Introduction
Introducing our cutting-edge Expense Tracker App tailored specifically for sales professionals, revolutionizing the way you manage and submit your expenses. With its seamless user interface and powerful features, our app is designed to streamline the entire process, eliminating the hassle and time-consuming nature of expense management. Say goodbye to tedious paperwork and welcome a new era of efficiency and accuracy. From capturing receipts on the go to generating comprehensive expense reports with just a few taps, our Expense Tracker App empowers you to take control of your financial records effortlessly. Maximize your productivity and focus on what truly matters - closing deals and exceeding targets. Experience the future of expense tracking and unlock a world of convenience with our game-changing app.
Scenario
Sarah, a dedicated sales representative, has just returned from a productive business trip. As she settles back into her office, she realizes that she needs to submit her expense report for the trip. In the past, this task would have been time-consuming and frustrating, involving stacks of receipts, manual calculations, and tedious paperwork.
However, this time, Sarah decides to leverage the power of the Expense Tracker App. With a few taps on her smartphone, she effortlessly captures photos of her receipts, instantly digitizing them and eliminating the risk of losing important documents.
As Sarah reviews her expense entries, she notices that the app automatically categorizes expenses based on predetermined settings, saving her valuable time. She can easily customize categories or add additional details for more precise reporting. The app also allows her to attach notes and comments to each expense, providing valuable context to her finance department.
Impressed by the app's intuitive interface, Sarah proceeds to generate her expense report with a single tap. Within seconds, a comprehensive and professional report is generated, complete with itemized expenses, totals, and any necessary supporting documentation.
With her expense report ready, Sarah securely submits it directly from the app to her finance team. She appreciates the app's integration capabilities, which seamlessly connect with her company's expense management system, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.
Thanks to the Expense Tracker App, Sarah has reclaimed precious hours that she can now devote to nurturing client relationships and closing deals. She appreciates the app's ability to transform a previously cumbersome task into a streamlined and enjoyable experience, leaving her confident in her financial records and impressed by the app's user-friendly design.
In this scenario, the Expense Tracker App has revolutionized Sarah's expense management process, empowering her to stay organized, save time, and focus on what she does best – driving sales success.
The Solution
The Expense Tracker App is a comprehensive solution built using the power of Microsoft's Power Platform suite of tools, which includes SharePoint Lists, Power Automate, Power BI, and other Power Platform components. Let's delve into each of these components and how they contribute to the functionality and effectiveness of the app:
SharePoint Lists: SharePoint Lists serve as the backbone of the Expense Tracker App, providing a robust and flexible data storage mechanism. The app utilizes SharePoint Lists to store and manage various data elements, such as expense entries, receipts, user profiles, and expense categories. SharePoint Lists enable seamless collaboration, data organization, and secure access control, ensuring data integrity and consistency.
Power Automate: Power Automate, an integral part of the Power Platform, automates and orchestrates business processes. In the Expense Tracker App, Power Automate enables seamless integration and workflow automation. For instance, when a user submits an expense entry, Power Automate can trigger automated notifications to the finance team, initiate approval workflows, or generate email alerts for specific actions. This streamlines the entire expense management process, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency.
Power BI: Power BI empowers the Expense Tracker App with dynamic and interactive data visualization capabilities. By connecting to the SharePoint Lists that store expense data, Power BI allows users to generate insightful reports and dashboards with just a few clicks. Sales professionals and finance teams can leverage these visualizations to gain valuable insights into spending patterns, track key metrics, and make data-driven decisions. Power BI's intuitive interface and customizable reporting features enhance the overall user experience and provide a clear overview of expense-related information.
Power Apps: Power Apps enables the creation of custom, user-friendly interfaces for the Expense Tracker App. It allows developers to design intuitive forms, screens, and user interactions tailored to the specific needs of sales professionals. With Power Apps, users can easily navigate through the app, capture receipts, enter expense details, and review their submissions. The flexibility of Power Apps ensures a seamless user experience across various devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
The integration of these Power Platform components results in a powerful Expense Tracker App that revolutionizes expense management for sales professionals. It leverages SharePoint Lists for data storage, Power Automate for workflow automation, Power BI for data visualization, and Power Apps for a user-friendly interface. This combination of Power Platform tools enhances efficiency, accuracy, and productivity, ultimately enabling sales professionals to focus on driving sales success while effortlessly managing their expenses.
Database
We opted for the SharePoint List database because of its ease to integrate with power platform and security.
We created a list (Expense Tracker102) with ten columns namely: Employee Name, Date, Travel Destination, Travel Mode, Hotel Name, Amount, Other Spends, Created By, Attachment, and Status.
- The “Employee name” column shows the purpose of the travel whether it is a trip, conference, meeting etc.
- The “Date” column indicates the date scheduled for the travel.
- The “Travel Destination” column shows the destination of the travel.
- “Travel mode” column indicates whether the traveler will travel by air, road or train.
- “Hotel Name” column to show the hotel where the employee will reside.
- “Amount” column to indicate the total amount spent.
- “Other Spends” column includes any other spends apart from the included expense.
