The third installment of our Industry Insights series on the future of accounts payable (AP) automation with Scott Reidmiller, President of CoreIntegrator, is a Q&A that dives deeper into how AP automation improves businesses.
This time, the focus shifts from trends and technologies to the broader transformation automation can bring to business strategy, culture, and operations.
How AP Automation Improves an AP Department
Q: Scott, we’ve talked a lot about the technology shaping AP automation. Let’s take a step back. How do you see automation impacting the role of AP teams within organizations?
Scott: That’s a great question. The AP department has traditionally been seen as a back-office function – necessary but often undervalued.
With automation, that perception is changing. Automation doesn’t just make processes faster or more accurate; it fundamentally redefines the role of AP teams.
For example, instead of focusing on manual tasks like data entry or chasing approvals, AP professionals can now engage in strategic work. They can analyze payment terms, negotiate with vendors, or identify opportunities for cost savings.
Automation empowers AP teams to become key players in driving financial strategy, which elevates their importance within the organization.
Q: Does this shift in roles create new opportunities for AP managers?
Scott: Absolutely. As automation takes over repetitive tasks, the opportunities in AP are exploding.
AP managers get to spend more time analyzing processes and results rather than checking for data entry errors and chasing down approvals.
It’s allowing them to become data-driven leaders. They are able to interpret data and trends in AP, use it for decision-making, and communicate insights effectively to other stakeholders.
With automation, AP managers are quickly becoming important players in finance departments. In that way, it’s an exciting time to be an AP professional!
But it’s so much deeper than that. Our customers talk about newfound confidence in their expertise. About repairing relationships that had suffered because of the stress created by inefficient processes.
But especially they talk about feeling truly aligned with their work for the first time. About creating more meaningful impact for their company. About seeing a clear path forward.
We’ve seen firsthand how our A/P One solution can support this transition – not just of the AP processes, but of the AP team’s mindset.
So AP automation not only makes processing invoices much easier for AP managers, it also helps them take their department from an administrative function to a strategic leadership role in their company.
Q: Speaking of leadership, how do you see AP automation influencing C-level decision-making?
Scott: Automation provides CFOs and other executives with unprecedented visibility into their company’s financial health.
With tools like predictive analytics and real-time dashboards, AP automation gives leadership instant access to critical metrics – like cash flow, payment cycles, and vendor performance.
This visibility is incredibly powerful.
It allows CFOs to spot trends early, make informed decisions faster, and ensure the business remains agile in a constantly changing economy.
For example, they can identify opportunities to optimize working capital by taking advantage of early payment discounts or negotiating better terms with suppliers.
In the past, this level of insight wasn’t possible because data was buried in spreadsheets or scattered across systems.
Now, solutions like A/P One are centralizing that data and making it actionable.
How AP Automation Improves Businesses
Q: Let’s shift gears a bit. How do you see AP automation impacting smaller businesses versus larger enterprises?
Scott: Automation is a game-changer for businesses of all sizes, but the impact can look different depending on the organization.
For smaller businesses, automation often represents a huge leap forward.
Many of them are still relying on manual processes, which are not only time-consuming but also prone to costly errors. Implementing AP automation can free up resources and allow these businesses to focus on growth rather than administrative tasks.
Larger enterprises, on the other hand, are often looking for ways to scale their operations.
They’re processing thousands – sometimes millions – of invoices per year, which requires a system that can handle high volumes efficiently. They also tend to have more complex workflow needs.
That’s why flexibility and scalability are so important. A/P One, for example, is designed to grow with your business, whether you’re a small company just getting started with automation or a multinational enterprise managing global operations.
And whatever the size of your company, fraud prevention is a huge priority. And AP automation makes invoice fraud virtually impossible.
Q: You said the ‘F-word’. Fraud is indeed a growing concern for businesses. Can you explain how AP automation protects companies from fraud?
Scott: Sure, of course. Fraud is one of the biggest risks in AP. And unfortunately, it’s only becoming more sophisticated. Whether it’s invoice fraud, duplicate payments, or phishing scams targeting finance teams, companies without strong controls in place are highly vulnerable.
AP automation significantly reduces this risk by introducing multiple layers of security and control.
For example, our A/P One solution has built-in AI-driven fraud detection, which automatically flags suspicious invoices, duplicate payments, and unusual transaction patterns. The system can detect anomalies that might go unnoticed in a manual process.
Another key feature is role-based access control. In many fraud cases, bad actors exploit weak internal controls. With automation, companies can enforce strict approval workflows where no single person has unchecked authority over payments.
Additionally, electronic audit trails make it easy to track every action taken on an invoice – from submission to final approval – ensuring transparency and accountability. This is critical not only for fraud prevention but also for compliance and regulatory audits.
Finally, one of the biggest challenges with manual AP processes is the potential for human error. A/P One helps eliminate this risk by automating data validation, ensuring that invoice details match purchase orders and previous transactions before payments are processed. This prevents fraudsters from slipping unauthorized invoices into the system.
The bottom line is that fraud prevention isn’t just about catching fraud after it happens – it’s about creating an environment where fraud is significantly harder to commit in the first place.
AP automation provides that security framework.
Q: You also mentioned compliance. Can you talk about how AP automation improves businesses by addressing compliance challenges?
Scott: Compliance is a huge focus for businesses right now, especially as regulations around e-invoicing and tax reporting become stricter in many parts of the world.
Manually managing compliance is not only inefficient but also risky – you could miss deadlines, make errors, or fail to meet requirements.
With AP automation, compliance becomes much easier to manage.
Automated systems can maintain an audit trail for every transaction. They can also send alerts to ensure you’re meeting deadlines for payments.
One of the features we’ve built into A/P One is the ability to adapt to regional compliance requirements. Whether you’re working in Europe with VAT regulations or in the U.S. with specific state tax rules, the platform ensures that your processes stay compliant.
That peace of mind is invaluable, especially for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions.
The Future of AP Automation
Q: Finally, Scott, what excites you most about the future of AP automation?
Scott: What excites me most is the potential for transformation – not just in the AP department, but across entire organizations.
When businesses fully embrace automation, it doesn’t just improve efficiency – it creates ripple effects throughout the company.
For example, faster AP processes mean happier vendors, which strengthens relationships and opens the door to better terms or exclusive partnerships.
Improved visibility into financial data enables better strategic planning, which benefits every department.
And, most importantly, the ability to operate more efficiently and securely ultimately drives profitability.
At CoreIntegrator, we’re constantly looking for ways to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AP automation.
Whether it’s exploring new technologies like advanced AI or finding ways to make our solutions even more user-friendly, we’re committed to helping businesses succeed in this new era of automation.
Key Takeaways – How AP Automation Improves Businesses
The future of AP automation isn’t just about technology – it’s about transformation.
As Scott Reidmiller highlights, automation is elevating the role of AP teams, providing leaders with actionable insights, and driving compliance and efficiency for businesses of all sizes.
With solutions like CoreIntegrator’s A/P One leading the charge, organizations are better equipped than ever to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
If your business is ready to embrace the future of AP, schedule a demo today.
