Certify Now - Detailed Review
Travel Tools
Certify Now - Product Overview
Introduction to Certify Now!
Certify Now is a part of the Emburse Certify suite, specifically designed for small businesses, and it falls under the category of expense and travel management tools rather than purely travel tools. Here’s a brief overview of its primary function, target audience, and key features:
Primary Function
Certify Now is a cloud-based expense management software aimed at simplifying and streamlining the process of tracking, managing, and reimbursing expenses. It helps businesses automate expense reporting, approval, and reimbursement processes, making it easier to manage financial transactions.
Target Audience
The primary target audience for Certify Now is small businesses with 1-25 employees. This package is ideal for smaller ventures that need a straightforward and efficient way to handle their expense management without the need for extensive customization or complex features.
Key Features
- Quick Setup and Configuration: Certify Now can be set up quickly and efficiently, with an instructional wizard to guide you through the basics. This ensures that you can get started with minimal hassle.
- Mobile App: The Certify app allows employees to log expenses on the go by simply taking a picture of their receipts using their mobile devices. This feature is highly practical for employees who are frequently away from the office.
- Centralized Dashboard: All tools and functionality can be controlled via a main dashboard area, making it easy to manage and track expenses, approval requests, and user information through features like the Certify Wallet.
- Auto-Fill Features and Detailed Interface: The software includes high levels of auto-fill features and a detailed interface that makes it easy to populate data fields, reducing the time and effort required for expense tracking.
- Travel and AP Programs: In addition to expense management, Certify Now offers supplementary features such as travel and accounts payable programs, which can be integrated to enhance the overall financial management of the business.
- Security and Support: The software is safe and secure, with Symantec SSL certification. It also comes with comprehensive support, including resources available on the company website and practical training tutorials to help users get started quickly.
Overall, Certify Now is a user-friendly and efficient solution for small businesses looking to streamline their expense management processes.
Certify Now - User Interface and Experience
User Interface
The user interface of Emburse Professional, which includes the travel management tools, is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Here are some key aspects:
Booking Tool
Booking Tool: The travel booking tool, now called Emburse Book Professional, allows employees to book travel from any device. This tool ensures that bookings are made within company policy, using negotiated rates for air, rail, hotel, and car rentals.
Expense Management
Expense Management: The interface integrates seamlessly with the expense management system, allowing users to snap a photo of receipts and submit expenses for reimbursement on-the-go. This feature is highly praised for its ease of use.
Ease of Use
The system is built to be easy to use, even for those who are frequently in and out of the office. Users can quickly book travel and manage expenses without needing extensive training.
The online booking tool is simple and intuitive, ensuring that employees can manage their travel bookings and expenses efficiently.
Overall User Experience
Users have reported a positive experience with the Emburse Professional app, highlighting its ease of use and the significant time savings it offers. For example, users can easily submit expenses by taking a photo of the receipt, making the reimbursement process much faster.
The customer support is also highly praised, with users noting quick and helpful responses from the customer service team.
In summary, the user interface of Emburse Professional is designed to be straightforward, intuitive, and highly user-friendly, making it easy for employees to manage their travel and expenses while ensuring compliance with company policies. The overall user experience is positive, with users appreciating the simplicity and efficiency of the system.
Certify Now - Key Features and Functionality
Emburse Certify Overview
Emburse Certify, particularly the Certify Now and Professional plans, offers a range of features that streamline travel and expense management, incorporating various technologies to make the process efficient and user-friendly.
Automated Expense Reporting
Certify automates the expense reporting process, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing the risk of lost paperwork. Users can simply snap a photo of their receipts, and the system auto-generates expense reports using Receipt OCR scanning.
Unlimited Cloud Receipt Storage
This feature allows users to store receipts in the cloud, ensuring they are always accessible and organized. This is particularly useful for companies with multiple employees and frequent travel.
Certify SpendSmart
This feature includes user reviews of local businesses, helping employees make informed decisions about where to spend company money. It enhances the travel experience by providing recommendations based on peer reviews.
Certify Map It
The mileage calculator feature, Certify Map It, helps users accurately track and report mileage expenses. This is integrated with Google Maps to ensure precise calculations.
