How expenses are managed at work continues to evolve. While more businesses are moving away from manual tools, many are still relying on systems not designed specifically for expense management – highlighting a gap between digital adoption and fully optimised solutions.
The 2026 State of Expense Management report provides a snapshot of the landscape across nine European markets. Based on a comparison of recent and long-term data, it explores how expense tool usage is shifting, how digital maturity differs across regions, and where the strongest growth is happening.
One thing is clear: while digital behaviour is established, how expenses are managed is still not fully optimised.
Most employees continue to manage expenses within accounting or payroll systems or through manual tools, while purpose-built expense apps show the strongest long-term growth. At the same time, early signs point to a shift in how businesses approach expense management – with growing interest in more integrated approaches to managing financial processes.
Why does this matter?
As more businesses move away from manual processes, the focus is shifting from becoming digital to getting it right.
Many organisations currently rely on tools not specifically designed for expense management, which can limit efficiency, visibility, and scalability. At the same time, expectations are evolving as businesses seek more seamless ways to manage expenses within their existing finance systems.
The report shows that while adoption patterns differ across markets, the direction is consistent. Digital tools continue to grow, manual tools continue to decline, and the opportunity for more purpose-built, scalable solutions remains significant.
👉 Download the full report to explore what’s changing, where it’s happening, and what it means for the future of expense management.
📺 Also, watch the 25-minute webinar for a walkthrough of the key findings – plus a peek at real-time behavioural data from Findity.
