Automated invoicing costs 40–90% less than manual, paper-based AP processes. How much does your company waste managing vendor invoices the old way?
AP departments struggle to manage vendor invoices efficiently. There are compliance regulations, different invoicing methods and approvals, and still-tedious, error-prone manual data entry.
But invoice processing isn’t a headache with the right vendor invoice management system.
Let’s evaluate the top five vendor invoice management systems ranked by:
- Best features.
- Use cases.
- Pricing.
TL;DR
The right vendor invoice management system automates your financial operations, plugs into existing tools, reduces errors, and puts insights in full view. It’s also user-friendly, cost-effective, scales with you as you grow, and offers custom support.
How to choose invoice management software.
Different vendor invoice software platforms provide different functionality. Look for these features to find an invoice management software solution that fits your business needs:
- Automation
- Integration
- Cost
- Scalability
Automation capabilities.
Automation is the primary feature to look for in an invoice processing solution. Make sure your AP automation software includes tools like:
- Optical character recognition (OCR) technology.
- Customizable approval workflows.
- Automated detection of duplicate invoices.
- Two-way and/or three-way invoice matching.
Integration features.
Integrating your invoice management system with your ERP system and other financial and procurement software is a must. Look for APIs (codes that permit two applications to talk to each other) that plug your invoice management system into your other applications. This minimizes manual data entry and ensures financial accuracy and audit readiness.
User-friendliness and customer support.
The best accounts payable software is useless if nobody knows how to actually use it, so the first thing to look for is an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. Second to that, a smooth onboarding process is crucial to adoption: 52% of new users will give up on software within the first three months without proper training and support. So prioritize features like:
- Intuitive dashboards (user-friendliness).
- Custom reports.
- Streamlined approval processes.
- Bird’s eye and granular visibility.
- Training and support.
Your provider should work with you to integrate the solution into your current ecosystem and train new users. They should also offer comprehensive and timely customer support to address any issues or questions.
Cost-efficiency.
It would be counterproductive to take the money you save with an efficient accounts payable process and feed it back into your AP software! Affordability is an important factor. Consider the total cost of ownership, including:
- Subscription fees.
- Implementation costs.
- Training costs.
- Ongoing maintenance or seat increase costs.
Aim for a healthy balance between cost savings and powerful features. Look for solutions that help you negotiate better terms with vendors and take advantage of early payment discounts.
Scalability.
You don’t want a solution that you’ll outgrow in a few years, so look for AP automation software that’s powered by machine learning (ML) and will easily scale with your business. It should support an extensive number of vendors and handle complex financial processes and AP workflows.
Top 5 vendor invoice management solutions for 2024.
Keeping those features in mind, let’s look at a curated list of the top five solutions available today. We carefully selected these best-in-class platforms based on their features, value, performance, and customer satisfaction.
Airbase.
Airbase is a comprehensive procure-to-pay spend management platform that excels at invoice management. It automates the entire invoice processing workflow, from invoice capture to approval to payment processing, and integrates seamlessly with the accounting systems and business tools you use every day. The result is a process that maintains the context for all invoices by linking them in the system to all approval workflows, documentation, correspondence, and booking information.
The platform’s supplier self-service portal simplifies vendor management and compliance, while automated three-way invoice matching ensures payment and reporting accuracy. Stakeholders see invoice status at a glance and gain proactive control with real-time insights into cash flow and financial health.
Powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Airbase scales effortlessly to accommodate business growth and provides full visibility into accounts payable processes, financial status, and cash flow. It’s an ideal solution for fast-growing and mid-market businesses.
Key features:
- OCR technology for automated invoice capture and data extraction from digital or paper invoices.
- Customizable invoice approval workflows.
- Real-time spend insights and analytics.
- Seamless integrations with 70+ ERPs.
- Powerful security features for regulatory compliance and data protection.
- Automated three-way invoice matching for unparalleled accuracy.
- User-friendly self-service portal for effortless vendor management.
Pricing:
Airbase offers custom quotes based on your business size and needs. Contact Airbase for a free demo and quote.
Guided Procurement Tour
Explore our automated procurement workflows in the Guided Procurement tour.
ProcureDesk.