TripCase App
The TripCase app allows users to track their itineraries and flights, keeping them updated on any changes or disruptions. This app integrates with the overall expense management system to ensure seamless travel management.
Full Reporting and Analytics
Certify provides a comprehensive reporting and analytics suite, enabling finance leaders to gain insights into company spending. This feature helps in making informed financial decisions and optimizing budgets.
Automated Policy Enforcement
The system enforces company policies automatically, ensuring that all expense reports comply with the set guidelines. This reduces the need for manual checks and approvals, speeding up the workflow.
Certify Workflow
This feature customizes the routing for expense approvals, allowing companies to set up approval workflows that fit their specific needs. It ensures that expenses are approved efficiently and in accordance with company policies.
Multiple User Roles
Certify supports multiple user roles, which helps in managing access and responsibilities within the organization. This ensures that the right people have the right permissions to handle different aspects of expense management.
Custom Categories
Users can create custom categories for expenses, making it easier to categorize and track specific types of spending. This feature is particularly useful for companies with diverse expense types.
Integration with Financial Systems
Certify integrates with financial systems like QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online, making it easy to sync expense reports with the company’s financial records.
ACH Reimbursements
The Certify ACH feature allows for quick and easy reimbursements to employees with just a single click, streamlining the final step of the expense reporting process.
AI and Automation
While the primary features of Certify are not explicitly AI-driven, the automation and integration capabilities significantly reduce manual work and enhance efficiency. For example, the Receipt OCR scanning and automated policy enforcement features use advanced technologies to automate tasks, though they may not be classified strictly as AI.
Conclusion
In summary, Certify Now and its associated plans offer a comprehensive suite of tools that automate and streamline travel and expense management, making the process more efficient and less prone to errors. While AI is not the central focus, the automation and integration features play a crucial role in enhancing user experience and productivity.
Certify Now - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
Certify, or Emburse Professional, has made significant strides in enhancing its travel and expense management capabilities. Here are a few highlights:
- Comprehensive Travel Booking: The platform allows users to book airfare, car rentals, and hotel stays directly from their mobile devices, integrating features like display of penalties and fare families, price verification, and expandable flight details.
- Automated Expense Reporting: It automates the expense reporting process, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing the risk of lost paperwork. This automation also includes customizable, automated travel policy controls and pre-trip approvals, ensuring compliance and avoiding wasteful spending.
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform is praised for its ease of use, with features like the TripCase app for itinerary and flight tracking, and tools such as Certify SpendSmart, which helps users plan their travel by providing reviews of vendors.
- Quick Implementation: It is noted for its quick setup, with some implementations taking as little as two weeks, which is significantly faster than some competitors like SAP Concur.
Accuracy
The accuracy of Certify is supported by several features:
- Policy Enforcement: The system ensures compliance with company travel policies through automated controls, reducing errors and unauthorized expenses.
- Data Visibility: It provides deep data visibility into travel and expense spending, allowing finance teams to make informed decisions and gain actionable insights.
- Vendor Reviews: The Certify SpendSmart feature collects user reviews of vendors, helping companies recommend top-rated services and maintain high standards of service quality.
Limitations or Areas for Improvement
While Certify has many strengths, there are a few areas where it could be improved:
- Customization and Integration: While it offers customizable spend controls and integration with various travel platforms, ensuring seamless integration with all possible systems might be a challenge. However, it generally handles this well, especially with its proprietary booking platform acquired from nuTravel.
- User Training: Although the platform is user-friendly, ensuring that all employees receive adequate training to maximize its benefits is crucial. The availability of free training camps and live support can help mitigate this issue.
User Feedback and Engagement
Users have generally positive feedback about Certify, highlighting its ease of use and the significant time savings it offers. For example, users appreciate the ability to snap a photo of an expense and submit it for reimbursement quickly, making expensing on-the-go much easier.
Conclusion
In summary, Certify (Emburse Professional) performs well in the travel tools and expense management category, offering a comprehensive, user-friendly, and accurate solution for managing corporate travel and expenses. However, as with any system, ensuring proper training and ongoing support can help maximize its benefits.
Certify Now - Pricing and Plans
The Pricing Structure for Certify Now
The pricing structure for Certify Now, which is part of Emburse’s expense management solutions, is designed to cater to small businesses. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the plans and features:
Certify Now!
