The definitive guide to accounts payable management

Accounts payable represents a company's obligations to repay short-term debts to its suppliers or creditors. These are the bills your business owes for goods and services already received but hasn’t yet paid for, which can include everything from office supplies and software subscriptions to raw materials and professional services.

Accounts payable management encompasses the policies, procedures, and controls that ensure those bills are processed accurately and paid on time. Rather than just writing checks when invoices arrive, it’s a structured approach to handling financial obligations that involves tracking invoices, verifying their accuracy, routing them through proper approval flows, and maintaining detailed records of all transactions.

Effective AP management typically operates as part of a broader procure-to-pay process that connects purchasing to payments. This cycle begins when your company orders goods or services and continues through invoice receipt, verification, approval, payment, and final record-keeping. Each step requires you to follow established procedures that support your cash flow management objectives.

The scope of accounts payable management includes several key components:

• Invoice processing: This aspect involves receiving supplier bills, extracting relevant data, and entering information into your accounting or AP management platform. Companies can use automated invoice processing to reduce manual data entry and speed up this initial step.
• Verification and matching: At this step, you ensure that invoices align with what was actually ordered and received. This often involves "two-way matching,” or comparing the supplier's invoice against the original purchase order (PO) that confirms goods or services were delivered.
• Approval workflows: This part of AP management routes invoices to appropriate managers or budget owners for authorization before payment. These workflows help ensure that every expense has proper oversight and aligns with company expense policy requirements.
• Payment execution: This involves scheduling and making payments according to agreed-upon terms while optimizing for cash flow and taking advantage of early payment discounts when available.
• Record-keeping and reporting: Throughout the whole process, it’s important to maintain detailed documentation of all AP activities for accounting purposes, audit trails, and financial analysis. Strong documentation practices help prevent accounting errors and support compliance requirements.

What separates optimized accounts payable management from basic bill-paying is a focus on optimization and control. Rather than only processing invoices as they arrive, strategic AP management oversees vendor relationships, monitors cash flow impacts, and identifies opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.

This approach can have a significant impact on your company's financial health. Poor AP management can result in late payment penalties, missed early payment discounts, and damaged vendor relationships. Conversely, well-managed accounts payable contributes to stronger cash flow control and helps your business continue to grow.

An effective accounts payable workflow helps finance teams identify bottlenecks, implement controls, and optimize each stage for maximum efficiency. The AP cycle typically involves five key steps.

1. Purchase order and receipt

The accounts payable process often begins before any invoice arrives. When your company needs goods or services, the purchasing department issues a purchase order (PO) that specifies exactly what's being ordered, quantities, agreed prices, and delivery terms. This document serves as a legal commitment and creates the foundation for later verification steps.

Once the supplier delivers the goods or completes the services, your receiving department creates a receiving report that documents what was actually delivered. This report captures quantities received, condition of goods, and delivery dates.

This initial stage sets up accountability and control throughout the rest of the process. When done well, it prevents unauthorized purchases and creates a paper trail that makes invoice verification straightforward and reliable.

2. Invoice received and recording

Suppliers send invoices detailing the products or services provided and the amount due. These invoices arrive through various channels, such as email or mail, and contain critical information including invoice numbers, dates, line item details, tax amounts, and payment terms.

The AP department ingests this invoice data into their accounting or AP management platform. While manual data entry remains common, it introduces errors and delays in processing. Many companies now use optical character recognition (OCR) technology to extract invoice data automatically, reducing both processing time and human error.

Prompt invoice recording helps maintain accurate cash flow forecasting and prevents invoices from getting lost. Each invoice receives a unique identifier and timestamp, creating an audit trail from the moment it enters your organization.

3. Invoice verification and matching

This verification stage protects your company from overpayments and billing errors. The AP team compares the supplier's invoice against supporting documents to ensure accuracy. For purchases with purchase orders, this involves two-way matching, or verifying that the invoice matches the original purchase order in terms of quantities, pricing, and terms.

During this process, the AP team also checks quantities, prices, tax calculations, and payment terms. They look for common discrepancies like incorrect pricing, quantity mismatches, or duplicate invoices. Any issues trigger exception handling and the invoice gets flagged for resolution, often requiring communication with either the supplier or your internal purchasing team.

Companies with strong internal controls in accounting build verification checkpoints that catch problems before they become costly mistakes. This stage might seem time-consuming, but it prevents larger problems later on.

