Did you ever notice how many SMB finance teams are still manually rekeying invoices into their ERP, even when they’ve started investing in tools? That one habit alone slows down AP efficiency, increases errors, and makes it almost impossible to get real-time visibility into cash flow.
In a recent Quadient webinar, finance and technology experts came together to unpack how ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) connectors, combined with modern AP automation software, can completely change the way Accounts Payable works.
Instead of treating AP automation as a “nice-to-have,” the session made a clear case for why ERP-connected AP automation is now essential for small and mid-size businesses (SMBs). From real customer stories to hard metrics on time and cost savings, the conversation focused on one goal: giving AP and finance teams a practical way to move away from manual processes and toward a connected, automated future.
In this article we will walk you through:
- Why ERP connectors matter for AP?
- What actually changes when you move from manual to automated?
- Real customer stories that show ERP-connected AP in action.
Why ERP Connectors Matter for AP
ERP connectors are prebuilt integrations that link your ERP system with your AP automation software and other business applications. In simple terms, they let your tools “talk” to each other and keep data in sync.
Smaller businesses often assume these integrations are only for large enterprises. In reality, ERP connectors help SMBs operate with the efficiency, visibility, and control of a much bigger organization without taking on enterprise-level complexity or cost.
Without ERP integration, AP teams are stuck in manual mode:
- Rekeying invoice data into the ERP
- Manually updating vendor records and GL codes
- Chasing approvals via email and PDFs
- Trying to match POs, invoices, and receipts by hand
Every one of those steps adds friction: more errors, more rework, more delays, and far less visibility into what’s really going on with cash flow.
With ERP-connected AP automation in place, the experience looks very different:
- Invoice data flows directly into your ERP from the AP platform
- Coding and validation rules are applied automatically
- Approvals follow clear, rules-based workflows
- Vendor master data stays consistent across systems
- Audit trails are built in, not bolted on
In other words, ERP connectors help you do more with a leaner AP team and do it with greater accuracy and control.
Manual AP vs Automated AP: What Actually Changes?
The webinar broke the AP journey into two simple views: life before automation and life after ERP-connected automation.
The Reality of Manual AP
Most teams that are still largely manual recognized themselves in this picture:
- Slow approvals
Invoices are printed, emailed, or saved as PDFs and sent around for signatures. Approvers are out of the office, emails get buried, and “urgent” invoices sit for days.
- Error-prone data entry
Rekeying invoice details into the ERP invites typos, duplicate entries, and accidental changes to coding or amounts.
- Fragmented records
Pieces of the process live in shared drives, inboxes, paper folders, and spreadsheets. Month-end audits turn into scavenger hunts.
- Surprising cash flow issues
With limited visibility into pending invoices and approvals, it’s hard to forecast accurately. Discounts are missed; late fees quietly pile up.
As one speaker puts it, in a manual process, “everything you think should happen doesn’t always happen” and it can bog down the entire finance operation.
What Connected AP Automation Adds
Modern invoice processing automation doesn’t just “speed things up.” It redesigns the flow around your ERP as the single source of truth:
- Invoice capture
Intelligent OCR and AI-powered data extraction pull invoice details into the AP platform automatically, eliminating the need to key in data.
- Validation and matching
Vendor master data, GL codes, POs, and tax rules are checked automatically for mismatches or errors before anything reaches the ERP.
- Approval workflows
Rules-based routing sends invoices to the right approvers based on thresholds, departments, or locations. Reminders and escalations kick in automatically.
- Centralized visibility
All invoices, statuses, and approval trails live in one place no more digging through inboxes or asking, “Who has this invoice?”
- Audit-ready records
Time-stamped logs of every action mean audit prep is no longer a fire drill or a paper-heavy chore.
The key takeaway is by moving from manual to automated and making the ERP the system of record supported by a modern AP platform teams can cut invoice processing time dramatically and free AP staff to focus on higher-value work instead of endless chasing and keying.
Real-World AP Wins: Two Customer Stories
Mission Construction was living the classic manual nightmare: “We used to print off invoices and walk them around the office for signatures.”
The result?
- Approvals were slow and inconsistent
- Vendor relationships were at risk
- Duplicate payments and errors were common
After implementing an AP automation solution integrated with QuickBooks:
- Approvals became centralized and trackable
- Processing time plummeted: 30 invoices could be reviewed in minutes
- A single AP team member now spends less than five hours per week on coding
That shift didn’t just save time; it completely changed how AP fit into the business. Instead of being a bottleneck, AP became a streamlined support function.
GoSecure: Turning Audit Pain into Audit Confidence
GoSecure’s pain point was clear: audits and month-end were eating up far too much time.
- Searching for a single invoice could take 15 minutes
- Multiple approval channels created confusion and delays
- Payment holdups caused tension with vendors
After centralizing all AP data into one automation platform and integrating it with their core systems:
- Invoice searches dropped from minutes to seconds
- Month-end closing sped up by three business days
- Approvals and audit trails became transparent and easy to follow
The impact was felt not just inside the finance team, but across the business: vendors were paid on time, finance leaders could trust their numbers, and audits became manageable instead of overwhelming.
Turn Connected AP from Idea to Action
Modern AP teams don’t need more spreadsheets, emails, or workarounds; they need systems that talk to each other and keep the ERP at the center. That’s what ERP connectors unlock. When your AP automation software is tightly integrated with your ERP, invoice data moves cleanly, approvals stay on track, and your team finally has the time and visibility to focus on decisions, not data entry.
If you’re seeing your own process in the stories from Mission Construction or GoSecure, this is a good moment to ask: What would this look like for us? The fastest way to answer that is to see it in action.
Book a personalized demo with Quadient to:
- Walk through how invoices flow from capture to ERP with minimal manual touch
- See how ERP connectors keep your vendor, coding, and approval data in sync
- Get a realistic view of the time and cost savings for your AP team
To know more and understand about what ROI to expect from AP automation, the key questions to ask vendors about ERP connectors, and what to look for in a live demo read the article how to evaluate and implement ERP-connected AP automation so you can confidently evaluate your options and build a smarter, more scalable AP operation.
