Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) spend 21.47 hours per week managing expenses — equivalent to more than 2.5 full workdays for an employee, based on an 8-hour workday. These findings are part of the “Panorama of Corporate Expense Management in Brazil – 2025 Edition“, an unprecedented study conducted by Conta Simples, Brazil’s leading corporate expense management platform, and Visa, a global leader in payment technology. The study provides a detailed look at the current state of how companies manage their finances and the challenges they face.
In 46% of these companies, the task falls on owners or partners, limiting the time available for strategic activities. In microenterprises, this number rises to 59%. According to Rodrigo Tognini, CEO and co-founder of Conta Simples, this figure is still very significant and highlights how Brazilian MSMEs are managing their finances in a traditional and archaic way, especially since in most companies it is the owners or partners who dedicate their time to this activity—time that could be allocated to more strategic functions.
“The study made it clear that the lack of proper organization, control, and management of finances creates a barrier and bottleneck for the growth and development of MSMEs. This is because the way it’s done still resembles methods from decades ago, without the right tools and solutions to streamline these processes. We believe that with more structured and optimized administration, companies can free their leadership to focus on what really matters: business growth,” Tognini explains.
Visa director Juliana Amoroso emphasizes that time management is today one of the most precious assets for businesses and a major pain point for small and micro-entrepreneurs, who often juggle multiple roles and long hours. “By adopting innovative solutions, these entrepreneurs can automate repetitive processes, reduce human errors, and free up valuable time that can be directed toward strategic activities essential for company development,” she says.
Financial management by pen and paper—literally
Agile and efficient management ensures better control, security, and more informed decisions on resource allocation—something impossible for 39% of MSMEs still relying on manual methods like notebooks to track expenses—approximately 7.5 million out of 21.8 million active businesses.Microenterprises (45%) are the most likely to use inadequate solutions, followed by small businesses (36%) and medium-sized companies (28%). This outdated method creates more problems than solutions, as it consumes excessive time and increases the likelihood of errors, compromising operational efficiency.
The study also found that spreadsheets are the most commonly used tool for expense management among Brazilian companies (65%), along with banking apps and statements (52%). The main reasons for resisting specialized solutions are habit (45%), perceived high cost (44%), and the belief that they are unnecessary (38%).
In the North and Northeast, more companies cited ‘finding it easier to manage expenses the way they’re used to’ (70% and 67%, respectively). Meanwhile, in the South, 55% of companies said they did not see a platform as necessary. When asked about factors that could encourage adoption of management platforms, responses highlighted cost-benefit (49%), simplicity (39%), and accessible support (36%).
“Technology is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Efficient expense management enables the success of any strategy. Financial management software automatically categorizes corporate spending, analyzes real-time data, precisely controls budgets, and generates customized reports. These benefits not only streamline processes but also significantly reduce errors and provide insights for more strategic decision-making,” explains Taeli Klaumann, CFO of Conta Simples.
Mixing personal and business finances impacts business management
Another limiting factor in operational efficiency is using personal credit cards for business expenses. The study found that 16% of Brazilian MSMEs (around 3.5 million businesses)still follow this practice, which not only disrupts financial organization but also harms credibility with suppliers and financial institutions, limiting access to corporate credit.
Companies that use corporate credit cards reported benefits like eliminating bureaucratic processes, tracking invoices, reimbursement requests, and expense reports. The preference for credit cards is justified by installment payments and payment terms (52%), financial organization (22%), and convenience (16%).
Visa Brazil’s director notes that these numbers reflect the importance of professional financial management: “Separating personal and corporate finances is crucial to avoid complications and ensure greater control and transparency. With corporate cards, entrepreneurs and employees benefit from streamlined processes, operational efficiency, and better financial oversight, transforming B2B payment flows for MSMEs nationwide.”
Despite this, the study indicates room for growth in corporate card adoption, as half of companies with credit cards only have 1-2 cards available for their team—a potential limitation for daily operations.
The cost of misinformation
All these findings lead to an even more alarming statistic: 100% of surveyed companies do not fully understand the meaning of ‘expense management’. While sectors like sales and marketing use automation and analytics platforms, finance often relies on generic solutions that don’t meet their needs. The result? Financial management that’s light-years behind other business areas.
The CEO of Conta Simples clarifies the term: “Expense management is the process of planning, monitoring, and controlling a company’s spending to ensure financial resources are used efficiently and aligned with business goals. It involves identifying expenses, categorization, analyzing spending patterns, budgeting, and implementing tools or strategies to optimize costs and reduce waste,” he summarizes.
Check out the full Conta Simples and Visa study here.
