What’s Invoice Automation?

Amy Deiko
February 8, 2024

Every accounts payable department knows invoicing is critical for any business operations. Another thing they know?

It’s lengthy

There’s data entry, reviewing purchase orders, and a lot of information to be filled, involved.

Needless to say, invoicing demands a serious investment of time. 

That’s why we’ll be speaking today about a simple solution.

Automation 

Ready?

What’s Invoice Automation?

Invoice automation makes it easy for you to manage and process incoming invoices. How? Using technology to handle everything from receipt to approval and payment of supplier invoices, it simplifies your entire procurement cycle.

If you switch to digital invoices, you’ll notice a big boost in efficiency and accuracy in your financial and procurement operations. With invoice automation, you can eliminate time-consuming tasks and reduce errors, making procurement activities painless. 

We can bet that you are already feeling more curious 

How Does Invoice Automation Work?

Data capture

The whole process begins by automatically capturing invoice data from various formats, such as PDFs, emails, and paper documents, using optical character recognition (OCR) technology. This step eliminates the need for manual data entry.

Analysis and verification

Following data capture, AI and machine learning algorithms analyze the content to extract crucial information like supplier details, invoice numbers, dates, and amounts. The system then verifies this information against existing records for accuracy.

ERP integration

Once verified, the extracted data is seamlessly integrated into the company's financial system through ERP integration. This integration ensures that all financial records are updated in real time, facilitating accurate and timely financial reporting.

Approvals and payments 

The system automatically routes invoices to the appropriate personnel for approval based on predefined rules. After approval, it can also facilitate the automatic execution of payments, ensuring suppliers are paid on time.

Record keeping

The final step is to maintain detailed audit trails of all transactions throughout the process. This not only supports compliance with financial regulations but also simplifies the audit process by providing easy access to historical data.

Did you know ?

Benefits of Invoice Automation

Costs reduction

By cutting down on manual labor and the need for physical storage and materials for processing invoices, you can enjoy some real cost savings. Plus, automation helps you avoid late payment fees and allows you to take advantage of early payment discounts, talk about benefits for your budget management.

Saves time 

Automated invoice processing works faster than manual methods, handling invoices in a short time. This quick turnaround not only speeds up the payment cycle but also gives your team more time to focus on valuable tasks like financial analysis and strategic planning. It’s a win-win.

No manual errors

Another big advantage is that it really helps reduce the chances of errors in data entry that often happen with manual processes. Without these inaccuracies, you can avoid payment disputes and financial mix-ups, keeping your relationships with vendors strong and your finances in good health. 

More visibility

Automating your process means that you can get real-time insights into your invoices and payments, allowing you take better control of your cash flow and financial planning. This kind of visibility is super important for managing your liabilities and making better decisions. 

Better relationships with your suppliers 

If money is delivered on time, everyone is happy, isn’t it? Invoice automation contributes to building strong relationships with your suppliers by ensuring payments are timely and accurate. With a more reliable payment process,  you can increase supplier satisfaction and loyalty levels. 

Compliance and security

Automated systems make it easier to stay compliant with regulations by standardizing processes and keeping detailed audit trails. Plus, they come with improved security features to help protect against fraud and unauthorized access to your sensitive financial information. You can feel more secure knowing your data is safe

How to Automate Invoice Processing with ControlHub?

ControlHub changes invoice automation by offering a platform that easily integrates with existing ERP systems, providing businesses with an integrated approach to managing their invoices. 

Easy to use and connect

ControlHub makes automating invoices simple. It works well with the ERP systems businesses already use. This means you can start automating your invoices without changing much of what you're already doing.

Customize as you need

You can make ControlHub work just right for your business. It lets you adjust settings to match how you handle invoices. This flexibility is great for any business, big or small, no matter the industry.

Help when you need it

What sets ControlHub apart is its customer support. Whenever you have a question or run into a problem, help is just a call or click away.

Key Takeaways

  • Time-saving: Invoice automation significantly speeds up the processing of invoices, allowing your team to focus on more strategic tasks.
  • Increased accuracy: Automation reduces the likelihood of human errors in data entry, leading to fewer payment disputes and smoother operations.
  • Better cash flow management: Real-time insights into invoice statuses help you manage your cash flow more effectively.
  • Strengthened supplier relationships: Timely and accurate payments foster trust and collaboration with your vendors.
  • Enhanced compliance and security: Automated systems simplify adherence to regulations and protect sensitive financial data from fraud.

Amy Deiko
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Amy is a procurement writer and MBA student with a passion for innovative businesses processes, she loves simplifying complex topics and sharing insights to help companies optimize their daily operations.

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