Published on April 30th, 2020 | by Sunit Nandi

How to Use AP Automation to Eliminate Costly Mistakes

Advanced technology has eliminated many tedious tasks, and the AP department is no exception. The implementation of AP automation streamlines operations, increases productivity, improves accuracy and reduces errors. Discover how to adopt and use AP automation solutions to eliminate costly mistakes and save money.

Every Mistake Matters

In accounting, every mistake matters, regardless of how small. Each error costs an organization money, can compromise business relationships, and damage the corporate image. Manual processing is tedious, time-consuming, and subject to inevitable human error. Modern AP automation plays a significant role in reducing the usual errors associated with manual processing, such as missed payments and inaccurate vendor contact information.

Costs Impacting the Business Bottom Line

Common errors made in the AP department have a crucial impact on a business. Late payment fees are unnecessary costs that are easily eliminated by adopting AP automation for touchless invoice processing. Strained vendor relations can interrupt operations and production, resulting in lost revenues. Missed discount opportunities mean spending more than necessary, reducing profits. The savvy use of technology helps eliminate errors and protect data integrity.

Eye on Time

Staying on or ahead of schedule is imperative in the AP department. Being on-time or early means taking advantage of discounts and avoiding late fees. Plus, timely payments help improve supplier relationships. Cloud AP automation ensures updates are made in real-time, and accessible to the financial team and management to detect and make the most of savings opportunities.

Keep the Pace

As organizations around the world adopt AP automation solutions, every business needs to keep the pace. Manual data entry takes more time and increases the risk of errors. A seemingly simple mistake, such as paying an invoice late, can have a rippling effect when late fees are assessed, vendor relations are damaged, and business interruptions occur. Today, companies must keep the pace by adopting AP automation to operate accurately and quickly.

Cloud Computing

With cloud AP automation, updates are accessible anytime and anywhere as they happen. The AP team and C-suite can work remotely to keep the AP department running smoothly. Invoices can be approved in minutes instead of days. The fast pace in real-time keeps invoice processing moving forward, reducing the risk of late payments and errors due to vendor data inaccuracies. Changes can be made remotely, so updates are never forgotten. Automating updating ensures data integrity, reducing the mistakes made when manually updating systems and data.

Mistakes to Avoid

By adopting AP automation software, the financial team can avoid common errors, such as:

Data entry errors
Late or failed data updates and system backups
Contractor and employee confusion
Errors of omission, such as the wrong vendor address
Failure to cross-check records
Ambiguous terms and condition
Poor formatting
Questionable fees
Failure to send invoices to the right department for approval
Lost invoices
Inaccurate data

Learning how to use AP automation can eliminate costly mistakes associated with manual invoice processing. Adopting automation today prepares businesses for advances in technology, finance, and human relations in the future.

Tags: AP automation, costly mistakes, eliminate, how to

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.