ExpensAid
Automating global expenses: How ExpensAid transformed expense reconciliation for remote teams
Automating global expenses: How ExpensAid transformed expense reconciliation for remote teams
Automating global expenses: How ExpensAid transformed expense reconciliation for remote teams
Mid-sized company remote teams need an automated, user-friendly way to manage expenses that ensures compliance with local tax regulations and handles multi-currency transactions efficiently because current tools are manual, slow, and error-prone.
Mid-sized company remote teams need an automated, user-friendly way to manage expenses that ensures compliance with local tax regulations and handles multi-currency transactions efficiently because current tools are manual, slow, and error-prone.
Role
Product Designer
Year
2024
Deliverables
User research
Persona & journey maps
Lo-hi fidelity wireframes
Object oriented map
Visual design
Usability testing
Prototypes
Mockups
Diving into an extensive 4 week research sprint to understand the problem space
Diving into an extensive 4 week research sprint to understand the problem space
Diving into an extensive 4 week research sprint to understand the problem space
To deeply understand the problem space for ExpensAid, I launched a focused, four-week research sprint within the Double Diamond design framework. Utilizing multiple methodologies, including surveys, user interviews and group discussions, I gathered insights from 10 finance managers and 5 remote employees, covering a diverse range of pain points in expense management.
To deeply understand the problem space for ExpensAid, I launched a focused, four-week research sprint within the Double Diamond design framework. Utilizing multiple methodologies, including surveys, user interviews and group discussions, I gathered insights from 10 finance managers and 5 remote employees, covering a diverse range of pain points in expense management.
This approach allowed me to uncover challenges like manual reconciliation inefficiencies, multi-currency management, and compliance complexities. My findings highlighted key user needs, such as automation, real-time updates, and ease of compliance, setting a strong foundation for defining specific design requirements in the next phase.
This approach allowed me to uncover challenges like manual reconciliation inefficiencies, multi-currency management, and compliance complexities. My findings highlighted key user needs, such as automation, real-time updates, and ease of compliance, setting a strong foundation for defining specific design requirements in the next phase.
Users expressed manual processes and clunky tools are breaking the expense workflow
Users expressed manual processes and clunky tools are breaking the expense workflow
Users expressed manual processes and clunky tools are breaking the expense workflow
User surveys and interviews uncovered widespread frustration with time-consuming manual processes, relentless compliance obstacles, and the complexity of current expense management tools. Finance managers highlighted that clunky, unintuitive tools make reconciliation more labor-intensive, while remote employees struggle with multi-currency submissions and limited transparency into reimbursement statuses.
User surveys and interviews uncovered widespread frustration with time-consuming manual processes, relentless compliance obstacles, and the complexity of current expense management tools. Finance managers highlighted that clunky, unintuitive tools make reconciliation more labor-intensive, while remote employees struggle with multi-currency submissions and limited transparency into reimbursement statuses.
Both groups also noted a lack of integration with essential third-party software. These insights point to a clear need for automation, streamlined compliance, and seamless integrations. With this understanding, I’m shaping ExpensAid to simplify workflows and improve usability, directly addressing these pain points in the next design phase.
Both groups also noted a lack of integration with essential third-party software. These insights point to a clear need for automation, streamlined compliance, and seamless integrations. With this understanding, I’m shaping ExpensAid to simplify workflows and improve usability, directly addressing these pain points in the next design phase.
" The time it takes as both a user and an admin is not efficient at all."
" The time it takes as both a user and an admin is not efficient at all."
Stepping into the foot of two main user groups
Stepping into the foot of two main user groups
Stepping into the foot of two main user groups
The insights from my user research highlighted two primary user groups with unique needs: Finance Managers and Remote Employees. Through a deep understanding of their pain points, I crafted focused user stories for each group.
The insights from my user research highlighted two primary user groups with unique needs: Finance Managers and Remote Employees. Through a deep understanding of their pain points, I crafted focused user stories for each group.
Finance Managers need an efficient, automated way to reconcile expenses and ensure compliance, while Remote Employees seek a simple, intuitive way to submit expenses and track reimbursements. These user stories now serve as the foundation for designing targeted solutions within ExpensAid, allowing me to address the specific challenges each group faces and create a seamless experience for both.
Finance Managers need an efficient, automated way to reconcile expenses and ensure compliance, while Remote Employees seek a simple, intuitive way to submit expenses and track reimbursements. These user stories now serve as the foundation for designing targeted solutions within ExpensAid, allowing me to address the specific challenges each group faces and create a seamless experience for both.
