Telecom expense management software vs a line-by-line invoice check

Telecom expense management (TEM) software manages a company's telecom spend end to end: inventory, contracts, invoice audit, allocation and ordering. A line-by-line invoice check does one part of that, the invoice audit, for the company that is too big for a spreadsheet and too small to buy a platform. If most of your pain is charges you should not be paying, the check may be enough; if it is contracts and inventory across many carriers, you want the platform.

This guide compares the two, says which one fits which company, and lists questions to ask a vendor either way.

What does telecom expense management software do?

A TEM platform typically covers several jobs, and vendors differ in which they emphasize:

• Invoice processing and audit. Carrier invoices are loaded, often straight from the carrier, and each line is checked against a contract, an inventory or a prior bill.
• Inventory. A record of every circuit, number and device and who it belongs to.
• Contract management. Rate cards, term dates and commitments, so a rate can be checked against what you agreed.
• Allocation and payment. Charges coded to departments or locations, approved and sent to accounts payable.
• Ordering and mobility management. Requests and changes handled through the platform.

That scope is why these platforms suit large, multi-carrier organizations. ITG Group's guide to telecom expense management describes lightweight platforms for mid-market companies at roughly $500-2,000 a month, and spreadsheet review at 4-6 hours a month for companies with smaller spend.

What does a line-by-line invoice check do instead?

It does one job: read every line of each carrier invoice and list the lines to dispute. Carrier Bill Check, for example, takes the invoices you upload each month and checks them against your disconnect list and last month's bill, then reports:

• recurring charges still billing after a disconnect date;
• recurring rates that changed, with the old rate, the new rate and the yearly difference;
• duplicate lines;
• one-time charges that repeat;
• new recurring lines to confirm.

It reads PDF (text), Excel and CSV invoices from any carrier. It has no connection to carrier portals, and you do the uploading.

How do the two compare?

The honest summary: the platform does more, the check does less and starts faster.

Who needs a TEM platform, and who can start with a check?

• You probably want the platform if you need to enforce contract rates, track a large inventory, allocate cost to departments or manage mobile devices across many carriers.
• A check may be enough if the pain is that nobody reads the line items, so charges after disconnect, rate changes and duplicates go through. It is also a way to learn how much there is to find before you commit to a larger tool.

They are not exclusive. Some teams start with the check and move up when the contract work justifies it.

What should you ask any vendor?

• Which of my carriers do you read, and in what formats? Is there a connection to the carrier, or do I upload?
• How do you know what I disconnected? Where does that list come from?
• Is a rate flagged against my contract or against last month?
• What happens to an invoice that is scanned and has no text?
• Do you contact carriers for me, and who is responsible for a wrong dispute?
• How long are invoices kept, and what is removed from the extracted text? Carrier Bill Check keeps invoice files and lines for 13 months and strips bank and remittance details from the text it extracts.
• What does it cost per month at my size, and what is included?

How can you try the check before choosing?

Open the free run. The sample runs the real checks on two months of sample invoices and a disconnect list, and shows a circuit billed after its disconnect date, a rate that rose 18% and a line charged twice. You can also upload one invoice as CSV or Excel to see its lines and any duplicates; nothing is stored and no email is asked for. If you are deciding between doing this yourself and buying anything, the telecom audit guide covers the first pass by hand, and telecom invoice audit shows the line checks.

Frequently asked questions

Is TEM software worth it for a small or mid-size company?

It depends on the problem. If you need contract enforcement and inventory control, a platform can be worth it. If the problem is unread line items, a smaller step may find most of what you wanted.

Does an invoice check replace a telecom auditor?

No. It checks lines against last month's bill and your disconnect list. An auditor can also check your contract, taxes and surcharges.

Does the check connect to my carrier?

No. You upload the invoices as PDF, Excel or CSV, and it never contacts a carrier. You send any dispute through your carrier's own channel.