Expense reports, but smarter—Why spreadsheets no longer cut it

By Gloria Methri

The days of employees juggling receipts and spreadsheets for expense reporting may be numbered. According to Findity’s newly released State of Expense Management Report 2025, businesses worldwide are rapidly shifting towards digital-first solutions, with expense app adoption rising by an average of five percentage points across ten key markets.

The report, which tracks trends in the UK, the US, Germany, the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, and France, highlights a clear movement away from traditional manual methods such as pen-and-paper tracking and spreadsheets. These outdated approaches have seen a notable five-percentage-point decline since 2022, making way for more efficient, mobile-first solutions.

More Employees Managing Expenses as Responsibilities Expand

Findity’s research reveals that expense management is no longer confined to finance teams. In 2024, 44% of employees across all surveyed markets handled expenses at work, a seven-percentage-point increase from 2022.

This shift is particularly pronounced in medium and large enterprises, where expense management has historically been centralised. The trend underscores a broader evolution in business operations, where companies are distributing financial responsibilities across teams rather than keeping them siloed.

“Expense management is rapidly becoming a shared responsibility throughout organisations—not limited to finance departments or among a select few,” said Patrick Olsson, CEO of Findity. “Businesses recognise the need for scalable, mobile-first solutions to streamline expense handling.”

Expense Apps Are Winning, but Adoption Paths Differ

The rise of expense apps is not uniform across all markets. The report outlines three distinct adoption paths:

• Direct Digital Leap: Some businesses are bypassing traditional accounting and payroll systems entirely, moving straight from manual tools to dedicated expense apps.
• Gradual Integration: Others are phasing in digital solutions, starting with their existing accounting or payroll systems before adopting expense apps.
• Parallel Transformation: In some markets, both approaches are happening simultaneously, reflecting varied but inevitable digital adoption.

While some regions have been slower to abandon manual processes, their decline is accelerating, presenting a clear opportunity for businesses to enhance efficiency and compliance.

With more employees now responsible for managing expenses, businesses still relying on outdated tools face rising inefficiencies. The risk is not just operational complexity but also falling behind competitors that have embraced automation.

The report signals an urgent need for businesses to adapt. A mobile-first approach is no longer an option—it’s a necessity for maintaining agility and compliance in an increasingly digital business landscape.