Here's Emily,
As a Finance Manager at a mid-sized tech company with global operations, Emily needs an automated expense reconciliation system that seamlessly handles multi-currency conversions and integrates compliance checks for international tax laws. This solution would save her time and reduce errors associated with manual processes, ensure that the company's expenses comply with diverse regulatory requirements, and improve overall financial efficiency. It would also enhance employee satisfaction by speeding up reimbursement times and providing greater transparency in the expense management process.
Here's Emily,
As a Finance Manager at a mid-sized tech company with global operations, Emily needs an automated expense reconciliation system that seamlessly handles multi-currency conversions and integrates compliance checks for international tax laws. This solution would save her time and reduce errors associated with manual processes, ensure that the company's expenses comply with diverse regulatory requirements, and improve overall financial efficiency. It would also enhance employee satisfaction by speeding up reimbursement times and providing greater transparency in the expense management process.
Here's Raj,
As a Remote Software Engineer working from India for a U.S.-based tech company, Raj wants a user-friendly platform to submit expenses in his local currency with automatic conversion to the company's primary currency. This would simplify the expense submission process, eliminate confusion over exchange rates, and ensure timely reimbursements without financial losses due to currency conversion fees. Access to clear company policies and real-time updates on reimbursement status would help him manage his personal finances effectively and reduce anxiety over expense submissions.
Here's Raj,
As a Remote Software Engineer working from India for a U.S.-based tech company, Raj wants a user-friendly platform to submit expenses in his local currency with automatic conversion to the company's primary currency. This would simplify the expense submission process, eliminate confusion over exchange rates, and ensure timely reimbursements without financial losses due to currency conversion fees. Access to clear company policies and real-time updates on reimbursement status would help him manage his personal finances effectively and reduce anxiety over expense submissions.
Remote expense management - a business opportunity for efficiency driven solutions
Remote expense management - a business opportunity for efficiency driven solutions
Remote expense management - a business opportunity for efficiency driven solutions
My business research explored the growing fintech market focused on remote-first companies, where operational efficiency and compliance are top concerns. My research revealed that existing solutions often lack user-centered features, leading to time-consuming manual processes. By creating a product that prioritizes intuitive, automated workflows, I can address these gaps and offer a unique value proposition: effortless, compliant expense management tailored to remote work.
My business research explored the growing fintech market focused on remote-first companies, where operational efficiency and compliance are top concerns. My research revealed that existing solutions often lack user-centered features, leading to time-consuming manual processes. By creating a product that prioritizes intuitive, automated workflows, I can address these gaps and offer a unique value proposition: effortless, compliant expense management tailored to remote work.
Conducting business research allowed me to align the product vision with market demands, ensuring it meets business needs while supporting insights from my user research on pain points in the reconciliation process. These findings will guide my design decisions to deliver a product that not only simplifies workflows but also enhances user satisfaction and compliance readiness.
Conducting business research allowed me to align the product vision with market demands, ensuring it meets business needs while supporting insights from my user research on pain points in the reconciliation process. These findings will guide my design decisions to deliver a product that not only simplifies workflows but also enhances user satisfaction and compliance readiness.
Getting the holistic view of the market
Getting the holistic view of the market
Getting the holistic view of the market
Analyzing key competitors like Expensify, SAP Concur, and Zoho Expense reveals distinct opportunities for ExpensAid to stand out in the fintech landscape. Unlike legacy solutions focused on general expense tracking or large-scale enterprise needs, ExpensAid is tailored for tech companies with remote teams, offering features like automated multi-currency support and integrated compliance checks. While Expensify excels in ease of use for freelancers and small businesses, and SAP Concur is ideal for large corporations, ExpensAid’s focus on remote teams and real-time data positions it uniquely to meet the growing demands of decentralized workforces.
Analyzing key competitors like Expensify, SAP Concur, and Zoho Expense reveals distinct opportunities for ExpensAid to stand out in the fintech landscape. Unlike legacy solutions focused on general expense tracking or large-scale enterprise needs, ExpensAid is tailored for tech companies with remote teams, offering features like automated multi-currency support and integrated compliance checks. While Expensify excels in ease of use for freelancers and small businesses, and SAP Concur is ideal for large corporations, ExpensAid’s focus on remote teams and real-time data positions it uniquely to meet the growing demands of decentralized workforces.