4. Approval workflows

Before any payment goes out, invoices require proper authorization. Approval workflows route invoices to managers or other employees who verify that expenses are legitimate, within budget, and align with company policies. The approval process can vary by invoice amount, with smaller invoices needing only department manager approval, while larger invoices often require multiple sign-offs.

In many cases, AP departments use electronic approval workflows that automatically route invoices based on predefined rules. These digital workflows are faster than paper-based approvals and create clear audit trails showing who approved what and when. They also send automatic reminders when approvals are pending, helping prevent unnecessary holdups.

Purchase order management practices directly impact how efficient approvals are. When purchases are authorized upfront, invoice approval typically becomes a confirmation rather than requiring detailed review.

5. Payment execution and recording

Once approved, invoices enter the payment queue. The AP team schedules payments according to invoice terms while considering how to optimize cash flow. You can pay immediately to capture early payment discounts, or use the full payment terms to preserve cash flow.

Payment methods vary by supplier preference and company policy. Options include traditional checks, ACH transfers, wire transfers, or payment automation platforms that handle various payment types electronically. Electronic payments are faster, more secure, and create better audit trails than paper checks.

After payment execution, the AP team records the transaction in the accounting platform, marking the invoice as paid and updating the general ledger. This final step includes reconciling payments against bank statements to ensure accuracy, and the entire cycle concludes with proper documentation and filing. All supporting documents, including POs, receiving reports, invoices, and payment records, are stored according to record retention policies, creating a complete audit trail for each transaction.

When properly implemented, accounts payable management has benefits that extend past simply paying bills on time. These advantages address many of the concerns of finance leaders while creating operational efficiencies that help your company grow.

Improved cash flow

Effective accounts payable management supports cash flow optimization by giving finance teams control over outgoing payments. Streamlined AP processes allow companies to avoid costly late-payment penalties while allowing them to capture early-payment discounts when their cash flow and vendors allow it.

Optimized payment timing creates predictable cash outflows that create more accurate forecasting and budgeting. With well-managed AP management, CFOs can time payments to maximize working capital by paying suppliers at optimal moments rather than reactively when bills arrive. This controlled approach to cash management can free up capital for growth investments and other operational needs.

Enhanced fraud prevention and compliance

Accounts payable management can serve as a safeguard against both external and internal fraud. AP controls include verification procedures that catch suspicious invoices before payment, reducing the risk of paying fraudulent bills from unknown vendors or duplicate invoices from legitimate suppliers.

Strong AP processes implement segregation of duties in accounting that prevent any single employee from controlling the entire payment process. This separation of responsibilities makes it much more difficult for internal fraud to succeed while creating clear audit trails for compliance purposes. Companies with automated AP solutions can implement built-in fraud detection algorithms that flag unusual patterns, such as invoice amounts that fall just below approval thresholds or payments to vendors with similar names to legitimate suppliers.

The compliance benefits extend to regulatory requirements as well. Proper AP management ensures accurate 1099 reporting, maintains required documentation for audits, and supports SOX compliance for public companies.

Increased efficiency through automation

Automating accounts payable processes can immediately improve your productivity, and those gains compound over time. AP automation eliminates manual data entry, reduces processing time per invoice, and dramatically cuts down on human errors that create costly corrections and vendor disputes.

Best-in-class AP teams report processing invoices up to 75% faster than manual methods, according to Ardent Partners' State of ePayables in 2025. This efficiency gain means AP staff can handle larger invoice volumes without proportional increases in headcount, making the function more scalable as companies grow.

Automation also accelerates the month-end close process by ensuring invoice data flows seamlessly into accounting records without needing manual intervention. Ultimately, this improvement helps finance teams deliver financial reports faster and with more confidence in their accuracy. And yet, the efficiency benefits extend past the AP department. Automated approval workflows reduce delays from paper-based sign-offs, and electronic payments eliminate the time spent printing, mailing, and tracking physical checks.

Stronger vendor relationships

Well-managed AP processes improve relationships with suppliers and vendors. Consistent, timely payments build trust and reliability, and that can lead to preferential treatment during supply shortages or opportunities for better pricing and terms.

In addition to timely payments, vendor payment automation creates transparency that vendors value. Suppliers can track invoice status, understand payment schedules, and resolve disputes quickly through self-service portals. This transparency reduces the time both parties spend on payment inquiries and status updates.

Companies with strong AP processes can also resolve invoice discrepancies faster, minimizing friction that can damage vendor relationships. Quick resolution of pricing questions, quantity disputes, or delivery issues improves your vendor management and helps support business continuity.

