Concur payment processing typically takes 3 to 5 business days after you submit your expense report

Concur is an expense management system used by many companies to handle employee reimbursements, travel advances, and corporate card reconciliation. Once you submit a report through Concur, the payment does not move immediately. Your company's finance team must first review and approve it, then Concur processes the actual transfer to your bank account. The total time from submission to money in your account usually falls between 3 and 5 business days, though some companies take longer depending on their approval workflows.

The exact timeline depends on three things: how quickly your manager and finance department approve the report, whether Concur encounters any data errors or missing receipts, and which payment method your company uses to send the money. If your report sits in an approval queue for a week, or if you forgot to attach a receipt, the clock does not start until those issues are resolved.

Key Takeaways

  • Concur processes approved reports within 3 to 5 business days, but approval by your manager and finance team can add days or weeks to the total timeline.
  • Missing receipts, incomplete expense categories, or policy violations will hold your report in review and delay payment until you fix them.
  • Weekend and holiday closures do not count as business days, so a report submitted Friday afternoon may not process until the following Tuesday.
  • Your company's bank and your personal bank may each add a day to the transfer, especially if you use a less common financial institution.
  • Concur can send payment via direct deposit, check, or corporate card credit, and each method has slightly different processing times.

What happens between submission and approval

When you click submit in Concur, your report enters your company's approval workflow. It does not go to Concur's servers for processing yet—it goes to your manager or designated approver first. That person has to review the expenses, check that they match company policy, and either approve or reject the report. If your manager is on vacation, in meetings, or simply slow to check their queue, your report waits.

Once your manager approves, the report moves to your company's finance or accounting department. They perform a second review, often checking for duplicate expenses, policy violations, or missing documentation. This step can take anywhere from a few hours to several days depending on how many reports are in the queue and how thorough the review is. Only after finance approves does Concur actually begin processing the payment.

Common reasons Concur holds a report before processing

Concur will not process a report if it contains errors or missing information. The most common hold-ups are missing receipts (Concur requires documentation for most expenses over a certain threshold, which varies by company), expenses that do not fit into an approved category, or amounts that exceed per-diem limits. If your report is flagged, you will see a notification in Concur asking you to fix the issue.

Policy violations also trigger holds. If you submitted a meal expense for $200 when your company's policy caps meals at $75, the report will not move forward until you either remove the expense or provide a business justification. Duplicate expenses—where the same charge appears twice—will also block approval. Check your report carefully before submitting, because each correction you make after submission adds time to the overall process.

Processing time after approval is final

Once finance approves the report, Concur typically processes the payment within 1 to 2 business days. Concur then sends the payment instruction to your company's bank, which initiates the transfer. If your company uses direct deposit, the money moves from the corporate account to your personal bank account. This bank-to-bank transfer usually takes 1 to 2 additional business days, depending on both banks' processing speeds.

If your company sends payment by check instead of direct deposit, Concur will print and mail the check, which adds 5 to 10 business days. Some companies offer a corporate card credit option, where the reimbursement is credited directly to your company card—this can be faster, sometimes appearing within 1 business day. Ask your finance department which payment method your company uses and whether you can choose a faster option.

How weekends and holidays affect your timeline

Business days do not include weekends or company holidays. If you submit a report on Friday afternoon and your manager does not review it until Monday, that is still only 1 business day of waiting. If your company is closed for a holiday, any reports in the approval queue will not move until the office reopens. A report submitted the day before a holiday week may not see approval until the following week, adding 5 calendar days even though only 1 business day has passed.

This matters most at year-end, around major holidays, and during company shutdowns. If you need reimbursement quickly, submit your report early in the week and follow up with your manager to ensure it does not sit unreviewed over a weekend.

What to do if your payment is delayed beyond 5 business days

If your report was approved more than 5 business days ago and the money has not arrived, check your Concur account first. Look for any new notifications or flags that might indicate the report was rejected or sent back for corrections. If Concur shows the report as approved and processed, contact your company's finance or accounting department directly—they can check whether the payment was sent and whether your bank received it.

If the payment was sent but has not appeared in your account after 2 business days, contact your personal bank. Provide them with the payment date and amount from Concur, and ask them to trace the transfer. Banks can usually locate a payment within their system and tell you whether it is still in transit or if there was an error. If your bank received the payment but it is not showing in your account, there may be a technical issue on their end that requires their support team to investigate.

Speeding up Concur reimbursement

Submit your report as soon as possible after the expenses occur, while receipts are fresh and your manager is likely to remember the business purpose. Incomplete reports sit longer because they require back-and-forth corrections. Attach all required receipts before you submit, double-check that expense amounts match your receipts, and make sure each expense is categorized correctly according to your company's policy.

If you know your manager is busy or out of office, consider submitting your report to a colleague who can approve it in their absence, if your company allows it. Some companies let you request expedited approval for time-sensitive expenses—ask your finance department whether this option exists. Finally, choose direct deposit over check if you have the option, since checks add 5 to 10 days to the timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I track my Concur payment after I submit the report?

Yes. Log into Concur and check your report status—it will show whether the report is pending approval, approved, or processed. Once processed, Concur usually displays the expected payment date. You can also contact your finance department to ask whether the payment has been sent to your bank.

What if my manager approves the report but finance rejects it?

You will receive a notification in Concur explaining why finance rejected it. Common reasons include policy violations, missing receipts, or duplicate expenses. Fix the issues and resubmit. The report will go back through the approval workflow, adding another 1 to 3 business days to the timeline.

Does Concur charge a fee for processing my reimbursement?

No. Concur itself does not charge employees for processing reimbursements. Your company may charge a fee if you request an advance or expedited payment, but standard reimbursement is free.

Why is my direct deposit taking longer than 3 to 5 business days?

Your report may still be in approval, or your bank may be processing the transfer slowly. Check Concur to confirm the report shows as processed. If it does, contact your bank and provide them with the payment date—they can trace the transfer and tell you whether it is still in transit.

Can I get my Concur reimbursement as a check instead of direct deposit?

That depends on your company's policy. Ask your finance department whether you can switch payment methods. If your company allows it, the change may take effect on your next reimbursement, and checks typically take 5 to 10 business days to arrive after processing.