{"id":10273,"date":"2019-01-07T15:22:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T20:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=10273"},"modified":"2026-01-23T09:13:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T14:13:35","slug":"building-a-business-case-for-ap-automation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/building-a-business-case-for-ap-automation\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a business case for AP automation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMoney Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBuilding a business case for AP automation\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tChris Beeker<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Every year, North American businesses spend in the neighborhood of $187 billion on\u00a0accounts payable (AP) processing. But innovative financial management tools are on the rise, and they come with lower costs and bigger payoffs. Top-performing companies are adopting solutions such as\u00a0accounts payable automation\u00a0(AP automation) to streamline payment processes while increasing efficiency and decision-making for nearly 70% less than average processing costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re already using Sage Intacct<\/a>, then AP automation is only one step away.  Here are some tips on how to build a business case for it to convince your organization that it\u2019s a must-have for leaders and teammates alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speak the Leader\u2019s Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You should promote AP automation as the solution to the finance department\u2019s problems, including executives. Keep in mind your teammates and leaders share the same business goals, but different strategies. Your finance execs most likely speak numbers, so here are a few high-level points to share:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discuss how much it costs to process a single invoice, focusing on manual processes that waste valuable time and payroll dollars. Point out the positive effects of automated solutions, which allow AP managers and specialists to handle other tasks, like analyzing spend and improving other processes. Lastly, remind them that in conjunction with Sage Intacct\u2019s 24\/7 AP information access, automation will allow your executive team to focus on making decisions rather than simply crunching numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add Up All Accounts Payable Costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When preparing to sell AP automation, keep both hard costs and soft costs in mind. Your leaders want hard dollar savings that are easily identified and quantified, such as opening mail or data entry. Kick off the conversation with industry statistics; for example, according to the research firm, Ardent Partners, best-in-slass businesses only spend $2.52 to process a single invoice compared to the benchmark of $11.57 for most companies. Don\u2019t forget to have a clear understanding of your current costs and unique processes. Here are a few questions to answer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n