was perceived as a significant advantage.
SAP Concur: A Milestone in Max Bögl's Digital Transformation
The digitalisation of travel expense management was both a modernisation of a central process and a cultural shift for Max Bögl. Employees benefit from faster processing of their travel expenses, easy mobile use, and the transparency that SAP Concur offers.
Collaboration with p78 was a crucial success factor. As an experienced partner, p78 took over project management, provided practical solution approaches, and supported the handling of complex challenges – from mapping industry-specific collective agreements to gaining acceptance for the new cloud technology. p78's professional coordination and best practice contributions ensured that all project phases were efficiently implemented and the set goals achieved.
For the future, Max Bögl plans to further expand the functionalities of SAP Concur. Planned enhancements such as the integration of credit card feeds and foreign allowances aim to make the process even more user-friendly and efficient. Additionally, the successfully implemented project serves as a blueprint for further digitalisation initiatives within the company.
This project demonstrates how a close partnership between a company and a specialised consulting service provider like p78 can lead to success even in a complex industry like construction. With the introduction of SAP Concur, Max Bögl has not only set a milestone in its digital transformation but also created a strong foundation for future innovations.