Invoice Automation:
The Future Starts Today
Take a look at your company’s invoice and payment process. Has it been a bit… slow or getting stuck somewhere lately? According to CFO, 53% of financial and accounting leaders say they’ve wasted time on repetitive tasks simply due to a lack of automation. As a result, it severely harms the productivity of the business.
Does this scenario sound familiar to your company? If it does, don’t worry too much. In this article, we’ll provide insights on the benefits and misconceptions about invoice automation. This way, you’ll better understand how to make a breakthrough change. Luckily, you don’t have to wait for the distant future to fix this; you can start right now with small changes in your decisions.
Invoice Automation – What Does Touchless Operation Look Like?
Invoice automation is the method of using technology to automate and streamline the entire invoice processing workflow. Simply put, this is a way for accountants to delegate repetitive tasks to machines. Surprisingly, almost the entire invoice process from A to Z doesn’t require manual data entry. It includes streamlining processes from receipt, validation, approval to invoice payment. Any business that processes purchase invoices needs this type of invoice processing workflow. Some industries already effectively apply automation, including retail, food distribution, restaurants, beverage chains, and logistics.
The invoice automation process works as follows: an invoice is sent to the email or system => it is automatically processed => and then entered into the internal accounting system without any manual intervention. Here are the steps of the manual process:
Although automated invoice processing is not too complicated, many people often confuse it with electronic invoicing (e-invoice). In fact, an e-invoice is simply a digital version of a paper invoice. It’s created and stored in the cloud rather than on paper, as your business may still be doing. While e-invoices are convenient, they still require accountants to manually handle them. On the other hand, invoice automation is a more advanced step where everything is done automatically from reading information, classifying invoices to processing payments, without heavy intervention from staff. So, don’t confuse them. Remember that an e-invoice is just one step automated invoice processing. To make it easy to remember, an e-invoice is like an “electric bike,” while invoice automation is like a “self-driving car!”
Benefits That Pay Back with Time and Cash
Faster Processing, No More Month-End Invoice Bottlenecks
For accountants, the most challenging time usually occurs at the end of the month or quarter. That’s when a large volume of invoices comes in at once, but the manual processing workflow can’t keep up. A small delay in one step can create a bottleneck that stops the entire system. Invoices pile up, and processing becomes rushed, leading the accounting team to always be in a “sprint mode.”Conversely, when a company adopts invoice automation, each step from receiving, checking, to storing is done three to five times faster than manual processing. Not only does it save time, but automation also significantly reduces errors and ensures smooth, on-time payment processing.And the best part? The image of accountants manually filtering through Excel files while sweating over deadlines will gradually disappear. Instead, there will be a streamlined, efficient process, allowing the business to maintain consistent productivity without relying on those end-of-month “sprints” anymore.
Reducing Errors, Increasing Accuracy and Transparency
When invoice automation is applied, robots have three advantages: “no forgetting, no fatigue, no neglecting tasks.” On the other hand, when humans do it, according to a survey by IFOL, the biggest challenge 51.4% of respondents had was entering data manually. It’s almost impossible to avoid mistakes, especially when dealing with hundreds or even thousands of invoices daily or weekly. The task of allocating which staff member approves each step, where to correct errors, and at what time automation handles all of that. Everything becomes transparent, and there’s no more uncertainty about who edited or is responsible for something.
No Lost or Missing Invoices
In manual invoice processing, losing a few invoices is almost inevitable. Sometimes they’re sent to the wrong email, stored in the wrong folder, or worse, forgotten somewhere until it’s too late to realize. According to a report from IFOL, up to 34.3% of accountants admit that managing too many paper documents is the second-biggest challenge in their accounts payable process. This is understandable because the more paperwork there is, the higher the chance of losing, misplacing, or delaying things.But here’s the good news: businesses don’t have to struggle with paper anymore. By implementing invoice automation, all data is consolidated into a secure, organized system. Each invoice is tracked from receipt to payment, so there’s no more “disappearing in the middle.” You also won’t have to dig through emails, search folders, or call the purchasing department just to verify a small invoice. Everything can be retrieved quickly, saving time, reducing pressure, and most importantly, making the accounting process run much smoother.
