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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Summit's spend management platform. From how the software works to compliance, pricing, and getting started. If you need more detail on a specific product, visit the relevant page or speak to the team directly.


About Summit

What is Summit?
Summit is an AI-powered spend management platform built for businesses in Singapore. It automates employee expense claims, vendor invoice processing, and corporate card reconciliation, replacing manual data entry with intelligent document capture, automated approval workflows, and direct accounting software integration.
What problems does Summit solve?
Summit removes the manual work that slows finance teams down: chasing receipts, re-entering invoice data, routing approvals by email, and reconciling transactions at month-end. It replaces these with automated workflows and real-time visibility, cutting invoice processing time by up to 83% and month-end closing time by up to 70%.
Who is Summit designed for?
Summit is designed for finance teams at SMEs and mid-market companies in Singapore. It serves businesses across professional services, logistics, accounting firms, non-profit organisations, preschools, and multi-entity groups, any organisation that wants to eliminate manual AP work and improve financial control.
What is the difference between Summit's Employee Expense Management and Vendor Invoice Management?
Employee Expense Management handles staff reimbursements, employees submit receipts, claims are routed for approval, and finance processes payouts. Vendor Invoice Management handles AP, invoices from external suppliers are captured, matched, approved, and prepared for payment. Both products run on the same platform and can be used together or independently.
Does Summit have a mobile app?
Yes. Summit has a mobile app for both iOS and Android. Employees use it to submit expense claims on the go by snapping a photo of their receipt. Approvers can also review and action pending claims from the app, from any location and any device.
Where is Summit headquartered?
Summit Global Pte Ltd is headquartered in Singapore.

Employee Expense Management

How does employee expense management work in Summit?
Employees open the Summit mobile app, snap a photo of their receipt, and submit. Summit AI extracts all key details automatically, vendor name, date, amount, and GST. The claim is routed to the correct approver based on your approval rules, with no emails required. Employees track claim status in real time from the app.
What details does an employee need to fill in when submitting a claim?
Virtually none. Summit AI reads the receipt and auto-populates all key fields. If a field cannot be read clearly, Summit flags it for the employee to confirm rather than filling it in incorrectly. The whole submission process takes under a minute.
How does Summit enforce expense policies?
Finance teams define expense policies in Summit, covering spending limits by role or category, reimbursable expense types, and any other rules the business requires. Summit enforces these automatically at the point of submission, flagging or blocking non-compliant claims before they reach an approver. Policies can be updated at any time without IT involvement.
How does Summit prevent duplicate expense claims?
Summit AI cross-checks every new submission against existing claims. If a receipt matches an already-submitted claim by vendor, date, and amount, it is flagged before reaching the approver. This is how % Arabica eliminated 90% of its duplicate claims after implementing Summit.
Can approvers action expense claims remotely?
Yes. Approvers receive instant notifications and can approve, reject, or request more information from the Summit mobile app or web platform, from any device and any location. Claims are never held up by someone being away from their desk.
Can Summit handle multi-currency expense claims?
Yes. Summit AI detects the currency on foreign receipts automatically and records the transaction in the original currency, converting amounts using the mid-market rate. All original documents are retained for audit purposes.
What spend visibility does Summit give finance teams?
Finance teams get real-time dashboards showing spend by individual, team, category, or time period. Budget utilisation, spending trends, and policy exceptions are all visible without manually compiling reports from multiple sources.
How are approved expense claims paid out to employees?
Once claims are approved in Summit, finance teams can export a payment-ready file (DBS and OCBC templates) to incorporate into their payroll process or to prepare manual bank transfers. Transaction data also syncs to your accounting software via integration.

Vendor Invoice Management

How does Summit automate vendor invoice processing?
Summit uses AI-powered data extraction to capture invoice details automatically from PDFs, emails, or scanned documents — including vendor name, invoice number, line items, and GST amounts. It checks for duplicates, validates fields, routes the invoice through your approval workflow, and syncs approved invoices to your accounting software.
How do I submit invoices to Summit?
Invoices can be submitted via bulk upload, drag-and-drop file import, or AI-powered scanning. Finance teams can process large volumes of invoices at once, and Summit handles the data extraction automatically regardless of the vendor's invoice format or layout.
How do approval workflows work for vendor invoices?
Approval rules are configured based on invoice amount, department, cost centre, or vendor type. Invoices are automatically routed to the correct approver with instant notifications. Multi-level approvals are supported regardless of how complex your approval hierarchy is.
Can Summit detect duplicate invoices?
Yes. Summit automatically checks every new invoice against existing records for duplicate invoice numbers and duplicate amounts from the same vendor. These are flagged before approval, protecting against accidental double payment.
How does Summit help manage payment runs?
Summit's Smart Payables Planner centralises the payment run process, allowing finance teams to allocate invoices by due date and track payment status in real time. You can download payment-ready export files (DBS and OCBC templates) for bank transfers or incorporate them into your existing payment processes.
Can I track the status of every invoice in Summit?
Yes. Every invoice in Summit has a real-time status showing exactly where it is in the process — submitted, under review, approved, or payment-ready — along with a complete audit trail of every action and approval.
Does Summit support multi-level invoice approvals for complex organisational structures?
Yes. Approval workflows in Summit can be configured to match any organisational structure, by amount, department, project, or vendor type. No matter how many approval levels are required, Summit routes each invoice automatically and sends notifications at every stage.