- Target Audience: Small businesses with up to 25 employees.
- Cost: $12 per user, per month.
- Key Features:
- Certify Mobile app for expense tracking
- ReceiptParse for automated receipt data extraction
- ReportExecutive for generating expense reports
- Unlimited cloud receipt storage
- Certify SpendSmart for user reviews of local businesses
- Certify Map It mileage calculator
- TripCase app for itinerary and flight tracking
- Full reporting and analytics functionality
- Automatic policy enforcement
- Certify Workflow for customizing approval routing
- Multiple user roles
- Custom categories
- General ledger dimensions (customizable fields)
- Free training camp and live support
- Support for over 140 currencies.
Professional Plan
- While the Professional plan is not specifically for small businesses with up to 25 employees, it is worth mentioning as it includes all the features of Certify Now and additional functionalities.
- Target Audience: Companies with more than 25 employees.
- Features: All features from the Certify Now plan plus additional services such as advanced integration with credit cards, personal credit card integration, HMS and ERP integration, and more.
No Free Option
- There is no free plan available for Certify Now!. However, Emburse does offer a 14-day free trial for their Professional plan, which can give you a taste of the features before committing to a purchase.
Summary
In summary, Certify Now is a comprehensive solution for small businesses, offering a wide range of features to manage expenses efficiently, all at a cost of $12 per user per month.
Certify Now - Integration and Compatibility
Integration with Other Tools
Certify Travel, which is part of the Certify suite, integrates seamlessly with expense reporting tools. For instance, if a company is already using Certify for expense reporting, the travel booking tool can be integrated directly into this system. This integration allows users to shop and book travel online through a customized booking site, and all travel bookings are automatically included in the users’ expense reports.
Additionally, Certify has partnerships with other travel platforms. For example, the integration with TravelPerk enables automatic receipt import for travel purchases made through the TravelPerk platform. This means that any purchase made with a credit card on TravelPerk is automatically fed into the traveler’s Emburse Professional Wallet, which can then be added to an expense report.
Compatibility Across Different Platforms and Devices
While the specific website provided does not detail device-specific compatibility, we can infer some general compatibility from the nature of the service. Certify Travel and its associated tools are web-based, which means they can be accessed from any device with a web browser, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
The integration with other platforms, such as TravelPerk, is managed through web-based interfaces, which suggests that as long as the device can access the web, it should be able to use these services. However, there is no detailed information on specific device or platform compatibility beyond this general assumption.
Administrative and User Access
Certify Travel and its integrations are managed through administrative interfaces that allow administrators to set up and manage unique travel policies and business rules. This suggests a high degree of flexibility and customization, which can be accessed from various devices as long as they have internet access.
Conclusion
In summary, Certify’s travel tools integrate well with other travel and expense reporting tools, and their web-based nature makes them accessible from a wide range of devices. However, specific details on device compatibility are not provided in the available resources.
Certify Now - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support
- For many services, customer support is often available 24/7 through various channels such as email, phone, and live chat. For example, Certify.me, a different service, offers support via email and phone, with inquiries accepted 24×7/365.
Additional Resources
- Typically, companies provide a Help Center or FAQ section where users can find answers to common questions. This is a common practice seen in services like Certify.me and Certify’em, where users are encouraged to refer to the FAQ page and Help Center before contacting support.
AI-Driven Travel Tools
- If we consider AI-driven travel tools in general, these often include features such as automated booking management, personalized travel assistance, real-time updates, and 24/7 customer support. AI travel agents can handle common traveller inquiries, modify bookings, and provide personalized recommendations based on traveller preferences and booking history.
Since the specific website for Certify Now does not provide information on these aspects, it is important to note that the details above are based on general practices and may not apply directly to Certify Now’s travel tools. If you need specific information about Certify Now, you would need to contact their support directly or refer to any documentation they provide.
Certify Now - Pros and Cons
Certify Now Plan Overview
When considering the Certify Now plan from Certify, here are the main advantages and disadvantages based on the available information:
Advantages
Automated Expense Reporting
Automated Expense Reporting: Certify Now automates the expense reporting process, eliminating the need for manual data entry and paper receipts. It includes features like prescheduled, auto-generated expense report creation and mobile capabilities.
