AP Automation: A Strategic Imperative for Modern Finance Teams

Accounts payable (AP) automation is more than a back-office efficiency tool — it’s a strategic necessity.

Organizations using outdated, manual invoice-processing systems face mounting risks: Slow turnaround times, compliance issues, data entry errors, and an inability to scale. Meanwhile, companies embracing AP automation as a core element of their digital transformation strategies are gaining competitive advantage.

Explore how your organization could benefit by implementing AP automation.

What are the benefits of using AP automation?

AP automation can help with much more than just efficiency. At its core, it’s about enabling agility, visibility, and control. All these functions are essential for finance teams tasked with doing more with less.

Consider these key benefits with AP automation:

• Faster invoice processing — Automation reduces the invoice lifecycle from days to hours, allowing finance teams to redirect their time from manual tasks to strategic analysis.
• Improved accuracy and compliance — Automation reduces human error, enforces policy compliance, and provides clear audit trails.
• Supporting cash flow forecasting — Real-time visibility into liabilities allows for smarter cash flow forecasting and discount capture.
• Scalability without headcount — Automated systems grow with the business — no need to proportionally increase staff as volume increases.

AP automation case studies: Saving time and money

While the word automation makes it sound like AP automation is a generic solution, it couldn’t be further from the truth. AP automation systems can be customized to each organization’s complexity and needs. Explore two real-life cases of how AP automation helped two companies improve invoice processing, accuracy, and save time and money.

Case study: AP AI system transforms efficiency for high-growth company

A fast-growing company processing more than 15,000 invoices per month was overwhelmed by manual accounts payable operations that were inefficient, error-prone, and costly. The internal AP team faced increasing pressure as invoice volumes grew — leading to bottlenecks, late payments, and limited visibility.

To solve this, CLA digital implemented an AI-powered AP automation system with intelligent data capture, workflow automation, and seamless integration with the company’s ERP.

Key improvements:

• Reduced manual processes by more than 20 hours a week
• Invoice extraction accuracy rose to between 80-90%
• Operational costs significantly reduced
• Scalable solution adapted to the company’s growth without adding headcount

The solution not only streamlined invoice processing but also improved compliance, audit readiness, and employee productivity. The company is now positioned for sustained growth with a modern, efficient AP infrastructure.

Case study: AP automation platform scales with growth

A large, complex organization was struggling with manual, error-prone accounts payable processes that were time-consuming and unsustainable. Their AP team was overwhelmed by the volume of invoices, multiple approval layers, and disconnected systems, leading to inefficiencies and slow turnaround times.

To solve this, CLA implemented an AI-powered AP automation solution that:

• Digitized invoice intake and used machine learning to classify and extract key data points.
• Streamlined multi-step approvals by integrating automated workflows and routing.
• Connected directly with the client’s accounting system, eliminating double entry and reconciliation delays.

Key improvements:

• Saved the client approximately $100,000 with efficiency gains
• Significant drop in errors and rework
• Increased visibility and tracking of invoices
• Freed up internal staff to focus on more strategic finance functions

The transformation not only improved operational efficiency but also laid the foundation for broader digital innovation within the finance function.