Accounts Payable Problem

A Medical Device Company spent over a year trying to implement AP automation through their financial institution. With limited IT availability the company was forced to alter its business rules in order to accommodate the rigid structure of the bank’s invoice processing requirements and inflexible approval routing. The implementation failed after significant human and capital resource expenditure.

Solution

OnCourse provided a two-phase solution. First: OnCourse assumed responsibility for all front-end processing, capturing the required data and verifying accuracy from PO and Vendor databases, while protecting confidential information as required by corporate policy and HIPPA laws. Second: The resulting files were made available via a flexible invoice approval route that was configured to the company’s existing business rules. Utilizing FileBound Document Management Software, the invoices were routed for approval, GL coding was applied, an audit trail with escalations was created, and the approval loop completed with ERP integration. 

Outcomes

  • Instead of routing approvals through undocumented e-mail, invoices are delivered electronically with tracking and escalation capabilities
  • Invoices are available for viewing and approval by authorized users anywhere.
  • The approval cycle is documented, faster, and controlled
  • Invoice status tracked from the minute the invoice is uploaded.
  • Automatic re-routing of misdirected invoices to the correct business unit.
  • Vendor e-mail notification available for all invalid invoices.

Process Overview

  • Customer programed existing AP invoice e-mail address to auto-forward to dedicated OnCourse e-mail address.
  • OnCourse receives e-mails, attachments extracted from e-mail, split into single invoices, and converted to PDF format
  • Required fields indexed and verified via customer databases
  • Invoices are visible in FileBound Workflow/Archive software within 24 hours
  • Data file formatted to ERP specifications and output to ERP 

Advantages

  • Elimination of keying invoices by AP staff
  • Vouchering (manual 3-way matching by AP team) now automated
  • Documented approval workflow configured to business rules
  • Enterprise-wide permission-based access to invoices
  • Searchable archive – no more filing; no lost or missing invoices
  • Invoice retrieval for sales tax audits take minutes instead of days