# What is accounts payable automation software?
Accounts payable (AP) automation software digitizes and automates the entire invoice-to-pay process. It handles: invoice receipt (email, EDI, portal, mobile), data capture and extraction, validation and matching, workflow routing, approval management, payment processing (ACH, wire, virtual cards, checks), vendor management, reporting and analytics, and compliance management. AP automation reduces manual work by 80%, cuts processing costs from $15-20 per invoice to $2-5, speeds up approval cycles from weeks to days, improves accuracy to 99%+, provides real-time visibility into cash flow, and enables strategic vendor management. Solutions range from standalone AP automation tools to modules within larger ERP systems. Cloud-based solutions offer faster deployment and lower upfront costs.
## Key Takeaways
- Accounts payable (AP) automation software digitizes and automates the entire invoice-to-pay process.
- It handles: invoice receipt (email, EDI, portal, mobile), data capture and extraction, validation and matching, workflow routing, approval management, payment processing (ACH, wire, virtual cards, checks), vendor management, reporting and analytics, and compliance management.
- AP automation reduces manual work by 80%, cuts processing costs from $15-20 per invoice to $2-5, speeds up approval cycles from weeks to days, improves accuracy to 99%+, provides real-time visibility into cash flow, and enables strategic vendor management.
## Related Topics
- AP automation
- accounts payable automation
- AP software
- invoice automation platform