Corporate Card Management

What is Summit's Corporate Card Management feature?
Summit's Corporate Card Management module automates the processing of corporate credit card statements. It extracts every transaction from uploaded statements automatically, assigns unmatched transactions to employees for receipt upload, and syncs reconciled data to your accounting software — eliminating manual reconciliation.
How does Summit process corporate card statements?
Upload your card statement and Summit reads and converts every transaction into a clean, structured format within seconds. Matched transactions are ready for accounting sync immediately. Unmatched ones are assigned to the relevant employee for receipt submission, without the finance team needing to chase anyone manually.
How does Summit collect receipts for corporate card transactions?
When a card transaction cannot be matched to an existing receipt, Summit automatically notifies the relevant employee with the transaction details and prompts them to upload the supporting receipt. Finance teams can see which transactions are still pending in real time, without sending follow-up emails.
Does Summit check corporate card transactions against expense policies?
Yes. Summit's built-in Policy Checker scans transactions for out-of-policy spend and duplicate receipts, ensuring every card transaction meets your company's finance rules before it is reconciled.
How does Summit help with month-end reconciliation for corporate cards?
With automated statement extraction, real-time transaction tracking, and audit-ready records maintained throughout the month, Summit significantly reduces the time and effort required at month-end close. Reconciled data syncs directly to your accounting software, removing manual re-entry.

Summit AI

What is Summit AI?
Summit AI is the intelligence layer built into the Summit platform. It powers receipt and invoice data extraction, duplicate detection, anomaly identification, GL code matching, and real-time policy enforcement — across both Employee Expense Management and Vendor Invoice Management.
How does Summit AI extract data from receipts and invoices?
Summit AI uses intelligent document processing to read receipts and invoices in any format, font, or layout, including handwritten details. It extracts key fields automatically and understands document context — distinguishing between different expense types and identifying missing information.
What kinds of anomalies does Summit AI detect?
Summit AI identifies duplicate submissions, out-of-policy spend, unusual vendor patterns, missing documentation, incorrect GST amounts, and spending trends that deviate significantly from historical norms. Finance teams receive alerts so issues are addressed before payment rather than discovered afterwards.
Is Summit AI a separate product or part of the platform?
 Summit AI is built into the core Summit platform. Every customer benefits from AI-powered extraction, anomaly detection, and spend insights as part of their subscription — it is not a separate add-on. 

Integrations

Which accounting software does Summit integrate with?

Summit integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics. Approved transactions sync automatically, eliminating manual reconciliation between Summit and your general ledger.

How does Summit's accounting integration work?
Once you connect your accounting software to Summit during onboarding, approved expenses and invoices sync directly — mapped to the correct account codes, cost centres, and tax settings. Reconciliation happens automatically, reducing the work required at month-end close.
Does Summit support Single Sign-On?
Yes. Summit supports SSO via Google and Microsoft 365, allowing employees to log in securely using their existing company credentials. This removes friction for users and simplifies access management for IT and HR teams.
How long does it take to set up an accounting integration?
Most accounting integrations are configured during onboarding and take less than a day to set up. Summit's onboarding team maps your chart of accounts and tests the sync before go-live.

Compliance and Security

How does Summit support GST compliance for Singapore businesses?

Summit automatically captures GST details from receipts and invoices at the point of submission. It validates tax invoices and helps finance teams distinguish between GST-applicable reimbursements and out-of-scope disbursements, supporting accurate IRAS filing and reducing audit risk.

How does Summit help businesses stay IRAS audit-ready?
Every transaction in Summit carries a complete, time-stamped audit trail — original document, submission details, approval chain, and accounting sync record. This documentation is stored digitally and can be retrieved on demand, meaning businesses are audit-ready at any point without additional preparation.
How does Summit prevent non-compliant spend from being approved?
Summit enforces expense and invoice policies automatically at the point of submission. Claims or invoices that breach policy rules, whether that is an overspent category, a missing tax invoice, or a duplicate receipt, are flagged before they reach an approver, not after payment has already been made.
Is Summit's platform safe to use for sensitive financial data?
Yes. Summit is ISO 27001:2013 certified, which means our information security management systems have been independently audited against the internationally recognised standard for data security. On top of that, Summit uses role-based access controls, multi-factor authentication, and full audit logging to protect your financial data at every layer.
What does Summit's ISO 27001 certification mean for our financial data?
ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management. Summit's certification means we have established, implemented, and maintain a formal system of controls covering data access, risk management, incident response, and business continuity. These controls are independently verified by an accredited certification body. For businesses processing invoices, receipts, and financial records through Summit, it means your data is handled to a globally recognised security standard.
Can Summit support different access levels for different team members?
Yes. Summit uses role-based access controls, so employees, approvers, finance managers, and administrators each see only the data and functions relevant to their role. You can also grant read-only auditor access when audit samples are requested, giving auditors visibility into the records they need without exposing the full system. Access levels are configured by your administrator and can be adjusted at any time.

