6 Ways Top Finance Leaders Are Staying Ahead of Spend in 2026

If there’s one thing we’re hearing from finance teams right now, it’s this: 2026 is not about a return to normal. It is about operating with confidence in an environment that still feels unpredictable.

Inflation has eased in some areas, but volatility remains. Travel patterns continue to evolve, and supplier costs continue to shift. Boards expect faster answers and fewer surprises. At the same time, finance teams are expected to support growth without losing control of spending.

That pressure is not theoretical. According to SAP Concur research, 35% of CFOs say poor cost management is now one of the top internal threats to their business.

So, what are finance leaders doing differently to stay ahead in 2026?

Here are six approaches we’re seeing make a real difference.

#1: Shift from reactive to proactive spend management

Tracking spend after it happens has long been the norm for finance folks. In today’s global business environment, delays amplify risk. By the time reports are finalized, decisions have already been made, and budgets may already be off track.

That delay has real consequences. Inaccurate forecasting is the most frequently cited cost control challenge among CFOs (61%¹), underscoring how damaging late or incomplete visibility can be.

Future-forward finance teams, on the other hand, are leveraging tech to reduce the gap between when spend occurs and when it becomes visible.

This shift makes it possible to:

• Uncover hidden costs in your operations
• Streamline and standardize core workflows
• Centralize spend and operational data
• Invest in data quality and governance
• Drive cross-functional alignment on cost control

Explore this guide, How CFOs Tackle Internal Cost Pressure and Drive Efficiency, to learn how you can overcome internal cost control challenges.

#2: Connect travel, expense, and AP into a single view of spend

Many organizations still manage travel, expense, and accounts payable as separate workflows. What gets lost in that approach is not just efficiency, but control.

When these processes are disconnected, finance teams struggle to see the full picture of spend as it unfolds. Issues surface late. Corrections take longer. Small problems can compound before anyone has a chance to intervene.

In fact, SAP Concur research shows that 82% of CFOs believe complex and manual processes are limiting the effectiveness of their finance function.²

The way forward is a more connected approach to spend management. By bringing travel, expense, and accounts payable together on a single, AI-powered platform like SAP Concur, finance teams gain earlier visibility, more consistent controls, and clearer insight into how spending decisions connect across the business.

Instead of piecing together signals after the fact, leaders can see patterns sooner, address issues earlier, and manage spend with greater confidence as conditions change.

Download our eBook to uncover the six hidden costs of siloed tools and how smarter integration can boost efficiency, visibility, and control.

SAP Concur Wins 2026 TrustRadius Buyer’s Choice Award

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#3: Use automation to reduce friction across spend processes

Automation is no longer just about efficiency. In 2026, it is about consistency, control, and scale.

Top finance teams use automation to apply policies in real time and reduce manual work that slows everyone down. This approach benefits both finance and employees.

For example, solutions like Concur Travel and Expense help embed policy guidance directly into everyday workflows, from booking travel to submitting expenses. Transactions are checked automatically, low-risk activity flows through without delay, and exceptions are flagged early while there is still time to act.

Here’s what finance teams are seeing when they use SAP Concur to automate spend management:

• 23% reduction in business travel and expense costs³
• 28% increase in policy compliance³
• 47% increase in workforce efficiency⁴

If you want to see how your own program compares, download the Travel and Expense Maturity guide to benchmark where you are today and identify practical steps to move forward.

#4: Treat business travel as a strategic spend category

Business travel has returned, but expectations around oversight have changed.

Finance leaders are now balancing cost control, employee experience, and duty of care. Managing travel through expense reports alone no longer provides the visibility or control required.

That gap shows up quickly in compliance. Research indicates that more than a third of CFOs see employee compliance with company policies as a meaningful challenge when controlling costs, particularly in areas like travel and expense.¹

Successful finance teams take a more strategic approach by:

• Controlling booking behavior, not just monitoring reimbursement
• Enforcing policy without creating friction for travelers
• Connecting travel decisions to broader spend and risk considerations

If you are curious how other finance teams are handling business travel, What Our Customers Really Say: Real stories from real travel leaders, brings together practical examples from peers using SAP Concur in their day-to-day operations.

#5: Leverage AI to support better financial decisions

AI continues to shape finance conversations, but results vary widely.

The finance leaders seeing real value are focused on fundamentals first:

• Clean, accurate data
• Connected systems
• Clear use cases tied to real decisions

When applied in the right context, AI can deliver measurable value. Nearly three quarters (73%¹) of CFOs say AI has already had a positive impact on cost reduction in their organization. But those gains depend on clean, connected data and clear use cases.

When AI is applied to unified spend data, it can help surface patterns, highlight risk, and support faster decision-making. When the data foundation is weak, AI adds complexity without clarity.

Learn more about The Smarter Path to Future-Ready Finance, including AI-driven audits, flexible integrations, and top-rated mobile tools that can future-proof your finance operations.

AI Cheat Sheet

Getting lost in all the AI jargon and hype? Our AI cheat sheet breaks down key terms and shows how AI can support smarter spend management.

Get it now

#6: Prioritize predictability alongside cost control

Cost savings still matter. But in 2026, predictability matters more.

Boards and executive teams expect fewer surprises and greater confidence in forecasts. That confidence does not come from periodic reports. It comes from having continuous insight into spending as conditions change.

That expectation is reshaping the finance role. As Vikas Jain, Director, Global Head of Planning and Cost Insights at HSBC, explains:

“I think disruption and uncertainties are no longer one-offs, these are the new normal part of the business life we all have. And hence, as the finance leaders in the organization, we need to be prepared for this disruption on a continuous basis.”

Being ahead is not about squeezing budgets harder. It is about creating stability in an environment where change is constant.

In practice, that means finance leaders are focusing on:

• Earlier visibility into spend trends, not retrospective analysis
• Fewer last-minute adjustments through better signals upstream
• More confidence in planning and forecasting, even when conditions shift

If you want to see how other finance leaders are thinking about these priorities in 2026, CFO Insights: Top trends and priorities for finance leaders in 2026 offers a useful snapshot.

Staying ahead is a mindset, not a milestone

Staying ahead of spend is not about predicting the future perfectly. It is about being ready to respond with confidence when it arrives.

By bringing travel, expense, and invoice management together on a single, intelligent platform, SAP Concur helps finance teams move faster, see more clearly, and operate with confidence.

See what’s possible with The Ultimate Guide to SAP Concur Solutions or reach out to us today to learn more.

1. _{SAP Concur CFO Insights survey 2025}
2. _{FTI Consulting}
3. _{SAP Concur ROI Research, Global & Regional Findings, Phronesis Partners, 2024.}
4. _{Weatherford Case Study, SAP Concur, 2025.}