Conducting business research allowed me to identify these market gaps and align ExpensAid’s features with user needs, ensuring a compliance-driven, seamless experience. This analysis now guides our design to emphasize ease of use, collaboration, and automation, setting a solid foundation for the next phase of development.
Conducting business research allowed me to identify these market gaps and align ExpensAid’s features with user needs, ensuring a compliance-driven, seamless experience. This analysis now guides our design to emphasize ease of use, collaboration, and automation, setting a solid foundation for the next phase of development.
Outlook on the problem space
Outlook on the problem space
Outlook on the problem space
Users face significant challenges in managing expenses due to manual processes, complexity in currency conversion, compliance risks, and inadequate tools. Businesses suffer from increased operational costs, legal risks, decreased employee satisfaction, and inefficiencies.
Users face significant challenges in managing expenses due to manual processes, complexity in currency conversion, compliance risks, and inadequate tools. Businesses suffer from increased operational costs, legal risks, decreased employee satisfaction, and inefficiencies.
There is a clear opportunity for Expensaid to address these challenges by:
Automating manual tasks to improve efficiency and accuracy.
Providing real-time, integrated compliance checks to mitigate risks.
Designing a user-friendly interface that enhances adoption and satisfaction.
Ensuring mobile accessibility to support remote employees.
There is a clear opportunity for Expensaid to address these challenges by:
Automating manual tasks to improve efficiency and accuracy.
Providing real-time, integrated compliance checks to mitigate risks.
Designing a user-friendly interface that enhances adoption and satisfaction.
Ensuring mobile accessibility to support remote employees.
OOUX + ORCA : My secret weapon to bridge the gap between UX Research & UX Design, breaking down complex flows
OOUX + ORCA : My secret weapon to bridge the gap between UX Research & UX Design, breaking down complex flows
OOUX + ORCA : My secret weapon to bridge the gap between UX Research & UX Design, breaking down complex flows
Initially, I approached the design with a traditional feature-by-feature mindset, but when sketching the overall flow, I felt stuck. Enter Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) and the ORCA (Object, Relations, CTA, Attributes) method—a revelation that transformed my approach. Developed by Sophia Prater, OOUX focuses on identifying core objects in a product, allowing designers to create clarity and flow by aligning with user mental models. Using OOUX, I identified ExpensAid’s essential objects, such as “Expense Report,” “Receipt,” and “Compliance Check,” and mapped out how these relate to one another. This object map helped me build a clear, structured information architecture, avoiding the pitfalls of feature-driven design that often overlook user needs and lead to complexity.
Initially, I approached the design with a traditional feature-by-feature mindset, but when sketching the overall flow, I felt stuck. Enter Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) and the ORCA (Object, Relations, CTA, Attributes) method—a revelation that transformed my approach. Developed by Sophia Prater, OOUX focuses on identifying core objects in a product, allowing designers to create clarity and flow by aligning with user mental models. Using OOUX, I identified ExpensAid’s essential objects, such as “Expense Report,” “Receipt,” and “Compliance Check,” and mapped out how these relate to one another. This object map helped me build a clear, structured information architecture, avoiding the pitfalls of feature-driven design that often overlook user needs and lead to complexity.
Through ORCA, I broke down complex processes systematically, building reusable parts and intuitive flows that make sense to both finance managers and remote employees. This approach allowed me to design with scalability in mind, resulting in an information architecture that aligns with user expectations and business goals. This step, bridging UX research and UX design, informed the next phase: crafting wireframes with a robust, intuitive structure already in place. OOUX has proven invaluable, making design a systematic, insightful process rather than a chaotic one.
Through ORCA, I broke down complex processes systematically, building reusable parts and intuitive flows that make sense to both finance managers and remote employees. This approach allowed me to design with scalability in mind, resulting in an information architecture that aligns with user expectations and business goals. This step, bridging UX research and UX design, informed the next phase: crafting wireframes with a robust, intuitive structure already in place. OOUX has proven invaluable, making design a systematic, insightful process rather than a chaotic one.
🚧 Hey, really sorry to interrupt, hope you liked the case, I know final product/UI can be a deal breaker but I'm still in the testing phase so stay tuned, I will be updating the progress soon 🚧
🚧 Hey, really sorry to interrupt, hope you liked the case, I know final product/UI can be a deal breaker but I'm still in the testing phase so stay tuned, I will be updating the progress soon 🚧
🚧 Hey, really sorry to interrupt, hope you liked the case, I know final product/UI can be a deal breaker but I'm still in the testing phase so stay tuned, I will be updating the progress soon 🚧