Better cost control and savings

Optimized accounts payable processes contribute directly to cost control through several channels. Automated processes reduce operational expenses by cutting labor costs, eliminating paper and postage expenses, and preventing costly mistakes like duplicate payments.

Strategic AP management can also prevent unnecessary costs through better spend visibility. Real-time reporting helps finance teams identify spending patterns, catch budget overruns early, and negotiate better terms with high-volume suppliers. This visibility can allow your business to make sourcing decisions that reduce overall procurement costs.

Even with clear benefits, businesses can struggle with accounts payable management that limits efficiency and creates unnecessary risks. Using these common pain points, finance teams can make improvements and build stronger AP processes.

Manual processes and human error

There are AP departments that still rely on manual data entry and paper-based workflows. When staff manually enter invoice data, they face higher error rates, lost documents, and processing delays that frustrate both internal teams and suppliers.

Manual processes can become bigger problems during busy periods or staff absences. A single person's vacation can create invoice backlogs, while high-volume periods like month-end can overwhelm teams using paper-based workflows. These constraints limit scalability and create stress for AP personnel.

Companies using manual invoice processing also struggle with consistency. Different team members may interpret approval requirements differently, leading to confusion about proper procedures and inconsistent handling of similar transactions. Automated invoice processing eliminates much of this variability while reducing the workload on AP staff.

Late payments and missed discounts

When invoices sit waiting for signatures or get lost in email chains, companies miss payment deadlines that could have been easily met with better workflow management. The issue is that late payments can lead to issues that only start with late payment fees. Vendors may demand shorter payment terms, require deposits, or prioritize other customers during supply shortages. These relationship strains can ultimately cost far more than the original late fees.

Equally costly are missed early payment discounts, but companies with slow approval processes can't take advantage of these savings opportunities. Over thousands of invoices, missed discounts can represent substantial lost savings that could improve profitability.

Lack of visibility and tracking

Without proper invoice tracking, finance teams lose sight of outstanding payables and struggle to forecast cash needs accurately. Poor visibility makes it difficult to answer basic questions like how much is owed or when the largest payments are due.

This visibility gap often comes from disconnected processes where invoices exist in email inboxes, physical filing cabinets, and various spreadsheets without centralized tracking. Finance leaders can't get real-time snapshots of AP obligations, making cash flow planning much more difficult.

Limited visibility also affects vendor relationships. When suppliers call asking about payment status, AP teams may struggle to provide quick answers, creating friction and showing poor organization. Vendors value transparency and timely communication about their outstanding invoices.

Fraud and security risks

Accounts payable can be a target for both external and internal fraud schemes. External fraudsters may submit fake invoices from phony vendors or impersonate legitimate suppliers to redirect payments. Without proper verification procedures, these schemes can result in significant losses for your business.

On the other hand, internal fraud risks are also a possibility, and can include employees creating fake vendors, manipulating invoice amounts, or approving payments without proper authorization. Companies lacking strong controls around vendor master file changes or payment approvals can face higher exposure to these threats.

Businesses with email-based invoice submission have additional security vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals often target AP departments with sophisticated phishing attacks that appear to come from legitimate suppliers requesting payment information changes. These attacks can result in payments being redirected to fraudulent accounts.

Inefficient approval workflow

Complex or poorly designed expense approval processes create delays in invoice processing. When approvals require multiple physical signatures or lengthy email chains, invoices can sit for days or weeks waiting for authorization.

Unclear approval hierarchies compound the problem. Staff may be unsure who should approve specific types of expenses or what dollar thresholds require additional sign-offs. This only leads to delays as invoices get routed to wrong approvers or wait while staff seek clarification on proper procedures.

High processing costs

The hidden costs of inefficient AP processes can surprise finance leaders when they calculate the true expense per invoice. Manual processing requires significant staff time for data entry, filing, approval coordination, and payment preparation, and these costs multiply across thousands of transactions annually.

High error rates in manual processes create additional costs through correction time, vendor disputes, and duplicate payment recovery efforts. On top of that, invoice reconciliation becomes more complex when initial processing contains errors, requiring additional staff hours to resolve discrepancies.

Processing costs also include indirect expenses like paper, postage, filing supplies, and physical storage space for document retention when your business lacks paperless account processing. While individually small, these costs accumulate significantly over time and across large invoice volumes, representing money that could be better invested in growth initiatives.

Implementing accounts payable best practices allows your AP processes to become a strategic advantage that supports cash flow optimization and operational efficiency.