Comprehensive Features
Comprehensive Features: The plan includes a range of features such as the Certify Mobile app, ReceiptParse, ReportExecutive, Certify SpendSmart, Certify Map It mileage calculator, TripCase app for itinerary and flight tracking, and full reporting and analytics functionality.
Policy Enforcement and Customization
Policy Enforcement and Customization: It offers automatic policy enforcement and customizable routing for expense approvals through Certify Workflow. Users can also create custom categories and utilize general ledger dimensions.
User-Friendly
User-Friendly: The platform is intuitive and easy to use, especially the mobile app, which allows users to upload receipts directly from their phone’s camera.
Support and Training
Support and Training: The plan includes free training camp and live support, ensuring users can get assistance when needed.
Multi-Currency Support
Multi-Currency Support: Certify Now supports over 140 currencies, making it suitable for international businesses.
Disadvantages
Technical Issues
Technical Issues: Some users have reported occasional technical glitches, such as the app stopping or failing to save uploaded receipts.
Mapping Features Limitations
Mapping Features Limitations: There are some limitations with the mapping features of trips, which might not fully meet the needs of all users.
Security Concerns
Security Concerns: A few users have mentioned security frustrations, although this is not a widespread issue.
Conclusion
Overall, Certify Now offers a comprehensive and automated solution for expense management, but users may encounter some minor technical and feature-specific limitations.
Certify Now - Comparison with Competitors
Certify Now
- Certify Now is a cloud-based expense management solution that automates expense reporting, eliminates the need for paper receipts, and provides detailed reporting and analytics.
- Key features include expense detail tracking, receipt image submission, optical character recognition, expense itemization, approval workflow, and travel and accommodation booking.
- It is particularly useful for organizations needing to manage and track expenses efficiently.
Alternatives and Competitors in Travel Planning and Booking
Trip Planner AI
- Trip Planner AI focuses on generating highly personalized travel itineraries based on travelers’ preferences, interests, and requirements. It provides detailed day-by-day plans, including sightseeing, activities, dining recommendations, and accommodation suggestions.
- Unlike Certify Now, Trip Planner AI is centered on travel planning rather than expense management.
Roamaround
- Roamaround is another AI travel planner that creates personalized travel itineraries. It understands travelers’ preferences and assembles itineraries that match their unique desires.
- Similar to Trip Planner AI, Roamaround is more about travel planning and less about expense management.
Vacay
- Vacay is an AI-powered vacation and travel assistant that aids in the organization and planning of trips. It offers seamless trip organization, smart recommendations, real-time travel assistance, and collaborative travel planning.
- Vacay integrates various aspects of travel planning, including booking flights, accommodations, and activities, but it does not focus on expense management.
Expedia, Kayak, and HomeToGo
- These platforms have introduced AI tools to enhance travel booking and planning. For example, Expedia’s Romie is an AI-powered travel assistant that helps with inspiration, planning, booking, and customer service. Kayak’s Ask Kayak streamlines travel planning, and HomeToGo’s Super AI Sunny assists with search and booking.
- These tools are more oriented towards the booking and planning phase of travel rather than expense management.
Key Differences
- Focus: Certify Now is primarily an expense management tool, while the other tools are focused on travel planning, booking, and personalized itineraries.
- Features: Certify Now offers automated expense reporting, approval workflows, and expense tracking, which are not the main features of the other tools mentioned.
- Use Case: If your primary need is managing and tracking expenses related to travel, Certify Now is a better fit. For personalized travel planning and booking, tools like Trip Planner AI, Roamaround, Vacay, or the AI-enhanced features of Expedia, Kayak, and HomeToGo might be more suitable.
In summary, while Certify Now excels in expense management, the other tools are more geared towards enhancing the travel planning and booking experience. The choice depends on your specific needs: expense management or travel planning and booking.
Certify Now - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Certify
What is Certify and what does it offer?
Certify is a cloud-based management solution that provides expense, accounts payable, and business travel management tools. It simplifies expense reporting, travel booking, and compliance with company policies through automation and integrated features.How does Certify handle expense reporting?
