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Introduction: The Illusion of Small Tasks In accounts payable, where high-volume operations are the norm, individual tasks often go unquestioned. Five minutes spent manually processing an invoice may appear trivial—until one calculates the cumulative effect across an enterprise. Time, when unmeasured, becomes the most expensive oversight.
Month-end close has long been a strain on finance departments—especially for Accounts Payable (AP) teams buried under manual processes. For enterprises managing complex procurement across distributed systems, the pressure intensifies. Time, accuracy, and control collide in the final days of every month. And too often, AP professionals are left scrambling to meet deadlines while navigating outdated workflows.
The Leadership Challenge Behind AP Automation While the market frequently focuses on the capabilities of AP automation platforms, far less attention is given to the realities of managing the people expected to use them. The 2025 Accounts Payable Leadership Priorities Report underscores a persistent concern among financial leaders: teaching teams how to adapt to new tools often proves more difficult than selecting the tools themselves.
As companies expand, finance teams are often asked to process more transactions without a proportional increase in staff or resources. For accounts payable (AP) departments, this challenge presents a critical question: how can volume grow without compromising timeliness, accuracy, or oversight?
In conversations with our Account Managers, one theme continues to emerge: high-performing AP teams are focused on results that are measurable and repeatable. These teams aren’t just looking to automate for automation’s sake—they’re aiming to hit specific operational benchmarks that deliver tangible business value. From quality metrics to time and cost savings, the bar for what "good" looks like in accounts payable has never been clearer.
In many enterprise organizations, accounts payable has long been seen as a quiet, operational function — efficient, reliable, and often overlooked. But that perception is changing. Leading finance teams are beginning to recognize AP not just as a transactional necessity, but as a strategic asset. With the right systems in place, AP becomes a source of real-time financial insight, operational resilience, and cross-functional agility.
In recent years, the finance function in higher education has quietly become one of the most operationally strained areas across institutions. Behind the scenes, accounts payable (AP) teams are managing increasing volumes of invoices, dispersed across departments, campuses, and sometimes even continents — all while working with outdated systems and lean staffing models.
The Legacy Automation Problem Enterprise finance has outpaced the platforms built to support it. Automation was supposed to simplify invoice processing — faster approvals, fewer errors, cleaner workflows. But for many organizations, it’s introduced a different kind of inefficiency. Most AP automation tools are built on fixed templates, rigid routing paths, and logic that assumes your business will operate the same way tomorrow as it does today.
Discover what senior finance leaders really want from AP automation in 2025. Based on new market research, this blog explores why most solutions fall short—and how Ascend delivers the seamless integration, ROI clarity, and intelligent automation they’re asking for.
Inconsistent Formats, Unstructured Data Invoices show up in every format imaginable PDFs, scanned paper, email attachments, structured EDI, you name it. And most of them are anything but standardized. Supplier invoices often vary wildly in layout, content, or even quality.
For accounts payable teams under pressure to scale operations, reduce costs, and deliver real-time insights to the business, the metrics that matter most are evolving.
Discover how AI can enhance control, accuracy, and efficiency in finance operationsnot replace them. Learn how Ascend uses AI to scale best practices, reduce manual work, and build trust in automation for AP and finance teams.
As finance teams evolve, the way they approach accounts payable (AP) automation is shiftingfrom standalone tools to integrated strategies. In Workday environments, this shift is even more pronounced. Choosing the right AP automation path isnt just about software features; its about making ecosystem-aligned decisions that elevate performance without complicating your tech stack.
In a space filled with buzzwords like "intelligent automation" and "AI-powered workflows," it's easy to lose sight of what actually makes great software workespecially in enterprise environments with massive invoice volume, strict compliance needs, and cross-departmental complexity.
Why Adaptability Is the Future of Enterprise AP In todays enterprise finance environment, automation is everywherebut true intelligence is rare. For many organizations, the promise of AP automation still comes with a caveat: reconfigure your processes, retrain your team, and rebuild your data structures to match the limits of your software.
As digital finance operations evolve, so do the risks associated with payment fraud. Tactics like check fraud, phishing emails, and vendor impersonation continue to impact organizations of all sizes. Managing those risks requires more than reactive measures it requires a system built with prevention in mind.
Ascend Software has rolled out a powerful enhancement to its AP automation platformdesigned specifically to help nonprofit and healthcare organizations gain full control over their grant-funded expenses. With expanded integration capabilities now supporting a broader set of grant data from Workday, finance teams can ensure that all grant fundingregardless of classificationis accurately captured, tracked, and reported.
In the world of document processing, youve probably heard about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR). They both play essential roles in digitizing information, but theyre far from the same thing. Lets break down what each does, why they matter, and how theyre changing the game for accounts payable automation.
Workday reporting is essential to allow organizations to successfully analyze HR, financial, and operational data. However, sometimes reports fail to display accurate or complete data, causing inefficiencies and decision-making challenges. Regardless of whether filters are not applied, data is missing, or calculations are incorrect, the issues may be due to data access restrictions, report options improperly configured, or variable report design.
If your finance team is overwhelmed with invoices, constantly chasing approvals, and dealing with late payments, youre not alone. According to Ardent Partners State of ePayables Report, nearly 60% of businesses still rely on manual AP processes, leading to unnecessary delays, missed discounts, and compliance risks.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzwordits fundamentally reshaping the way businesses operate. Workday, a leader in enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR, is doubling down on Generative AI (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) to streamline processes, reduce manual work, and empower employees to focus on high-value tasks.
Managing finances is a critical part of running any business, but supplier payments often dont get the attention they deserve. For many companies, the process is still manual, filled with repetitive tasks like cutting checks or reconciling invoices. Not only is this time-consuming, but its also expensive and prone to mistakes that can delay payments or strain vendor relationships.
