XM: Expense Management Simplified
XM (Expense Management) is Infor’s app designed to help users easily track and manage their expenses while traveling for business.
Overview
Infor’s existing expense management application, a JSP web client, needed significant UX/UI improvements to better serve its users. Originally built for the web, the app didn’t address the majority of use cases, especially those involving mobile use. Most XM users, including business travelers and consultants, were often away from the office, dealing with stacks of paper receipts while trying to manage their expenses on the go.
Research
We partnered with a global business firm to zero in on a key user demographic—consultants who travel frequently and manage their own expenses. Through qualitative research, we identified several functional gaps within the current experience. We then prioritized the following improvements:
Expense Creation
Initially, users had to create an expense report before they could attach receipts. We flipped this workflow to make it more intuitive: users could now capture receipt photos first and add details later, streamlining the process and reducing friction.Offline Functionality
Given the frequent lack of connectivity during travel—on planes, in airports, etc.—it was essential to offer offline functionality. The app needed to store data locally and sync seamlessly with the server once connectivity was restored, ensuring that users could track expenses without disruption.Inbox-Zero Inspired Workflow
We took inspiration from task management apps and email systems that aim for an “Inbox Zero” experience. We wanted users to feel like they were managing a simple to-do list. By enabling easy report submission—users could select expenses, name the report, and submit it for approval—we simplified the process and made it more approachable.
Design Highlights
Our most significant breakthroughs came from understanding the user flow and mental models of our target demographic. Instead of starting with a report and adding expenses later, we reversed the process—starting with a receipt, which is the core of every report. This approach allowed users to build reports over time, starting with capturing receipts and gradually adding the associated details. It also eliminated the hassle of managing piles of paper receipts.
Streamlined Receipt Capture: Users could capture receipts using the app’s camera and then link them to the appropriate expenses. This simplified the process of creating and managing reports.
Automation with Machine Learning: As we refined the experience, we saw potential for automation. We implemented machine learning to sort receipts by user history and onboarded data, enabling the app to match receipts to corporate card transactions and automatically bundle related expenses through a clustering algorithm.
Outcome
We continued iterating, with a primary focus on UI enhancements. After the beta launch, we gathered user feedback through surveys to further refine the design. The end result was a streamlined, mobile-first expense management solution that aligned with users' real-world needs—allowing business travelers to manage their expenses seamlessly, wherever they were.