AP automation, or accounts payable automation, is the process by which AP processes are digitized, automated, and streamlined using technology. It has revolutionized the way companies process invoices.
AP automation has become a competitive necessity as many organizations receive hundreds, maybe thousands, of vendor invoices each month. Handling such a large number of invoices manually is not only very time-consuming, the risk of human error is also always a challenge. But AP is not just about collecting the documents and making sure the right person receives them; it’s also about keying the data into the accounting system or ERP and then tracking the approval process with emails, phone calls, and spreadsheets.
There are multiple levels of AP automation with increasing complexity and functionalities for additional accounts payable processes: