Best Accounts Payable Automation Software
Companies use accounts payable (AP) automation software to manage large volumes of invoices and financial transactions between a company and its suppliers. While most accounting solutions include AP features, many of them do not provide functionality to manage complex AP processes. Companies choose AP automation software to reduce manual work and avoid human errors. AP automation software is used by accountants and by members of the accounting department responsible for accounts payable. It can also be used by managers and executives to monitor AP processing activities. This type of software simplifies complex AP activities and helps accountants manage large volumes of supplier invoices. AP automation improves the efficiency and the accuracy of the AP department and helps with other accounting activities such as financial closing. AP automation solutions can be delivered as standalone products or as a part of accounting suites that also include AR automation, billing and invoicing, and payment processing features. This type of software is integrated with accounting solutions or with accounting modules of ERP systems.
To qualify for inclusion in the AP Automation category, a product must:
Best Accounts Payable Automation Software At A Glance
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BILL is a financial operations platform that provides intelligent accounts payable and accounts receivable automation for businesses. This software solution is designed to help small and midsize busin
BILL AP/AR is a platform that streamlines invoice approval, reconciliation, and payment processes, and integrates with accounting software like QuickBooks Online. Reviewers like the platform's user-friendly interface, its ability to automate and speed up the accounts payable process, and its seamless integration with QuickBooks Online. Reviewers mentioned issues with the platform's syncing capabilities, slow payment processing times, and difficulties with customer support and the initial setup process.
17,270 Twitter followers
Sage Intacct is the flexible and scalable financial platform that delivers deep accounting capabilities to thousands of businesses across the world. Sage Intacct delivers an array of core accountin
Sage Intacct is a software used for accounting, offering features such as automated workflows, approvals, consolidations, and report building. Reviewers frequently mention the software's user-friendly interface, its ability to improve efficiency and reduce manual errors, and its integration with other platforms. Users mentioned that customization and report building can be complex for new users, certain advanced features can increase costs, and some processes are overly complicated.
Stampli is the stress-free finance operations platform. Its AI-driven procure-to-pay solution runs processes from request through payment while remaining fully aligned to the ERP as the system of reco
Stampli is a software used for processing and approving invoices, helping users to organize and find prior invoices quickly and efficiently. Reviewers frequently mention the ease of use, clear instructions, and the ability to approve and disapprove invoices directly through the site, as well as the software's user-friendly layout and fast processing speed. Reviewers mentioned issues with the back button functionality, difficulty in viewing previous invoices, slow processing time of invoices, and challenges with the Stampli Card process.
9,182 Twitter followers
SAP Concur is a leading cloud-based spend management solution that helps small, medium, and large businesses automate and simplify expense reporting, travel booking, and invoice processing. It’s desig
SAP Concur is a tool for managing and automating business expenses, travel, and invoices, integrating AI and mobile functionality for ease of use. Reviewers appreciate SAP Concur's user-friendly interface, automated receipt capture, and real-time tracking, which streamline the expense reporting process and enhance transparency. Users reported issues with the mobile app's limited functionality, occasional slow performance, and complex user interface, which can make the tool less intuitive and efficient to use.
Ramp is the ultimate platform for modern finance teams. From corporate cards and expense management software to bill payments and vendor management, Ramp is the all-in-one solution designed to automat
Ramp is a financial management platform that allows users to track spending, reconcile receipts, and manage budgets. Reviewers frequently mention the ease of use, the ability to upload receipts and track spending, and the helpful security features such as the ability to lock the credit card. Reviewers experienced issues with the copy-and-paste feature, occasional system failures to recognize receipts, slow invoice processing times, and some found the reminder notifications to be annoying.
33,399 Twitter followers
The only solution to automate your end-to-end payables process. Pick and choose from connected suite of solutions for accounts payable, global payments, procurement and employee expenses, helping eli
Tipalti is a payment automation platform that simplifies global payouts, tax compliance, and reduces manual work for finance teams. Reviewers like the platform's ability to handle complex payment workflows, automate vendor onboarding, tax compliance, and accurate, on-time payments, which significantly reduces manual work and errors. Reviewers noted that the interface can feel a bit unintuitive at times, especially when trying to navigate detailed reports or make specific customizations, and support response times could be faster in some cases.
2,422 Twitter followers
Brex is a unified spend platform that makes it easy to control every type of spend. Control your spend worldwide with corporate cards, expense management, reimbursements, travel, bill pay, and bu
Brex is a financial product that provides a platform for managing corporate expenses, including a physical and digital card, an app for tracking spending, and features for receipt capture and assignment. Users like the convenience and ease of use of Brex, particularly its user-friendly app, real-time expense tracking, automated expense categorization, and the ability to handle receipt capture and assignment all in one place. Reviewers noted issues with the spending limit not being approved at the counter despite appearing correct in the app and on the desktop, difficulties with the Bill Pay setup, and delays in reimbursement processing.
23,379 Twitter followers
Payhawk is an AI-native spend management platform that orchestrates global money across Bills, Cards, Expenses, Travel, and Procurement for maximum control, automation and savings. It provides a globa
Payhawk is a platform for managing corporate credit cards, automating and tracking expenses, and handling invoice payments. Reviewers appreciate the platform's automation features, real-time budget control, easy invoice handling, and the ability to centralize financial data, along with its user-friendly interface and quick setup process. Reviewers noted issues with the high platform cost for smaller businesses, complexity in pricing, occasional software glitches after updates, limited customization options, and occasional slow response from the support team.
565 Twitter followers
The smarter, faster way to manage all business payments — without the hassle. Corpay Complete brings AP automation, corporate card management, and expense control into one seamless platform. Say good
Corpay Complete is a financial management system that offers features for electronic payments, financial process automation, and business asset management. Reviewers frequently mention the system's digital visualization features for financial processes, its ability to improve control management of finances, and its efficient adaptation to various financial applications and systems. Reviewers experienced complications with the onboarding process, finding it lengthy and complex, and also reported issues with rush payments in the application.
2,954 Twitter followers
Paylocity delivers the most innovative technology bringing HR, Finance, and IT together in one modern, easy-to-use platform to empower teams, simplify processes, and deliver real results. Run payroll,
Paylocity is a payroll platform that offers features such as timecards, payroll processing, HR features, and reporting tools. Reviewers frequently mention the ease of use, the ability to streamline scheduling and payroll, and the platform's high degree of customizability as positive aspects. Reviewers mentioned issues with customer service responsiveness, technical difficulties with the website, and challenges with initial setup and certain features like time tracking and benefits.
4,582 Twitter followers
Rippling Spend is an all-in-one platform for managing expenses, corporate cards, bill pay, business travel, and payroll—powered by AI that handles your busywork automatically. Finance teams use Rippli
Rippling Spend is a platform that allows users to manage company expenses, track spending, and handle reimbursements in real time. Reviewers appreciate the user-friendly interface, the ability to upload receipts and monitor their status, and the platform's integration with corporate credit cards and payroll systems. Reviewers experienced difficulties with the timecard fixing process, the need for more country-specific options, and a steep learning curve, especially in understanding the approval workflow or spending limits.
11,947 Twitter followers
Get work done faster with Laserfiche, the leading SaaS provider of AI-powered document management and process automation. Through powerful workflows, electronic forms, document management and analytic
Laserfiche is a document management platform that digitizes content, automates tasks, and provides secure cloud storage. Reviewers appreciate Laserfiche's ability to handle multiple forms of documents, automate repetitive tasks, and provide robust search capabilities, which significantly increases productivity and efficiency. Users reported performance problems and lags with heavy document workflow, issues with the cloud version needing improvements, high maintenance costs, and complexities experienced during configuration.
4,775 Twitter followers
DualEntry is the AI-native ERP that helps finance teams achieve more in less time. With powerful automations, it takes manual work out of everything from everyday accounting, AR/AP, and revenue manage
DualEntry is an accounting software that aims to streamline financial workflows and improve data accuracy through its dual-entry system. Reviewers like the user-friendly interface, the automation of repetitive tasks, the real-time data syncing, and the software's ability to handle high-volume transactions smoothly. Reviewers experienced issues with the initial setup being time-consuming, lack of detailed documentation for advanced features, limited customization options, and occasional integration problems with other tools.
706 Twitter followers
BILL Spend & Expense is an expense management and spend tracking platform that enables businesses to control, automate, and gain real-time visibility into company spending through smart corporate
BILL Spend & Expense is a financial management tool that allows organizations to record, categorize, and track credit card charges and expenses. Reviewers appreciate the platform's ease of use, real-time visibility into spending, automatic syncing with accounting systems, and the ability to set budgets and control spending. Reviewers noted issues with the integration with other software like QuickBooks, difficulties in setting up rules and automations, and dissatisfaction with the expense reimbursement functionality and post-implementation support.
17,270 Twitter followers
Basware is how the world’s best finance teams gain complete control of every invoice, every time. We offer a cloud-based platform for invoice lifecycle management automation, supporting end-to-end pro
Basware is a tool used for referencing, verifying, and approving invoices in the Accounts Payable process, with features like automated invoice matching, approval workflows, and payment processing. Users like Basware's ability to streamline the entire procure-to-pay process, its robust AP automation and e-invoicing capabilities, and its user-friendly design and intuitive interface that make day-to-day tasks easier. Users experienced challenges with the search functionality, found some workflows not very intuitive, and reported issues with invoice scanning services, high implementation costs, complex integration with ERP systems, and slow issue resolution from support.
10,187 Twitter followers
Learn More About Accounts Payable Automation Software
What is AP Automation Software?
Companies use accounts payable (AP) automation software to manage large volumes of invoices and financial transactions between a company and its suppliers. AP automation software can reduce manual work and avoid human errors, as well as improve the efficiency and accuracy of the AP department and help with other accounting activities such as financial closing. AP management functionality is included in most accounting systems, but it is not always sufficient for companies that do business with hundreds of suppliers and need to process thousands or tens of thousands of invoices and payments.
AP automation software should not be confused with billing and invoice management systems—the main difference between them is that AP automation focuses exclusively on purchasing transactions while billing and invoicing software manages both sales and purchase invoices.
What Types of AP Automation Software Exist?
AP automation software is usually available in two different platforms:
Standalone AP automation software
AP automation software is usually delivered as a standalone product that needs to be integrated with other software, such as ERP or accounting solutions. The primary benefit of this type of software is that it focuses exclusively on AP automation and provides the most advanced features in the market for this business need.
Procure-to-pay suites that include AP automation
Since AP automation is directly related to purchasing, some vendors decided to create procure-to-pay suites that cover all procurement needs, including AP management. Procure-to-pay suites are usually made of separate products or modules that can be used in different combinations. Buyers should be aware that not all procure-to-pay suites include AP automation as a standard module.
What are the Common Features of AP Automation Software?
Invoice management: Invoice management refers to purchasing invoices (or AP). While these invoices may be created using ERP systems or accounting software, they need to be transferred to an AP automation solution for processing. Importing invoices includes data transfer, optical character recognition (OCR) scanning, or document transfer for files in various formats such as PDF or text.
Supplier management: Supplier management for AP automation is usually limited to the financial information required for payments, such as vendor bank account details. Maintaining accurate supplier financial information helps companies avoid banking errors and ensure that vendors receive their payments.
Purchase order (PO) matching: PO matching helps companies ensure that suppliers are invoicing them for the products and services they received. Between the moment when companies place a PO and the invoice date, both parties may agree on changes, such as the amount, the number of products, or the payment terms of the invoice.
Payments management: Payments tracking does not refer to payment processing but to the ability to identify which invoices have been paid, what invoices are due and when, as well as payment errors. Similar to PO matching, payments need to match the purchasing invoices to avoid overpaying or underpaying.
Approvals: Approval workflows allow managers to decide which invoices should be paid and when, based on multiple criteria such as invoice date and priority. Approvals are also required when companies decide that any invoice that exceeds a certain amount should not be processed automatically.
Other Features of Accounts Payable Automation Software: Benchmarking, Supplier portal
Which AP Automation System is the Best for Enterprise Companies
- Sage Intacct: A cloud-based financial management platform offering advanced AP automation features, including real-time visibility, multi-entity support, and seamless ERP integrations.
- Airbase: A unified spend management platform that combines AP automation, corporate cards, and expense management. Great for growing enterprises needing real-time control and accounting integration.
- Coupa: Offers procurement-led AP automation with AI insights, supplier management, and spend optimization—well suited for large, global companies.
- Tipalti: Best for global mass payments. Supports multi-currency, tax compliance, and fraud detection—ideal for companies managing international vendors.
- Stampli: Focuses on fast, collaborative invoice processing. Offers smart invoice capture, approval routing, and audit trails, making it easy to integrate into existing ERPs.
What are the Benefits of AP Automation Software?
There are many benefits to this software that not only automate tasks but also save time and money.
Less human intervention: AP automation software can eliminate unnecessary manual intervention that can slow down an AP team's processes and efficiencies. When using manual AP workflows and procedures, from invoice receipt to payment, there are too many steps that require humans to intervene. Each of these manual steps can lengthen the process of paying an invoice, gaining the correct approval, and ultimately, making the final payment. AP automation software can help eliminate most of these hands-on steps, allowing AP teams to do more than just track down and pay bills.
Accuracy: Accuracy in AP is achieved by matching POs, supplier invoices, and payments. This helps companies make sure that they only pay for what they bought and that there are no processing errors that may impact their profitability.
Return on investment (ROI): ROI can be achieved relatively fast for AP automation software. This type of software isn’t very expensive, and most products are in the cloud, which makes it easy to implement. AP automation brings immediate benefits, such as cost savings and increased productivity.
Scalability: Scalability of payable operations can be a significant challenge for companies whose activities fluctuate in time. For instance, a peak of business may require the processing of thousands of invoices weekly or monthly, while slow periods only generate dozens of invoices. AP automation can help this type of company scale operations without investing in additional personnel for peak periods or being overstaffed during the slow periods.
Who Uses AP Automation Software?
Accounting departments: Accountants need to consolidate AP information with the other financial data of the company. When AP automation is delivered separately, the data it manages needs to be transferred to an accounting or ERP system for the teams mentioned below. AP automation software should, therefore, allow accountants to export and import data. Since errors are unavoidable, accountants also need to be able to find transaction details that may be the source of inaccuracies, such as invoice date, amount, or payment terms.
Procurement teams: Procurement professionals can benefit from using AP automation software to match POs and payables. By paying suppliers accurately, companies can maintain a good business relationship and rely on them in the future. Suppliers may also reward good payers by offering them special discounts and other incentives (e.g., free shipping, a high priority for deliveries).
Vendors and suppliers: Suppliers use online portals within the software, where they can submit invoices and information for payments and communicate with customers. They can also track the status of the invoices and payments for the products or services they delivered.
Managers and executives: Upper management can monitor AP processing activities and refocus manpower on improving working capital management and performance optimization. They are able to spend less time correcting errors and maintaining vendor relationships, and spend more time focusing their efforts on more strategic and value-adding projects.
Software Related to AP Automation Software
Accounting software: Accounting software manages all the financial transactions of a company, including AP. While standard accounting software includes basic AP functionality, advanced features for AP automation aren’t usually covered.
ERP systems: ERP systems manage most business operations that are related to AP, either directly (purchasing) or indirectly (sales, inventory management, and payments).
Purchasing: Purchasing software manages procurement activities, from sourcing to PO management and the receiving of the goods delivered by suppliers. Procurement may also apply to the acquisition of services from third-party consultants, brokers, and other providers of professional services.
Treasury management: Treasury management manages the cash and liquidity of a company, which is directly related to its ability to pay suppliers. If businesses don’t have enough money to pay suppliers on time, they may be penalized or even lose relationships with vendors that are critical for their business.
Billing: Companies use billing software to create and send invoices to customers in order to request payment for the products and services that they deliver. By using this type of software, companies can reduce the time and effort required to manage invoices and improve the accuracy of their billing processes.
Invoice management: Invoice management software helps companies automate tasks related to invoice processing. When companies or accounting departments receive invoices, these invoices typically go through an approval process, after which their information is matched with sales and POs, as well as payments. Invoice management software streamlines this workflow by scanning invoices, reading and pulling data into the system, and transferring payments electronically.
Which AP Automation Software is the Best for Small Business
- BILL AP/AR: Provides a flexible, cloud-based platform to automate accounts payable and receivable workflows, helping small businesses streamline invoicing, approvals, and payments with built-in fraud detection and audit trails.
- Ramp: Combines bill pay, expense tracking, and corporate card management into a single platform, automating AP tasks while offering real-time visibility and budget control—ideal for lean finance teams.
- Melio: Tailored for small businesses, Melio allows seamless bill payments via bank transfers or cards, even when vendors only accept checks, making it a simple and affordable AP automation solution.
Challenges with AP Automation Software
The automation of AP can save companies time and money when implemented and onboarded properly, but all software solutions can come with their own set of challenges.
