Executive Summary
In this second article in our Industry Insights series on the future of AP automation, CoreIntegrator President Scott Reidmiller discusses why a future ready AP system is critical and how CoreIntegrator’s A/P One solution is designed to help businesses stay ahead of the curve.
You’ll learn the importance of having a future ready AP automation solution, the risks of basic or outdated solutions, and the importance of scalability and constant innovation when it comes to AP automation.
The Importance of Future Ready AP Automation
When discussing the importance of future-proofing accounts payable systems, CoreIntegrator President Scott Reidmiller doesn’t mince words: “Investing in AP automation isn’t just about solving today’s problems – it’s about preparing your business for tomorrow’s challenges,” he says.
Scott explains that many businesses make the mistake of choosing solutions that meet their minimal immediate AP needs without considering scalability or long-term adaptability.
“What might work for you today could easily become obsolete as your company’s technology and requirements evolve,” he warns.
He encourages anyone looking to automate their AP process to be sure to think about the future and the bigger picture when comparing AP automation solutions.
The Risks of Basic and Outdated AP Automation Solutions
Basic and outdated AP systems can hold businesses back in several ways.
They often lack the flexibility to adapt to new trends, like the increasing demand for touchless processing or compliance with global invoicing standards.
“If your out-of-the-box cookie cutter AP automation solution can’t grow with your business, you risk falling behind your competitors who are leveraging cutting-edge technology,” Scott explains.
“For example, maybe your company is not doing PO purchasing today. So, you don’t think you need an AP automation solution that includes PO automation and 3-way matching,” he says.
But then your company gets a new CEO who mandates that you move to PO purchasing. And your AP software can’t handle it. So, you’ve wasted a lot of time and money on a now-obsolete system.”
“Another example – we have a customer who was only doing simple departmental AP allocations. But then she got a mandate to do allocations across not just departments, but entire companies as well as regional branches that serve multiple companies and departments,” Scott explains.
“The basic AP document management system they had purchased could not handle it. So she came to us. We took a look. And sure enough, our team customized A/P One to meet her specific requirements.”
“That’s why it’s important to think about the future as you automate your current AP process,” he advises. “Getting locked into a basic solution can cost you big time in the long-run.”
Flexibility and Scalability are Key to Future Ready AP Automation
The hallmarks of a future ready AP automation are flexibility and scalability.
Scott emphasizes that as businesses grow – whether that means processing more invoices, handling new vendor relationships, growing by acquisition, or expanding into new markets – their AP automation system must be able to keep up.
“With CoreIntegrator’s A/P One, flexibility and scalability are baked into the design,” he explains.
“Whether you’re a mid-sized company processing a few hundred invoices per month or a large enterprise managing thousands or even millions, A/P One adapts to your needs without skipping a beat.”
“More significantly, many companies – like the one I just mentioned – can quickly move from simple workflows to complex requirements for handling invoices. And basic AP automation packages just aren’t built to be customized to your specific needs,” Scott says.
“Too many AP automation products force you do business their cookie-cutter way. But A/P One is adaptable to your existing processes. A/P One is different. We can configure it to set up your workflow any way you want.”
“We have customers with hundreds of complex workflows. And they’re always adding more. If an AP automation solution can’t do that, then it’s not a system that can flex and scale along with your company,” he points out.
Beyond AP
In fact, Scott explains, best-in-class AP automation solutions like A/P One are built on powerful, customizable workflow engines that can be adapted to automate any business workflow.
“A/P One is so powerful that it’s more accurate to think of it as a strategic enterprise platform that can automate any area of a business – including AP,” Scott says.
“We have customers that use A/P one to automate their GL account workflow, automate new vendor approvals and W9 automation that includes being sent directly from A/P One to the requestor. We’ve also automated vendor change workflows so that all communication with the internal requestor, approver, and ERP is automated,” he adds.
“We’ve even built workflows for the receivable side. A customer wanted to have control over receivable due date changes. So, we built a separate workflow in A/P One Enterprise for that too: collectors put in a request for due date change and use a reason codes along with documentation and it gets routed for approval in an automated process – along with a complete audit trail.”
“And these are just a few examples out of hundreds. The list is endless with regard to workflows you can automate with A/P One. And our team is happy to brainstorm solutions with you. We are experts at workflow automation as well as AP, so we can help you come up with solutions to requirements that you’ve never even thought of,” Scott says.
A/P One is so powerful and flexible that it can can take automation beyond AP.
The Role of Innovation
Future-proofing AP automation isn’t just about flexibility and scalability – it’s also about staying ahead of industry trends.
“When we designed A/P One, we didn’t just think about what businesses need today. We thought about where AP automation is heading. We’re always focused on the future of AP automation,” Scott says.
“That’s why we include features like machine learning, advanced algorithms, and real-time data processing,” he added.
And today, AI is a cutting-edge requirement. “Our development team saw generative AI coming from a mile away. We were already hard at work building AI-based PO matching into our solution when ChatGPT burst on the scene,” he points out.
“And our developers never stop. So even today we are adding more and more AI into our solution. Each release of A/P One includes additional functionality that takes the user experience closer and closer to totally touchless invoice processing.”
“These are innovations that will keep businesses competitive for years to come,” he concluded.
Staying ahead of the technology curve is the very definition of future-proofing.
A Competitive Advantage
Scott believes that future ready AP automation gives you more than peace of mind—it provides a tangible competitive advantage.
“When your AP team has the right tools, they can process invoices faster, reduce errors, and free up time for strategic initiatives,” he says.
“This doesn’t just improve efficiency; it strengthens your overall financial health.”
Investing in the right AP automation solution isn’t just a technology decision—it’s a strategic one.
“The goal is to choose a system that positions your company for long-term success,” Scott concludes.
Key Takeaways – Future Ready AP Automation
Scalability and Flexibility: Future-proof AP automation can grow with your business and adapt to evolving requirements, trends, and global compliance needs.
Think About the Future: Just because you don’t need advanced AP automation tools today doesn’t mean you never will. The time to prepare for the future is today.
Stay Cutting Edge: Avoid getting locked into basic, static AP automation. Seek out solutions that are not just cutting edge today, but are constantly evolving to stay that way.
If you are wondering what truly scalable cutting-edge AP automation looks like, schedule a free demonstration of A/P One today.