Certify Expense allows users to create, submit, and approve expense reports easily. The mobile app enables employees to capture receipts by taking a picture, and the system auto-fills the expense report details. Users can also upload receipts via email, web camera, fax, or text message. The system supports multiple user roles and customizable approval routing.What travel management features does Certify offer?
Certify Travel provides fully automated travel booking for flights, hotels, and car rentals. It includes pre-trip approval, online booking, corporate rates, and customizable travel policy controls. Employees can book travel directly through the platform, ensuring compliance with company travel policies.How does Certify ensure compliance with company travel policies?
Certify Travel includes automated travel policy controls and pre-trip approvals to ensure employee compliance. The system allows companies to set specific policies and approval criteria, reducing wasteful spending and providing visibility into travel expenses.Can Certify integrate with other financial systems?
Yes, Certify integrates with various financial systems, including QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online. The Professional and Enterprise plans offer additional integration options, making it easier to sync data and manage financial processes seamlessly.What mobile capabilities does Certify offer?
The Certify Mobile app allows employees to submit receipts, create and submit expense reports, and approve reports on the go. The app works in offline mode, and managers can also approve expense reports via the app.How does Certify handle receipt management?
Certify offers unlimited cloud receipt storage and features like ReceiptParse, which automatically extracts information from uploaded receipts. The AutoFill option fills expense report fields with the extracted data, making the process more efficient.Does Certify support multiple currencies and languages?
Yes, Certify supports more than 140 different currencies and over 60 languages, making it a versatile solution for global organizations.How can users track mileage with Certify?
Certify includes the Map It mileage calculator, which calculates mileage based on arrival and departure locations. Users can track one-way or round-trip miles easily.What kind of support does Certify offer?
Certify provides free training and live support. Users can access various resources, including a free training camp, to help them get started and resolve any issues quickly.Are there different plans available for Certify?
Yes, Certify offers several plans, including Certify Now for small businesses (1-25 users), and Professional and Enterprise plans for larger organizations. Each plan includes different features and integration options to suit various business needs. Certify Now - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Certify Now in the Travel Tools AI-driven Product Category
Overview and Key Features:
Certify Now, part of the Emburse Certify suite, is a comprehensive solution for managing travel and expense reporting. It automates the expense reporting process, eliminating the need for manual data entry, lost paperwork, and slower approval workflows. Here are some of its key features:
- Automated Travel Booking: Certify Travel allows for fully automated travel booking, including airfare, car rentals, and hotel reservations, all integrated with the company’s preferred travel platform.
- Expense Management: Combines with Certify Expense for an end-to-end booking and expense solution, ensuring seamless integration and automatic policy enforcement.
- User Reviews and Analytics: The Certify SpendSmart feature collects user reviews of vendors, providing quarterly reports on top-rated restaurants, hotels, car rentals, and airlines. This helps companies recommend preferred vendors for future trips.
- Additional Tools: Includes features like the TripCase app for itinerary and flight tracking, Certify Map It mileage calculator, and full reporting and analytics functionality.
Who Would Benefit Most:
Certify Now is particularly beneficial for businesses of various sizes, from small to large enterprises. Here are some groups that would gain significant advantages:
- Business Travelers: The automated travel booking and expense reporting streamline the travel process, making it easier for employees to manage their trips and submit expense reports.
- Travel Managers: The platform provides customizable, automated travel policy controls and pre-trip approvals, helping to avoid wasteful spending and gain visibility into travel expenses.
- Finance and Accounting Teams: The automation and analytics features help in enforcing company policies, reducing manual work, and providing detailed reports and insights into travel and expense spending.
Overall Recommendation:
Certify Now is a highly recommended solution for companies looking to streamline their travel and expense management processes. Here’s why:
- Efficiency and Automation: It significantly reduces the time and effort spent on manual data entry and approval processes, making it a time-saving solution for both employees and management.
- Compliance and Policy Enforcement: The platform ensures that all travel and expense activities comply with company policies, reducing the risk of non-compliant spending.
- User Engagement and Satisfaction: Features like Certify SpendSmart and the TripCase app enhance the user experience by providing valuable insights and making travel management more user-friendly.
- Scalability: It is suitable for companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, offering a scalable solution that can grow with the company’s needs.
In summary, Certify Now is an excellent choice for any organization seeking to optimize its travel and expense management processes, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and user satisfaction.