Common challenges that staff of an average AP department usually faces when dealing with invoices:

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• If post mail is used, so much time spent in opening invoices and putting invoices in piles for processing

• Implementing Scanning features helps, but a clerk still needs to process and enter each invoice

• Even for straightforward invoices, it just takes time to find the PO, visually match the invoice to it, and verify the item or service was actually received

• When there is no PO, it can take a lot of research to find out who ordered whatever it is we’re being charged for

• Even when there is a PO, it often takes days or even weeks of emails and calls to find out if the person who made the purchase has received what’s been invoiced

• We have to admit that we sometimes just go ahead and pay some invoices without ever getting firm confirmation that they were valid – we just don’t have the time to run every single invoice down

• We spend a lot of time answering calls and emails from suppliers asking for the status of their invoice

• When there are discrepancies, it takes a lot of time and effort to gather what paperwork we have, get it to the buyer and supplier, and resolve the issue