Industries and Use Cases

How does Summit help professional services firms protect project margins?

Summit tracks expenses and invoices by client and project in real time. Every cost — from client travel to vendor fees — is tagged to the correct project automatically, giving finance and project leads live budget-versus-actuals visibility. Overspend is caught before it erodes margins, not after the engagement closes.

How does Summit help logistics companies manage expenses across distributed teams?
Field staff, drivers, and depot teams can submit receipts instantly via the Summit mobile app from any location. Finance teams get real-time visibility across all routes and hubs without waiting for paper receipts. Expense categories like fuel, tolls, and parking are tracked separately, giving finance actionable data.
How does Summit help non-profit organisations meet governance and reporting requirements?
Summit allows charities to tag every expense to the relevant fund, programme, or grant. Complete audit trails, structured approval workflows, and on-demand reporting support compliance with COC and NCSS requirements, and make annual Statement of Accounts preparation significantly faster.
How does Summit help preschools manage expenses across multiple centres?
Teachers and Admin staff submit receipts via the Summit mobile app in under 60 seconds at the point of purchase — no paperwork, no end-of-day admin. HQ finance gets real-time visibility across all centres and expense categories from one dashboard. Approval workflows route automatically to the correct centre leader or finance approver.
How does Summit support project budget management?
Summit tracks all project-related expenses and invoices in real time, with live budget-versus-actuals dashboards and automatic alerts when spend approaches defined thresholds. Finance teams can see cost overruns before they happen rather than discovering them in the next monthly report.
How does Summit help multi-entity groups manage spend across subsidiaries?
Summit gives each subsidiary its own configured approval workflows and expense policies while giving group HQ consolidated visibility across all entities from one platform. Policies are enforced automatically within each entity, and reports can be generated at the entity level or consolidated across the entire group.
How does Summit help teams manage travel expenses?
Employees submit travel receipts on the go via the mobile app, preventing the backlogs that occur when receipts are submitted in bulk after a trip. Every claim is checked against your travel policy automatically. Approved reimbursement data is exported as a payment-ready file for processing.

For Finance Leaders

How does Summit help CFOs and Finance Leaders maintain governance as the business grows?

Summit enforces expense and invoice policies consistently across all teams, offices, and subsidiaries, each with its own configured rules, while giving CFOs centralised oversight from one dashboard. Policy checks and anomaly detection operate automatically at scale, so governance does not require proportionally more headcount as the business expands.

How does Summit help finance teams close the books faster?
Summit cuts month-end closing time by up to 70% by ensuring transactions are captured, categorised, and approved throughout the month rather than in a rush at close. Data syncs automatically to accounting software, so reconciliation is largely complete before month-end even arrives.
What reporting does Summit provide for finance teams?
Summit provides real-time spend analytics by department, project, vendor, category, and period. Finance teams can generate detailed reports on demand, export data for accounting systems, and produce summaries suitable for board presentations or management reporting, without manually compiling data from multiple sources.
How does Summit help finance teams catch budget overruns before they occur?
Budget thresholds are set per department, project, or entity in Summit. Automatic alerts are triggered when spend approaches those limits, giving finance and business leaders time to intervene before a budget is exceeded, rather than discovering the overrun in the next monthly review.

Getting Started and Pricing

How long does it take to implement Summit?

Most businesses are fully set up within one business day. Summit's onboarding team handles dashboard configuration, workflow setup, accounting integration, and staff training. The typical implementation follows a four-stage process: setup on Day 1, testing on Day 3, go-live on Day 7, and a performance review at Day 30. 

What does the Summit onboarding process involve?
Summit's onboarding team works with you through every stage: configuring your dashboard and approval workflows, setting up your accounting integration, mapping your chart of accounts, and training your team. Most businesses are processing live transactions within 7 days of starting onboarding.
How is Summit priced?
Summit uses usage-based pricing tied to transaction volume rather than the number of users. Costs scale with actual business activity, making it more cost-effective than per-user alternatives as your team grows. Contact Summit for a custom quote based on your monthly transaction volume.
Does Summit charge per user?
No. Summit does not charge per user. You can add as many employees and approvers as needed without incurring additional per-seat charges.
Can I use only one Summit product?
Yes. Employee Expense Management and Vendor Invoice Management are available independently. Most businesses start with the module that addresses their most pressing pain point and add the other when ready. Corporate Card Management is available as an add-on.
What support does Summit provide after go-live?
Every Summit subscription includes a dedicated Customer Success Manager, ongoing customer support, platform training, a knowledge base, and regular system updates. The team remains available throughout the relationship, not just during onboarding.
How do I get started with Summit?
The first step is booking a guided demo through the Summit website. The team will walk you through the platform using your own workflows, answer specific questions about your business, and provide a tailored pricing proposal based on your transaction volume.