Automate invoice processing

AP departments can make efficiency improvements by implementing OCR invoice processing that eliminates manual data entry and accelerates approval workflows. OCR technology can capture invoice data automatically, reducing processing time from hours to minutes while nearly eliminating transcription errors.

Automation creates consistent processing standards that don't vary based on individual staff preferences or workload pressures. Electronic workflows route invoices to appropriate approvers based on predefined rules, ensuring proper authorization while maintaining audit trails that support compliance requirements.

With automated AP processes, payment generation can also happen automatically. The best AP processing software has embedded B2B payment automation that can allow your business to use purchase cards for procurement, ACH, or wire transfers. These solutions also have integrated business banking account solutions, giving your business control over all of its cash flow from one interface.

Standardize and document procedures

Well-defined accounts payable procedures create consistency and reduce confusion among your employees. Standard operating procedures should cover invoice receipt protocols, approval hierarchies, vendor setup requirements, and payment timing guidelines.

Documentation becomes particularly important during staff transitions or busy periods when temporary help may be required. Clear procedures ensure that invoice processing continues smoothly regardless of personnel changes, maintaining service levels that your vendors expect. Standardization also supports better training for new AP staff. Rather than learning through trial and error, new team members can follow established procedures that reflect best practices and company policies.

Implement strong internal controls

Building strong financial controls protects companies from fraud while ensuring accurate financial reporting. Vendor management best practices include thorough verification of new suppliers, regular reviews of vendor master files, and controls around payment information changes.

Multi-level approvals for significant invoice payments also create additional oversight without slowing routine transactions. Electronic approval workflows can automatically route high-value invoices to senior managers while allowing department heads to approve routine expenses within established limits.

Regular reconciliation processes help catch discrepancies before they become larger problems. Accounts payable reconciliation should compare invoice records to purchase orders monthly, identifying any gaps that require investigation and resolution.

Optimize payment timing

Strategic payment timing balances cash flow with vendor relationship management. Companies should evaluate early payment discounts against their cost of capital to determine when taking discounts makes financial sense.

Payment timing optimization also involves analyzing cash flow patterns to identify the best days for large payments. Some companies prefer to make major payments early in the week to allow time for any issues to be resolved before weekends, while others batch payments to reduce administrative overhead.

Maintain good vendor communication

Proactive vendor communication prevents common AP problems before they escalate. Regular communication about payment schedules, any processing delays, and dispute resolution demonstrates professionalism that vendors value in their business relationships.

When negotiating contracts with vendors, include clear payment terms, dispute resolution procedures, and communication protocols. Well-negotiated terms reduce ambiguity that can lead to payment delays and relationship friction.

Companies can benefit from vendor portals that provide real-time invoice status updates, reducing the volume of payment inquiry calls while improving transparency. Self-service access to payment information allows vendors to track their invoices without requiring AP staff time for status updates.

Track and analyze AP performance

Regularly monitoring accounts payable metrics can give you insights that help improve your AP processes. Key performance indicators like average processing time, cost per invoice, and on-time payment rates help identify opportunities for improvement and measure progress over time.

Monthly reporting should track trends in processing volumes, error rates, and vendor satisfaction. Data analysis can reveal patterns like seasonal volume spikes that require staffing adjustments or suppliers that frequently submit problem invoices requiring additional attention.

Performance metrics also support better budget planning and resource allocation decisions. Knowing the true cost per invoice can help you evaluate automation investments and staffing requirements as transaction volumes grow.

Accounts payable management involves compliance requirements that CFOs and finance teams need to address to avoid penalties and maintain good standing with regulatory authorities. As you improve your AP processes, be sure to consider these rules and regulations.

IRS Form 1099 reporting requirements

Companies need to issue Form 1099-NEC to vendors and service providers who receive $600 or more in payments during the tax year. This applies to most business services such as legal fees, consulting, and other non-employee compensation, but excludes payments to corporations and certain other entity types. Accurate 1099 reporting starts with proper vendor setup procedures that collect required tax identification numbers (TINs) before making any payments.

AP teams have to track payment amounts by vendor throughout the year to identify those requiring 1099 reporting. AP platforms can automate much of this tracking, but companies still need procedures to ensure complete and accurate reporting.

Vendor tax ID verification and TIN matching

Proper vendor verification protects companies from fraudulent tax reporting and potential IRS penalties. New vendor setup should always include collection of Form W-9 for domestic vendors or Form W-8 for foreign entities, along with verification of legal business names and addresses. The IRS TIN matching program allows businesses to verify that vendor names correspond to their reported tax identification numbers before year-end reporting.

