We're not really "bleeding edge" people. Whenever a new version of one of our favorite tools comes along, we rarely update immediately. We let others suffer the "new release blues" for a month or three and then make the move once we are convinced that the release is stable and offers functionality that we want and need. Even then, Jon generally acts as the company's designated guinea pig, boldly going where Susan fears to tread. She takes the approach that when Jon has stopped swearing at something (yes, he does occasionally use words like "bother" as hard as that may be to believe) for three or four months, then it is probably safe for her to upgrade too.
The cost-savings that can be realized by going paperless in A/P make electronic solutions compelling to companies that want to trim the bottom line.
Written by Mike Rooney
Editor's note: This article introduces the white paper "Paperless Accounts Payable—Streamlining the Purchase-to-Pay Process," which is available for free download from the MC Press White Paper Center.
At the 30-thousand-foot level, Accounts Payable looks trivial: an invoice comes in and a check is sent out. However, the details are never that simple. As it happens with most processes, A/P is bound by paper, including invoices, receiving documents, purchase orders, the actual checks, and a myriad of other reports, statements, and more that permeate the company and eventually make their way to A/P's filing cabinet. A/P is often seen as a non-core function as it doesn't generate revenue (quite the contrary, it sends out cash); it doesn't make, market, or sell products, and it doesn't directly impact customer satisfaction.
Written by Jon Paris and Susan Gantner
Written by Mike Rooney