AP Automation vs. Payment Automation: Finding the Right Fit for Your Business

Companies were compelled by the 2020 pandemic to adopt automation software in order to adapt their systems and people to remote work.

It’s clear that automation software has many benefits beyond enabling remote work. Automation software can be used to automate functions in areas like finance, marketing, and project management, resulting in more stable, sustainable businesses.

Finance is perhaps the most important business function.

Not only is it more efficient, but automating financial management processes like accounts payables or billing plays a critical role in improving overall efficiency.

It is also vital for business continuity and key areas such as fraud prevention, cash flow management, and cash flow management.

There are many options available to automate any number of financial processes or develop a full-stack automation toolset. Financial leaders are often confused about where to start.

There are tools that can automate your organization’s monthly payments. You can also automate your entire accounts payable process with more advanced platforms.

Payment Automation

Payment automation allows vendors to make electronic payments via ACH transfer or virtual card, wire, wire, or check. It automates payment processing by moving some of the most tedious tasks out of humans’ hands to the realm of artificial intelligence (AI).

Some functions can be automated, such as matching invoices and verifying transfers.

The most powerful feature in payment automation systems is invoice processing. This process accepts invoices from different vendors in various formats. The process then decodes and stores the information. After that, it creates a review cycle to allow for either human or automatic approval.

The most important benefit of payment automation software is, naturally, the time it saves.

As valuable as any other business asset, time is a commodity. Automating payments reduces the risk of overruns caused by manual processes. Automating payments also lowers the risk of human error and missed payments. Automating vendors can even get them paid faster, which is a great way for any business relationship to be improved.
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AP Automation

AP, or invoice automation, takes this concept to the next level. AP automation software is capable of electronically approving and posting invoices to all parties.

Integration of AP automation is more difficult because it touches every stage of the invoice cycle. It automatically sends electronic invoices to the payment queue and scans paper invoices to ensure efficient routing.

The invoice is approved by the AP chain staff. The automation then issues payment and records the transaction on the general ledger. This creates a paper trail that is easy to navigate but without the paper.

The main benefits of AP automation are the same as those from payment automation but multiplied.

AP automation makes it possible for companies to cut down on manual tasks, such as routing paper copies, entering invoices and reconciling bank accounts manually. They can now focus on the more urgent business.
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Which automation system is better for you?

It may seem that AP automation software is the right choice. It might be a good option for companies that are willing to try it.

According to Nasser Chanda (CEO of Paymerang), the most popular payment automation platform, payment automation might actually be more beneficial for businesses at the beginning, says Chanda.

Chanda states that both invoice automation and payment automation are strong candidates for automation since they are filled by manual processes.

We recommend that you start with payment automation as it is easy to implement and generates revenue for your enterprise. This automates security and efficiency, as well as enhances efficiency. We recommend that you use the revenue to pay invoice automation. This requires a little more integration.

However, those offices that were affected by the pandemic might be interested in a fully automated AP system. Because many companies now have work-from-home policies, integrated systems are necessary. This has led to a massive push for automation at the network level.



Chanda states that AP automation is a vital part of a business continuity program. The electronic flows are very useful in remote work situations and the workloads of finance staff are greatly reduced. During the pandemic, we’ve seen our business grow exponentially.
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Automate Proactively for Efficiency Gains

Whether you are looking for payment automation or all-inclusive AP Automation, now is the best time to get started.

Why aren’t some companies making the switch to automation? Chanda says that they think they are too busy to automate.

This point might be irrelevant. We’ve helped clients who were closing their books, recruiting for new positions, and preparing for audits to implement our solution without any problems. Software workflows and AI can be used to create a secure and complete AP automation program.