This page details how a simple customization to a mobile expense reporting system solved a common user frustration.
(a) Challenges:
- Clunky Expense Reports: Many users find expense reporting to be frustrating, particularly when using mobile devices. This can be especially difficult when on the go or with a client.
- Missing Tip Field: A significant problem identified within Acumatica’s mobile expense reporting was the absence of a dedicated field for tips. This is a common issue that users face when expensing meals, for instance.
- Manual Adjustments: The missing tip field required employees to manually adjust tip amounts outside of the Acumatica system. This resulted in a waste of time and increased the potential for errors.
- User Frustration: Users were often left wondering where to input tip amounts, leading to confusion and workarounds. The lack of a specific field for tips created a major headache for users trying to submit accurate expense reports.
(b) Solution & Benefits
- Customized Mobile Interface: We developed a solution by customizing the mobile interface of Acumatica.
- Dedicated Tip Field: A dedicated tip field was added directly into the expense receipt screen on the mobile app. This made the entire expense process smoother and facilitated the flow of data directly into Acumatica.
- Elimination of Workarounds: By adding the tip field, the need for manual adjustments and other workarounds was eliminated, greatly reducing data entry headaches.
- User-Friendly Tool Tips: Tool tips were added to the mobile app—pop-up descriptions that appear when hovering over a field. These provide a quick explanation of what each field is for, right on the screen.
- Reduced Confusion and Errors: The tool tips helped to reduce user confusion and errors, ensuring that users are not left wondering what information goes where.
- Improved User Experience: This simple customization highlights how even the smallest details can significantly improve user experience.
- Time Savings: The solution has saved a lot of time and frustration and serves as an example of the impact that small but strategic tweaks can have on complex systems.
- Highlighting Customization: The Acumatica example shows the power and importance of customizing software to meet specific user needs.