The world of finance and accounts payable (AP) is buzzing with innovation, and 2025 is shaping up to be the year of transformative trends. If youre looking to optimize your AP process and stay ahead of the curve, these are the top trends you need on your radar. (Spoiler: AP automation is a star player!
OCR Technology: A Great Start for AP Efficiency As businesses look to modernize their accounts payable (AP) operations, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has become an important tool for streamlining invoice processing. Solutions like Workdays Supplier Invoice Automation (SIA) leverage OCR to extract invoice data, reduce manual data entry, and speed up workflowsan excellent first step for many organizations.
As governments worldwide move toward mandatory electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) systems, businesses are facing a new challenge: adapting their processes to comply with these regulations. At Ascend, we believe that while the transition to e-invoicing may seem daunting, it presents a significant opportunity for businesses to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve financial accuracy.
Accounts payable (AP) automation has the potential to revolutionize financial operations, driving efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings. However, despite the many advantages of automating AP processes, not all implementations are successful. Several factors can cause AP automation solutions to fail or fall short of expectations. Understanding these common challenges can help organizations avoid costly mistakes and ensure a smoother, more effective transition to automated AP.
Change doesn’t come easy, and this can be particularly true for Accounts Payable teams that are considering an a new software solution. After building our business around Accounts Payable Automation since 1997, we’ve heard from many customers and prospects alike who are understandably apprehensive about expanding their existing tech stack outside of Workday.
Ascend Software, a certified Workday Financial Management partner and leading innovator in Accounts Payable Automation, is launching its latest offering, Ascend Payments. This new feature enables businesses to streamline payment processes, enhance operational efficiency, unlock significant cost savings, and turn supplier payments into revenue-generating opportunities.
In today's digital era, businesses are constantly seeking ways to boost their operational efficiency and streamline complex processes. One pivotal area that stands out for potential optimization is the Accounts Payable (AP) department. Traditionally bogged down by manual, paper-based tasks, the AP process can be a significant drain on resources and time.
In recent years, there has been a significant reduction in government funding for healthcare. This has had a major impact on healthcare companies, who are now facing increased financial pressures.
Accounts Payable (AP) automation is revolutionizing the way businesses manage their invoice and payment processes. By replacing manual tasks with automated systems, AP automation can generate significant cost savings and efficiency improvements. But what do these savings look like in real terms? This blog post delves into the research and survey data to provide a comprehensive picture of the cost benefits of AP automation.
In the realm of financial operations, accounts payable holds a crucial role. However, it is not without its fair share of challenges. Managing invoices, payments, and vendor relationships can be a complex and labor-intensive process, prone to various pains that hinder efficiency and accuracy. In this blog, we will explore the top pains of accounts payable and discuss strategies to overcome them.
Investing in an Accounts Payable (AP) automation solution can dramatically streamline your business operations, reduce costs, and improve accuracy. However, with a myriad of options available, choosing the right solution can be daunting. This blog will delve into the top features you should consider to ensure you select a solution that aligns with your enterprise's needs.
In the world of business, understanding your expenditures is crucial. One of the costs that can often fly under the radar is the price of processing a purchase order (PO). While it might seem like a negligible expense, it's important to remember that small costs add up, especially when you're dealing with a high volume of orders. In this blog post, we'll break down the average cost of processing a purchase order and discuss strategies for reducing it.
Invoicing is an essential aspect of any business, and it is vital to have a good understanding of the key invoice terms to ensure accurate billing and timely payment. Here are the top invoice terms that every business owner or freelancer should know.
For businesses that rely on manual invoice and payment processing, the cost savings and efficiency gains of implementing an automation solution can be significant. By automating AP processes, companies can reduce time spent on manual processing and processing costs, while improving accuracy and reducing the risk of errors.
As a critical function of any business, Accounts Payable (AP) is responsible for managing the company's financial obligations to its vendors, suppliers, and creditors. Whether you are a seasoned accounting professional or a new entrant into the field, understanding the terminology associated with AP is essential. We have compiled a comprehensive glossary of Accounts Payable terms to help you navigate this critical area of business finance.
Accounts payable departments are an essential part of any organization, ensuring that suppliers and vendors are paid accurately and on time. However, the traditional paper-based invoice processing method is prone to errors, delays, and high costs, making it inefficient and time-consuming. Fortunately, advancements in technology have led to the development of automated AP workflow solutions that can streamline the accounts payable process and eliminate the need for manual intervention.
The world of accounts payable (AP) is undergoing a significant transformation, with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies playing a crucial role in this evolution. Cutting-edge technologies are reshaping accounts payable automation. We will discuss intelligent invoice processing, AP workflow automation, and AI-driven AP solutions.
Struggling with time-consuming and inefficient accounts payable processes in your healthcare organization? Dive into this comprehensive blog post to learn how healthcare AP automation can help streamline invoice processing, reduce costs, and enhance patient care, offering valuable solutions to your AP challenges. Choosing the right solution can provide performance similar to that of OU Health.
Managing the accounts payable process is a crucial aspect of any organization's financial management. With a well-structured and efficient system, businesses can improve their cash flow, maintain better relationships with suppliers, and optimize their financial processes.
In today's fast-paced business environment, companies are constantly seeking ways to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and stay competitive. One area where businesses can make significant improvements is in their accounts payable (AP) processes, and automated invoice processing is at the forefront of this transformation.
Ascend AP Automation, a Workday Select Partner for AP Automation and leading provider of accounts payable automation solutions, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Stormloop Technologies, a consulting firm specializing in Workday Financial Management. The partnership aims to help Workday Financial Management customers optimize and streamline their ERP processes through the use of Ascend AP Automation's cutting-edge technology and Stormloop Technologies' expert consultancy services.
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