ProcureDesk is a user-friendly vendor invoice management system designed to simplify and optimize the procurement process. It automates invoice receipt and capture and provides a centralized repository for all vendor invoices.
The platform’s focus on ease of use and affordability makes it a great option for smaller businesses. Its comprehensive features ensure efficient invoice management without breaking the bank.
Key features:
- Automated invoice capture and approval workflows.
- Integration with popular accounting software.
- Spend management and reporting tools.
- Supplier management features.
- User-friendly interface.
Pricing:
Contact ProcureDesk for details on their flexible pricing plans.
SAP Concur.
SAP Concur’s invoice management software is part of its larger financial management suite. It’s designed primarily for large enterprises looking for a comprehensive solution that integrates with their existing SAP ecosystem and keeps them aligned with AP automation best practices.
While it offers a wealth of powerful features, it may be cost-prohibitive or unnecessary for small and mid-sized businesses. But its easy scalability, robust features, and seamless integration capabilities make it an excellent choice for large organizations.
Key features:
- End-to-end invoice processing automation.
- Integration with SAP ERP and other SAP solutions.
- Advanced analytics and reporting.
- Compliance with global regulations.
- Customizable workflows.
Pricing:
SAP Concur offers custom quotes available on request.
Stampli.
Stampli focuses on enhancing collaboration and communication around vendor invoices. Its AI-powered platform simplifies invoice processing and approval, making it a popular choice among businesses of all sizes.
Stampli’s collaborative features and AI capabilities enhance AP department efficiency and invoice management accuracy, while its intuitive interface ensures a smooth user experience. And with Stampli’s centralized platform for all things AP, finance teams stay organized and gain greater visibility.
Key features:
- AI-driven invoice capture and coding.
- Collaborative invoice approval workflows.
- Integration with leading ERP and accounting systems.
- Real-time tracking and reporting.
- Mobile app for on-the-go approvals.
Pricing:
Stampli offers custom pricing based on the volume of invoices processed.
Zycus.
Zycus provides a holistic invoice management solution as part of its suite of procurement tools. It leverages AI and machine learning to streamline invoice processing and approvals for better accuracy and compliance with vendor contracts and regulatory requirements.
The platform’s advanced AI capabilities and comprehensive features make it a valuable solution for enterprises looking to modernize their invoice management processes. However, since invoice management is just a part of its overall platform, it may be too complex or costly for smaller businesses.
Key features:
- AI-powered invoice capture and processing.
- Integrations with major ERPs.
- Advanced analytics and reporting.
- Supplier collaboration portal.
- Compliance and risk management tools.
Pricing:
Zycus offers custom pricing based on your business needs.
With its powerful, cutting-edge features and intuitive interface, Airbase transforms your financial processes into streamlined, optimized workflows.
Give your AP department the best invoice management software.
Imagine what your accounts payable department could do if:
- Invoices processed themselves.
- Errors were a thing of the past.
- Suppliers could manage their own details.
- Your payment processes were completely optimized.
Your AP team would have a lot more time to focus on strategic initiatives rather than tedious manual tasks. That’s what you get with an automated vendor invoice management solution.
Airbase comes with built-in, cutting-edge features and an intuitive user interface (UI) that, together, make for a great user experience (UX). It transforms your financial processes into streamlined, optimized workflows. From AI-driven invoice data capture and compliance to seamless payment approvals, Airbase elevates every part of your financial operations.
But don’t take our word for it — schedule a demo today and see how Airbase revolutionizes your invoice management.
FAQ.
Still have questions about invoice management and accounts payable automation? Check out these common questions and answers.
What is an invoice management system?
An invoice management system is a software solution designed to manage the receipt, approval, and audit of vendor payments and invoices. It automates the invoice processing workflow, reducing manual tasks and minimizing errors.
How does invoice management software improve efficiency?
Invoice management platforms:
- Automatically capture invoice data and process invoices.
- Streamline invoice approvals.
- Provide real-time tracking and reporting.
- Alert you to duplicate payments and other anomalies.
This reduces the time and effort required for invoice processing and helps prevent errors.
What features should I look for in a vendor invoice management system?
Look for features like:
- Automated invoice processing and data capture.
- Integrations with existing financial software.
- Seamless scaling.
- Cost-effectiveness and value.
- Comprehensive customer support.
- User-friendliness.