- “Created by” column to show who created that particular expense.
- “Attachment” column for any attached receipts.
- “Status” column to show whether the expense has been approved, rejected or pending.
Diagram 1: SharePoint List ½
Diagram 2: SharePoint List 2/2
Architecture Diagram
Diagram 3: Architecture Diagram for Expense Tracker
How the Power Apps Works
The power of Power Apps comes to life as we delve into the inner workings of our Expense Tracker application. Leveraging the encrypted SharePoint list as our foundation, we have crafted a seamless user experience that ensures secure access and optimal functionality.
As users launch the app, they are greeted with an elegantly designed login page illustrated below, setting the stage for a personalized and secure experience. To maintain the utmost security and exclusivity, only registered users with their information stored in our database can gain access. This authentication process guarantees that only authorized individuals can enter the app and engage with its powerful features.
We understand that sometimes passwords can slip from memory's grasp. Fear not, for we have anticipated this possibility and provided a solution. Should a user find themselves locked out due to a forgotten password, a straightforward pathway to resolution awaits. By simply reaching out to the dedicated admin, password resets can be swiftly arranged, ensuring a smooth reentry into the world of expense tracking.
Our meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to user experience shine through in every aspect of the app. With carefully chosen words and a touch of sophistication, we have crafted an environment where security, convenience, and seamless functionality converge, making the Expense Tracker application a truly exceptional tool for modern expense management.
Diagram 4: Expense Tracker Login Page
Once the user successfully logs into the app, they will be granted access to a wealth of valuable information. A dedicated page awaits them, displaying a comprehensive overview of their past expense submissions. This intuitive interface not only allows users to review their previous entries but also empowers them with the ability to make necessary edits and updates as needed.
Within this dynamic page, a range of powerful functionalities becomes readily available. Users can effortlessly search for specific expense records, swiftly locating the information they seek. Furthermore, the option to add new entries seamlessly integrates into the user interface, ensuring a streamlined process for capturing and documenting new expenses. The list itself remains adaptable and responsive, providing a refreshing "refresh" feature that instantly updates the displayed information.
To further enhance usability and organization, a convenient sorting capability has been implemented. With a simple tap, users can arrange their expense list in alphabetical order, ensuring clarity and ease of reference. This intelligent feature allows for quick and efficient browsing of past submissions, ultimately saving valuable time and effort.
Diagram 5: Expense Tracker History Page
If the user wants to add a new request, then they can submit it here.
Diagram 6: Expense Tracker New Submission Page
After the submission the user can then view their submission.
Diagram 7: Expense Tracker Submission Page
Business process configured on Power Automate
We implemented business logic in the app using Power Automate. The flow is triggered by email notifications when a new expense is added or when an expense exceeds a certain amount. We also created a workflow to update a status column when an expense is approved or rejected.
Diagram 7: Expense Tracker Workflow 1/2
An email is sent to a manager for approval.
Diagram 8: Expense Tracker Workflow 2/2
Upon approval, a confirmation email is sent to the user.
Diagram 9: Expense Tracker Email Trigger Notification
On the Approval button the status of the expenses is displayed whether it has been approved or rejected.
Diagram 10: Expense Tracker Notifications List
Data Analytics with Power BI
We utilized Power BI to generate dynamic visualizations and reports using our expense data. By connecting to the SharePoint list, we developed a dashboard containing interactive charts and graphs that allow for detailed analysis of our spending patterns. The visuals can be easily filtered based on various parameters such as Employee Name, Travel Destination, Travel Mode, Date, Hotel Name, Amount, Other Spends, Status, Created By, and Attachment.
Diagram 11: Power BI Interactive Dashboards
Summary
Creating an expense tracker app using Power Platform was a seamless and efficient process. With the help of Power Apps, SharePoint list, Power Automate, Power BI, and Outlook, we were able to design a custom user interface, connect to our data source, implement business logic, analyze our expenses, and integrate with Outlook. By tracking our expenses, we could easily stay on top of our finances and make informed decisions. With the help of Microsoft Power Platform, anyone can create a custom expense tracker app that suits their personal or business needs.
One of the key highlights of the Expense Tracker App is its ability to create interactive visualizations and reports using Power BI. Users can leverage this feature to gain valuable insights into their spending patterns. The dashboard showcases charts and graphs that can be customized and filtered based on different parameters such as employee names, travel destinations, dates, and more. This flexibility allows for a granular analysis of expenses, helping users identify trends, outliers, and areas where cost optimization is possible.
Furthermore, the Expense Tracker App incorporates advanced filtering options, making it easier to navigate and explore expense data. Users can quickly filter expenses based on specific criteria such as employee names, travel modes, and attachment availability. This enables targeted analysis and a deeper understanding of expenditure in specific areas.
Overall, the Expense Tracker App empowers users to take control of their finances by providing a comprehensive platform for expense management. Its integration with Power BI facilitates data-driven decision-making through interactive visualizations, while its robust filtering capabilities ensure efficient exploration of expense data. With this app, individuals and businesses can optimize spending, improve budgeting, and ultimately achieve their financial goals.