Failed TIN matches require corrections that may include backup withholding at 24% of payments until proper documentation is provided. This cost makes proper vendor verification procedures a financial priority, not just a compliance requirement.

Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance

Public companies must maintain AP processes that support SOX compliance requirements for internal controls over financial reporting. This includes documented procedures, segregation of duties, and regular testing of control effectiveness to prevent material misstatements in financial reports. SOX compliance requires that a single employee can’t control the entire payment process, with companies separating invoice approval, payment processing, and reconciliation functions among different employees.

Regular internal auditing of AP processes helps identify control weaknesses before they become compliance violations. These tests should verify that approval workflows are followed consistently, payments are properly supported by documentation, and all transactions are recorded accurately and in the correct accounting periods.

Record retention and audit preparedness

Properly retaining documentation allows your business to be in compliance with audit requirements and potential IRS examinations. Your business should maintain invoice documentation, approval records, and payment confirmations according to your retention schedules, which is typically up to seven years for tax-related documents. Electronic document management provides advantages over paper filing by ensuring documents can't be lost while enabling quick retrieval during audit requests.

Month-end close process procedures should include AP reconciliation steps that verify all invoices are properly recorded and outstanding liabilities are complete. Regular reconciliation ensures you have the documentation to demonstrate proper financial controls and accurate reporting.

Penalties and compliance risks

Non-compliance with regulations related to accounts payable can result in significant financial penalties and administrative burdens. Late or incorrect 1099 filings can face penalties ranging from $60 to $660 per form depending on how late the correction occurs, with aggregate penalties potentially reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars for large businesses. Failed backup withholding compliance can result in companies being held liable for unpaid taxes on vendor payments.

SOX violations can trigger SEC enforcement actions and require remediation efforts including additional auditing, control testing, and management certifications. Internal control weaknesses can also damage your reputation, impacting stock prices and investor confidence.

These key performance indicators help CFOs and AP managers measure progress, identify improvement opportunities, and demonstrate the value of their AP investments.

• Average cost per invoice: This is the total cost to process a single invoice from receipt to payment, including labor, overhead, and platform costs. This metric highlights how efficient your accounts payable process is, and helps identify if you have room for improvement by comparing your costs to industry benchmarks. Tracking this metric helps justify cost reduction strategies and automation investments.
• Invoice processing time (cycle time): This includes the average time from invoice receipt to payment completion. Shorter cycle times indicate efficient workflows and help avoid late payment penalties. Best-in-class organizations process invoices in around three days, while manual processes often require about 13 days, according to Ardent Partners.
• Invoices paid on time (on-time payment rate): This is the percentage of invoices paid by their due date. This metric directly reflects process control and vendor relationship health. High rates demonstrate strong AP management, while lower rates signal workflow problems that can damage supplier relationships and incur penalty fees. Consistent on-time payment also supports better vendor terms and pricing negotiations.
• Days payable outstanding (DPO): DPO is the average number of days a company takes to pay suppliers after receiving invoices. This working capital strategy metric helps optimize cash flow: higher DPO preserves cash longer, while very low DPO may indicate missed optimization opportunities.
• Error/exception rate: This includes the percentage of invoices requiring corrections or special handling due to discrepancies, missing information, or approval issues. Lower error rates indicate better process control and vendor communication. High exception rates often point to inadequate vendor onboarding, unclear approval procedures, or data quality problems requiring systematic fixes.

Regularly auditing your accounts payable process strengthens financial controls, allows you to catch errors and fraud before they become costly problems, and ensures compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements. A structured approach, including the following three phases, helps finance teams verify accuracy of financial records while identifying process improvements that can reduce future risks.

Planning and preparation

Define the audit scope by determining which time periods, transaction types, and vendors will be examined, typically focusing on high-value transactions or specific risk areas you’ve already identified. Gather supporting documentation including vendor contracts, payment policies, approval hierarchies, and prior audit reports while notifying relevant staff about audit timing and requirements to ensure they’re available to assist, if needed.

Execution and testing

Begin fieldwork by testing a representative sample of transactions from invoice receipt through the payment being sent, verifying that proper approvals were obtained, supporting documentation exists, and payments align with contract terms and company policies. Assess internal controls by examining segregation of duties and other payment authorization procedures while looking for signs of potential fraud such as duplicate payments or unusual vendor relationships. Pay special attention to expense reconciliation procedures and reconciling bank statements to ensure all transactions are properly recorded and no unauthorized payments occurred.

