Spending is climbing back toward where it was before, up 73% last year over 2021 with travel expenses leading the charge, positive but not shocking news with the economy opening back up. 

But as companies climb closer to business as usual, the recent Spend Insights Report also reveals a troubling number reflecting a business-as-unusual after-effect of the pandemic: Employee out-of-pocket cash spending jumped 81% and is the top category we found, clouding insight and compliance. 

So after a stretch of policies shifts and companies spending freely and differently to keep operations rolling, are employees confused, resistant, or taking advantage when using cash instead of purchasing cards? Well, it can be hard to know if you don’t look closely at purchases – and violations – or take advantage of technology that can help you uncover improper expenses and enforce the spending policies you have put in place. 

The insights report, produced in partnership with Oversight, an industry-leading provider of AI-based risk mitigation and spend monitoring solutions, examines the past, present, and future of business by looking at millions of transactions and billions in purchases. In addition to putting numbers to what you may see firsthand, the report looks at trends – like violation rates and which categories are rising or falling –  and provides suggestions for how your business can get a better handle on where its dollars are going.