AP Automation Best Practices to Scale Your Operations

This article was originally published on the Order.co blog. Read the full article here.  

Have you ever felt like your AP process is more about survival than strategy? Many businesses treat accounts payable (AP) as a back-office necessity, but what if AP could actually drive growth?

A streamlined, automated AP system is more than just a time-saver. It’s the foundation of financial health, supporting better decisions, cash flow visibility, and efficient operations.

Here are five AP automation best practices to help your business grow:

1. Centralize Your Invoices and Payments

Bringing all invoices into a single platform helps reduce duplicate payments and uncover opportunities for early-pay discounts.

2. Set Clear Approval Workflows

Standardized approvals reduce bottlenecks and ensure all stakeholders sign off before funds are released.

3. Use Software to Automate Manual Tasks

Automating tasks like invoice entry, matching, and reporting saves your team hours and reduces costly errors.

4. Monitor KPIs in Real Time

Track key metrics like average payment cycle and outstanding balances to make more informed financial decisions.

5. Leverage Strategic Vendor Relationships

Consolidating vendor contracts can unlock long-term savings while ensuring a steady supply of goods and services.

Take Control of Your AP Process

Automated AP isn’t just efficient—it’s transformative. It allows businesses to scale operations, control spending, and free up resources for growth.

Discover how your AP system can drive growth by reading the full article here.