What is the best role for internal audit and the like?

[scottcb2]

Trying to determine the best roles for Request and Expense for internal auditors and others who need to view but not change any information. 

Expense proxy logon is an option, but that isn't read only to my knowledge
Expense processor (audit) sounds great but, according to concur guides, it is only for viewing expense reports in the expense processor. Not helpful if there is an approved report.

Request auditor seems perfect as it is a read-only role and gives access to requests. 

What are the best roles in your opinion for those who need to read-only review reports and requests? If I am mistaken with my observations above, please let me know!

[KevinD]

@scottcb2 Great question. I'll chime in on a couple of your points.

Expense proxy logon is an option, but that isn't read only to my knowledge Correct, this is NOT read-only and here at Concur we recommend using Proxy Logon for troubleshooting purposes only. 
Expense processor (audit) sounds great but, according to concur guides, it is only for viewing expense reports in the expense processor. Not helpful if there is an approved report. Processors are not able to see reports that are unsubmitted, but they can view submitted reports even if they are not yet approved. The Processor Audit role is used for what you are asking about. It is a role to view and audit reports either before manager approval or after (usually before manager approval). Processor Auditors do not make changes to the report. 

Another option to consider is to use the Expense Delegate option. Depending on the permission you give the delegate, they can create reports on behalf of another person, change expense reports and even submit them. You can restrict the delegate to only be able to view the report. For your situation this could work, but isn't the ideal since you would have to make sure all your employees add the person who will be doing the auditing as their expense delegate. However, if you are on our Professional platform, as a site administrator, you can add delegates to user profiles. 

I hope this helps a little bit. I'll be curious to see if other Community members have other solutions. 

[dedeo]

I realize this post is a little old; so hopefully I get a reply. Based on the previous answer, there doesn't seem to be a good role within Concur to assign to an Internal Audit function, that would allow Internal Auditors read access to all reports, transactions, and receipts.  Can you tell me if this is still true today?  I have been told by our Concur administrator that the only roles that allow that level of access also have configuration access. Is this true?

[KevinD]

@dedeo I would have to respectfully disagree with your Concur Administrator. The Expense Processor role allows a person to see all submitted expense reports. This is an individual role and does not give that person configuration access. 

Now, are you wanting this internal auditor to be able to approve reports or just audit them before a manager approves? I'm asking because many of our customers do their audits differently. Some have the Auditor look at the report before the submitter's manager does, some do it after manager approval. Some customers use the Expense Processor Auditor role (it is different from the Expense Processor role) to have someone audit the report, but they do not do approvals. According to or documentation, Processor Auditors cannot take any action on an expense report. My guess is the expectation is to review the report and if they see something that needs fixing, they notify the employee to have them Recall and fix or the submitter's manager.  

[dedeo]

Thank you for the reply. What we're looking for is a role that allows someone to view all submitted and unsubmitted expenses, even if they are not on a report yet.  We need to look at reports at any stage in the process (before submitted, submitted, approved, and paid) and have the ability to view receipts; but we also need to be able to see what expenses may be outstanding and not submitted on a report.  We want to be able to view all of that, without having the ability to make configuration changes within Concur, and without being able to modify any expenses/report data.

[KevinD]

@dedeo The Expense Accrual Standard Report will show you all outstanding liabilities (unsubmitted and submitted but not fully approved). As for paid, you might need to create a different Cognos Report for this. 

[dedeo]

So, it sounds like there is not a role that can do what I'm looking for. My guess is that those reports mentioned would not include the ability to see receipts. Therefore, it would take a combination of reports and the limited access roles mentioned to be able to see what an admin sees.  Does Concur have the flexibility to create new user roles? Or how can we make suggestions to the company for future enhancements?

[MelanieT]

@dedeo as @KevinD mentioned, the Expense Processor Audit Role will allow a person to see submitted report and receipts.  If you want someone to be able to see unsubmitted reports, you can set them up as a Delegate or give them the Expense Proxy Logon role.  The Delegate role can be set up so they an just review reports and not do anything to them.  The proxy would allow them to access to look and make changes to expense reports as that person.  Hopefully that helps a little more, but if not, let us know your questions! 

Remember to tag me if you respond or feel free to mark this post as Solved if you don't have further questions or comments. To tag me on your response, you click the Reply button, first thing to type is @. This should bring up the username of the person you are replying to.

[dedeo]

@melania I think you are confirming that there is no role for what we are looking for as an Internal Audit department. Does  a delegate role require each employee to add the auditor as a delegate - if so, that doesn't seem feasible for 4000+ employees.  (Unless there is a different way to do that?) The Expense Proxy Logon role allows changes to the expense reports; which we are trying to avoid. As an Internal Auditor, separate from our expense/Concur administration group; we are trying to figure out if we can get access to all the reports, transactions, and receipts - without the ability to make any changes. 

[KevinD]

@dedeo what the hang up is, is that you want access to unsubmitted reports. Other than a Proxy, Delegate or running a Cognos report, there isn't a way to see those. Processors cannot see unsubmitted reports. So, if it isn't absolutely 100% crucial your internal auditor sees unsubmitted reports, then the Processor Auditor Role would work. 

If it is 100% crucial, why do your internal auditors need to see unsubmitted expenses? What are they going to do with that information? 

[dedeo]

Our company pays all company credit card transactions automatically and immediately, which show up as unsubmitted expenses that an employee must put on a report and submit within a certain timeframe. If an employee doesn't put those on a report and submit the expenses timely - it becomes an issue for accounting and audit.  We can access those unsubmitted expenses via reporting; so it looks like the combination of accessing unsubmitted expenses via a report and the Processor Auditor Role to see submitted reports and their receipts will give us what we need.  What I was hoping for was access similar to a Proxy; but without the ability to make changes; so, we could get a complete picture of someone's activity in one action, rather than having to use multiple routes.  @Kevin and @MelanieT - I appreciate both of you for providing me with all this help and information!