BestPracticesinACovertCost-SavingOpportunityJanuary2003AberdeenGroupExpenseManagementAutomation(EMA)AbridgedReportAberdeenGroup,Inc.AberdeenGroupisaleadingITmarketanalysisandpositioningservicesfirmthathelpsInformationTechnologyvendorsestablishleadershipinemergingmarkets.AberdeenGroupperformsspecificprojectsforaselectgroupofdomesticandin-ternationalclients.Eachprojectrequiresacombinationofstrategicadviceandpragmatic,experience-basedactionplans.Assignmentsrangefromcorporateandproductpositioningandorganizationalplanningtoin-depthmarketsegmentresearch.Aberdeenconsultsonmergersandacquisitions,corporatepositioningandinvestorrelations,andtransaction-processingbenchmarks;inaddition,itof-fersspecialexpertiseinsoftwareandmidrangecomputermarkets.Incarryingoutassignments,Aberdeenusesaproprietary,comprehensive,ana-lyticalframeworkprovidingfreshinsightintothecomplexfutureofcomputingandcommunications,bothfromtechnologicalandmarket-dynamicsperspectives.Aberdeenalsooffersretainer-feeprogramstoagroupofcontinuingclients.Aberdeenprincipalsandstaffarerecognizedindustryfigureswithhundredsofyearsofcombinedhigh-techindustry,research,andfinancialcommunityexperi-enceamongthem.Theyarequotedextensivelyinindustrytradeandbusinesspublications.Eachstaffmemberisafrequentconferenceandseminarspeaker.Inadditiontoclient-relatedresearchandconsulting,Aberdeenpublishesseveralperiodicals,AberdeenViewpoints,andProfiles,whichsummarizeitsanalysisandresearchfindings.Toprovideuswithyourfeedbackonthisresearch,pleasegotowww.aberdeen.com/feedback.AberdeenGroupperformsprojectsforaselectgroupofdomesticandinternationalclientsrequiringstrategicandtacticaladviceandhardanswersonhowtomanagecomputerandcommunicationstechnology.ThisdocumentistheresultofresearchperformedbyAberdeenGroup.ItwasunderwrittenbyseveralsuppliersthatwereinterestedinconductingthestudyandpublishingAberdeen’sfindings.AberdeenGroupbelievesitsfindingsareobjectiveandrepresentthebestanalysisavailableatthetimeofpublication.TheinformationcontainedinthispublicationhasbeenobtainedfromsourcesAberdeenbelievestobereli-able,butisnotguaranteedbyAberdeen.Aberdeenpublicationsreflecttheanalyst’sjudgmentatthetimeandaresubjecttochangewithoutnotice.Thetrademarksandregisteredtrademarksofthecorporationsmentionedinthispublicationarethepropertyoftheirrespectiveholders.Warning:ThispublicationisprotectedbyUnitedStatescopyrightlawandinternationaltreaties.Unlessoth-erwisenoted,theentirecontentsofthispublicationarecopyrightedbyAberdeenGroup,Inc.andmaynotbereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeanswithoutpriorwrittenconsent.Unauthorizedreproductionordistributionofthispublication,oranyportionofit,mayresultinse-verecivilandcriminalpenalties,andwillbeprosecutedtothemaximumextentnecessarytoprotecttherightsofthepublisher.©2003AberdeenGroup,Inc.,Boston,MassachusettsBestPracticesinExpenseManagementAutomation(EMA)TableofContentsPreface................................................................................................................1ChapterOne:ExecutiveSummary.....................................................................3IdentifyingBestPracticesinEMA..................................................................3EMAisanOverlookedOpportunity................................................................3Employee-initiatedExpenseIrony..........
