Expense management in Teamleader Focus: “Customers are done juggling tools, they want an all-in-one solution.”

Jeroen, why are we launching expense management now? Customers have been asking for this since 2012, haven’t they?

Jeroen De Wit: That’s right – it’s one of the most requested features we’ve had, year after year. In the past, we had to prioritise and it never made it onto the roadmap. But now, there’s a concrete trigger: European e-invoicing regulations are getting stricter. In some countries it’s already mandatory, and others are following. Soon, customers will be able to register an e-invoicing inbox in Teamleader, allowing them to process both incoming and outgoing invoices.

That makes the need for an integrated solution even greater. We could have kept it simple by just tagging incoming invoices. But because we offer an all-in-one solution, we’ve chosen to connect it with our other modules too. For example, customers will sson get better insights into budgets and margins at the project level.

You’ve always said Teamleader isn’t here to do accounting. Has that changed? How do we still stand out?

We’re still not building an accounting tool — and we never will. But yes, managing incoming invoices does bring us a bit closer. What hasn’t changed is our approach: we integrate with accounting software, instead of replacing it. The key difference? Teamleader is built for entrepreneurs and their teams. Accounting software is built for accountants. They focus on reporting what already happened. We help you stay in control of what’s happening now — and what’s coming next.

There are already other tools offering expense management. What makes Teamleader Focus different?

Expense or cost management in itself isn’t unique. Our strength is the all-in-one solution. We see more and more customers who no longer want to juggle different tools. More tools often mean more complexity and higher costs. With this feature, we’re reinforcing our promise of a truly integrated solution – making us a compelling alternative for businesses that want to work more efficiently.

How does expense management tie in with other modules in Teamleader?

In several ways. A typical workflow in Teamleader starts with a quotation, where companies already estimate the expected margin. Then comes the project phase, where you need control over resources, timing, hours, and materials. That helps you stay on budget and keep an eye on profitability. Finally, there’s e-invoicing – both incoming and outgoing invoices will eventually come together in one place and sync directly with accounting.

What problems does this solve for customers?

First off, we’ve launched one of the most requested features ever. Customers don’t want to use yet another tool next to Teamleader. One central hub means more clarity and better control over costs and margins. For customers who aren’t fully digital yet, e-invoicing will also help them stay compliant with upcoming regulations and work more efficiently.

Some businesses see e-invoicing more as a burden than a benefit. What’s your take?

That’s fair. At first, e-invoicing just feels like another box to tick. But once it’s up and running, the upside becomes obvious. It streamlines your admin, cuts down on manual work — and ideally, it could even take VAT returns off your plate entirely. A few years from now, we’ll probably wonder how we ever managed without it.

It also helps cut down on paperwork, right?

Absolutely. But more importantly, it gives businesses real-time visibility into their finances. Everything lives in one place, so you’ve got all the data you need to make faster, smarter decisions. That’s a big contrast with traditional accounting tools, which mostly look backwards. We’re focused on what’s ahead — with forecasting and proactive insights.

What’s next for expense management in Teamleader?

We’re laying a strong foundation first. After that, we’ll go deeper: tighter connections with other modules, and more detailed insights — all the way down to quotes and project-level data.