Integration: Integration with accounting and ERP systems is critical because most AP automation solutions are standalone and do not provide accounting features. Since most standalone AP automation solutions are delivered in the cloud, integration with other software is more straightforward. Most vendors also offer APIs or partnerships with ERP or accounting vendors to improve integration. This does not mean that AP automation can be easily integrated with any type of software. Integration with on-premises software can still be a challenge, especially for companies using legacy systems based on obsolete technology and using old programming languages such as COBOL.
Learning curve: All new software comes with a learning curve, but some are more complex than others. If some AP automation features are too complicated or cumbersome, the automation could be costing the company more money than it’s saving. Oftentimes, a platform will push automatic updates, which can come with new features or updates that require employees to relearn how to use the software.
How to Buy AP Automation Software
Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for AP Automation Software
When selecting AP automation software, it is important to first look at how the business operates, and then familiarize oneself with the different types of software available. There are a variety of options when it comes to AP automation software products, including those designed for the business needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
Compare AP Automation Software Products
Create a long list
Depending on the industry, the buyer might want to first create a long list of software that is designed to help businesses in the particular industry. For example, there are platforms specifically built for businesses in retail, manufacturers, restaurants, etc., as well as for many other types of commercial organizations.
Create a short list
After reviewing and researching the software on the long list, the buyer can widdle down this list based on the budget. AP automation software is available to suit all budgets and some general applications may be downloaded free or bought off the shelf at a lower price.
Buyers must keep in mind, however, that the more specialized a software is, the more expensive it gets. This is the case because the user base for specialized software is usually relatively small. If the company wants something specific to their industry or customized for the business, they should be prepared to pay a premium.
Conduct demos
As a rule of thumb, companies should make sure to demo all of the products that end up on their short list. During demos, buyers should ask specific questions related to the functionalities they care most about, for example, one might ask to be walked through any image capturing features, how to run reports, or how to match supplier invoices with corresponding POs.
Selection of AP Automation Software
Choose a selection team
It is important that the accountants or members of the AP team who will be using this software are involved in the selection process. The accountant may prefer an application that is compatible with the ones they currently use. Every business is different and the accountant is most likely in the best position to offer an educated opinion about which one is the best choice for the particular needs of the business. The accountant may even be able to help the company install and set up the software of choice.
After choosing a software, buyers must remember that they don’t have to be stuck with this selection forever; most platforms allow for add-ons or modifications. However, this decision shouldn’t be made lightly because no matter what software is chosen, it will be a big time and money commitment. In order to see ROI, buyers can’t change their minds a few months later and switch software again.
Negotiation
Negotiating a software contract is important to minimize risk, whether it is in terms of performance protection, security protection, or simply making sure that both parties are in complete agreement with what to expect from the other.
If the business has the cash flow, they could ask for a discount in return for annual upfront payment, and many software providers are happy to make that deal. Other times, a software provider may offer unlimited usage if the buyers pay upfront instead of paying a monthly or quarterly package price.
Buyers should also determine if they will need help implementing the AP automation software or integrating with another system. Usually, a software provider's first offer will include some implementation services in a given timeframe. Buyers can ask for these services to be removed if they can manage it themselves, or if a third party can do it for cheaper.
They also need to decide for how long they will need this software. If the company will use the software for years and years, the buyer can negotiate longer terms which sometimes results in more favorable pricing.
Final decision
The final decision should be based on all the information gathered previously. Businesses should try to prioritize needs and select the solution that meets most of, if not all of, their requirements. Companies must remember that there is no one perfect software, but there is one that is best for their business.
If possible, buyers must conduct a pilot program with a smaller sample size of users to gauge how well the software is received. If the platform gets high marks, they can buy with more confidence. If the tool is found to be inefficient or not performing as expected, it might be time to test another software.
AP Automation Software Trends
Artificial intelligence (AI)
AI has the potential to analyze large volumes of AP transactions to detect hidden errors or trends. AI can also be used to identify potential issues with future purchases, such as late payments. This type of technology can also be used to create bots that can assist employees and suppliers. While AI is still in its infancy, it is already used to improve accuracy and reduce the time needed to process large numbers of transactions.
Cloud-based solutions
Cloud-based AP automation platforms are becoming more popular because of their advantages over on-premises options. Integrating new technologies into existing systems, such as an ERP, can be easier, allowing for product upgrades and new features to be released to customers on a regular basis. Also, companies can be up and running with a prepackaged or customized AP automation platform quicker, therefore improving ROI.
