Automated expense report systems and methods

A method for managing automatic generation of expense reports using a computer system, the method comprising:

• executing, by the computer system, a reporting component configured to establish schedule information, the schedule information including at least one company-wide schedule applicable to a plurality of users of a company, the at least one company-wide schedule specifying an expense report generation date indicative of a date on which the expense reports are to be generated and at least one reminder action associated with the expense reports to communicate to the plurality of users;
• storing the schedule information including the at least one company-wide schedule in a data store;
• sending at least one reminder to the plurality of users prior to the expense report generation date;
• and
• automatically generating, on the expense report generation date, a plurality of expense reports respectively corresponding to the plurality of users for whom the functionality is enabled;
• generating a user interface display element, wherein the user interface display element is responsive to selection in a user interface, and when selected in the user interface, activates automatic report generation functions on the system for the plurality of users;
• and
• communicating an object containing at least a respective expense report associated with respective users of the plurality of users defined by the company-wide schedule.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing sequences of computer executable instructions to implement a method for managing automatic generation of expense reports, the sequences of instructions including instructions to:

• establish schedule information, the schedule information including at least one company-wide schedule applicable to a plurality of users of a company, the at least one company-wide schedule specifying an expense report generation date indicative of a date on which the expense reports are to be generated and at least one reminder action associated with the expense reports to communicate to the plurality of users;
• store the schedule information including the at least one company-wide schedule in a data store;
• send at least one reminder to the plurality of users prior to the expense report generation date;
• automatically generate, on the stored expense report generation date, a plurality of expense reports respectively corresponding to the plurality of users for whom the functionality is enabled;
• generate a user interface display element, wherein the user interface display element is responsive to selection in a user interface, and when selected in the user interface, activates automatic report generation functions on the system for the plurality of users;
• and
• communicate an object containing at least a respective expense report associated with respective users of the plurality of users defined by the company-wide schedule.