Fraud is Less Likely to Slip Through
Stories about “tweaking numbers,” adding unauthorized invoices, or approving information carelessly will no longer be easy to get away with. The invoice automation system logs every action and has clear permission settings. If an accountant wants to make changes to anything, it must be logged. This significantly reduces internal fraud, and you can rest assured that every penny spent has a clear reason no one can bypass the system.
Efficient Operation, Easily Scalable When Needed
When processes run smoothly, businesses no longer need extra staff just to input data or manually track invoices. This not only reduces the burden on the accounting department but also optimizes productivity while effectively controlling operational costs. According to a report by PYMNTS, 95% of businesses that implemented accounts payable automation confirmed that their system is much more accurate and efficient than before. In the future, as your business grows and invoice volumes increase, the automated system will continue to run well without needing constant upgrades or retraining staff. Just set it up properly from the start, and everything will run smoothly, automatically, accurately, saving both time and long-term costs.
Barriers and Misconceptions When Adopting Invoice Automation
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First: Fear of High Initial Costs
Many businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, think that invoice automation is an expensive investment, only suitable for large corporations with strong budgets. However, the technology business model has changed significantly. Automation platforms now offer flexible service packages based on a “pay-as-you-go” model. This allows businesses to only pay for the actual number of invoices processed each month. Additionally, many solutions offer phased implementation, so businesses can control initial costs and assess effectiveness before scaling. So, the fear of “high costs” is no longer a valid reason to delay your transformation.
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Second: Fear of Difficult System Integration
In addition to concerns about cost, there’s also the worry that adopting automation will disrupt existing systems, causing the accounting team to spend extra time adapting or having to change all the software in use. In reality, today’s invoice automation solutions are designed to integrate with accounting or ERP software such as SAP, Oracle, or even custom systems. This means businesses can implement automation step by step without disrupting current operations or overwhelming staff with sudden changes.
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Third: Fear of Losing Control and Data Leakage
When the system handles everything, CFOs may be concerned about losing visibility over invoice statuses and the increased risk of data leakage. However, the truth is quite the opposite. Automation platforms offer tighter control through audit logs. You can see who did what, at what time, and at what stage. Each invoice can be tracked and verified accurately. At the same time, data is protected with clear user permissions, minimizing the risks of manual errors, such as printing the wrong document, sending it to the wrong person, or losing information.
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Fourth: Fear of the Time and Complexity of Learning New Tools
Many accounting departments are accustomed to manual operations or traditional software, and some businesses hesitate to implement automation because they fear their accountants will have to learn too many new concepts, processes, and tools. However, with AFusion, we prioritize designing simple, user-friendly platforms that make the process fast and easy. The interface is intuitive, with clear instructions, and it can even integrate with your current processes, so users won’t have to completely change their familiar workflow.
Automation Is Not in the Future – It's in the Present
Automation is no longer a thing of the distant future, it’s something businesses must do today. From large corporations to small and medium enterprises, many organizations have implemented invoice automation to speed up processing time, save costs, and manage finances more effectively. According to The CFO, 79% of CFOs surveyed said that digitizing financial processes is their top priority for success.The competitive advantage in this era no longer lies just in product prices,
but also in processing speed and business transparency. Companies that allocate budgets correctly, maintain good control, and pay on time will easily gain the trust of their partners, while also helping their own business manage cash flow more stably.
Delaying even one day could mean missing an opportunity – contact AFusion today. We can help you just like we are helping our reputable, large-scale partners in the F&B industry. Don’t wait until everyone else has transformed to start following – because the success of tomorrow depends on how you handle your invoices today. With AFusion, we provide a leading RPA and IDP-based process for your accounts payable workflow.
Email: sales@afusion.ai
Address: 55-57 Bau Cat 4, Ward 14, Tan Binh, HCMC, Vietnam