Documentation and follow-up

Document all of your findings with examples and quantify the financial impact of any errors or control weaknesses discovered, organizing findings by severity level. Prepare a formal audit report that summarizes testing procedures, key findings, and include recommendations that address root causes rather than just symptoms of problems identified during the audit.

As a part of this process, schedule follow-up reviews to verify that recommended changes were implemented and are operating properly. Strong audit processes create accountability and demonstrate a commitment to proper financial controls and accurate reporting.

Advances in technology and changing business needs are changing how companies manage their accounts payable. These trends are reshaping AP and allowing it to become an asset that supports better decision-making and cash flow management.

AP automation and AI

Businesses are adopting AP automation software into their financial stacks to eliminate manual invoice entry, reduce approval delays, and improve accuracy. Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can now extract data from invoices with near-perfect accuracy, automatically route invoices based on predefined rules, and flag inconsistencies that require human attention. The best AP automation software solutions are making AP processing faster, more accurate, and less dependent on manual intervention while providing real-time visibility into spending and payments.

Cloud-based platforms and scalability

Cloud-based AP software allows your team to access the platform from anywhere, giving your business continuity with a distributed workforce. Beyond that, cloud-based software provides scalability that grows with business needs without requiring new software installations or infrastructure investments. This flexibility supports more agile business operations that can handle increased transaction volumes and additional users seamlessly, making it easier for growing companies to expand their AP capabilities without the traditional constraints of on-premise software limitations.

Integration with procurement and ERP

The best accounts payable software solutions integrate seamlessly with procurement process workflows and enterprise resource planning platforms (ERP) to create end-to-end procure-to-pay automation. ERP integration eliminates duplicate data entry, ensures real-time synchronization of financial records, and provides comprehensive visibility into the entire purchasing and payment cycle. This connectivity helps CFOs monitor liabilities accurately while supporting better forecasting and cash flow management decisions.

Enhanced security measures

Security has become central to AP strategy as companies face increasing cyber threats. Advanced AP platforms implement multi-layered security including role-based access controls, encryption of sensitive data, and AI-powered fraud detection that can identify suspicious patterns in vendor payments. Business credit cards and virtual payment methods provide additional security benefits by creating unique transaction identifiers and embedding spend controls.

Analytics and data-driven insights

Sophisticated analytics capabilities are allowing AP data to support better vendor negotiations, cash flow optimization, and budget planning. Modern platforms provide real-time dashboards showing spend patterns, vendor performance metrics, and payment timing analysis that helps finance teams make data-driven decisions. Accounting automation benefits extend past processing efficiency to include predictive insights that help companies optimize working capital and identify cost-saving opportunities across their supplier base.

Optimized accounts payable management is a strategic capability that boosts efficiency across your business. The challenges facing AP departments, including manual processes, late payments, poor visibility, and security risks, have clear solutions through best practices, automation, and process improvements.

Companies implementing structured AP management can see dramatic improvements in processing efficiency, cost reduction, and compliance while building stronger vendor partnerships that support business growth. The trends shaping AP management, including AI-powered automation, cloud-based platforms, and advanced analytics, are making these benefits more accessible to organizations of all sizes.

Brex allows businesses to transform their accounts payable processes with its comprehensive bill pay platform. Brex's AP automation capabilities eliminate manual invoice processing, streamline approval workflows, and provide real-time visibility into payment obligations while maintaining the security and controls that CFOs require. The platform also integrates seamlessly with existing accounting and expense management software, creating a unified financial management experience that scales with business growth.

This scalability extends across Brex's complete spend management software solution, which connects accounts payable with corporate cards, expense management, and financial reporting in a single interface. This integration provides visibility into all company cash flow while automating compliance requirements and reducing administrative overhead. Finance teams using Brex often see improvements in processing efficiency, cost control, and decision-making capabilities that support accelerated business growth.

That was the case for Empire Portfolio Group, franchisee of Orangetheory Fitness. Before Brex, Empire Portfolio Group had a fragmented financial stack that made it difficult to track spending. Since this solution was holding the business back, they switched to Brex for a unified spend management solution that would allow them to move faster.

“With Brex, we’ve seen a huge shift in accounts payable from being a back-office data entry function to a powerhouse of information that creates a decision-maker and stakeholder,” Tiffany Miller, Director of Accounts Payable at Empire Portfolio Group, said. “Because we’re able to see spending at such a granular level, we’re able to benchmark our studio locations against one another and truly understand the cost of running the most efficient studio.”

Schedule a demo today to see how Brex’s AP automation software can help you work smarter, not harder.