{"id":23642,"date":"2023-05-08T06:11:52","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T06:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/?p=23642"},"modified":"2024-01-31T09:34:15","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T09:34:15","slug":"ap-automation-erp-integration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/blog\/ap-automation-erp-integration\/","title":{"rendered":"AP Automation &#8211; ERP Integration: How to Connect Two Apps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connecting your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/blog\/ap-automation-all-you-need-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AP automation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> software to your ERP system is possible, but the exact steps depend on your software and vendor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Happens When You Integrate Apps?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you input information from supplier invoices in more than one system? Entering data manually and reconciling payments between two or more systems means a higher risk of errors and mistakes. Connecting two apps &#8211; your AP tool and ERP system integration is one way to solve this problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accounting integration eliminates human error by allowing two applications to \u201ctalk\u201d to each other. Sharing data between your ERP system that collects and organizes information and your AP automation software makes data processing convenient since you can:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access the chart of accounts stored in your enterprise resource planning software from your AP automation tool. As a result, you know the expense categories you can use when you purchase a product or service<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forward invoice data entered on the accounts payable tool to your ERP system so you don\u2019t have to enter information from the same invoice twice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Update records if the customer pays through a linked payment gateway<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we dive into some examples of the steps for integrating an accounts payable automation solution into an ERP system, here\u2019s a primer on ERP integrations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Why Do You Have to Integrate Your ERP With an AP Automation Tool?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every accounting employee\u2019s day at work normally involves ping-ponging between applications, websites, email accounts, and communication tools. On an average day, your employee toggles 1,200 times between different apps and each switch takes about two seconds. In a year, time spent moving from one window to another adds up to about five working weeks.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[1]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toggling between apps reduces employee productivity &#8211; it\u2019s also physically and mentally taxing but problems don&#8217;t end there. When information lives in separate locations, finance teams can&#8217;t assess how the business is doing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integration between the ERP system and your AP automation tool doesn&#8217;t make the problem go away but plays a vital role in solving this problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23651\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23651\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23651 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-8.jpg\" alt=\"man rubbing eyes at work\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-8.jpg 800w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-8-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-8-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23651\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty Images by Canva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Benefits of Integrating an AP Automation Solution with Your ERP System<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accounting integration allows you to access a real-time view of your company\u2019s financial health. Decision makers, finance leaders, and accounting teams will have increased visibility into costs and expense patterns in an interconnected system.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saves time and labor hours by eliminating manual tasks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduces invoice processing cycles so you can take advantage of early payment discounts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gives you full visibility into pending invoices for better cash flow management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Makes it easy to review all invoices and catch errors and mistakes that could delay processing or lead to financial leaks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allows approvers to check details about invoices and request additional information if needed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports a hybrid work environment. AP departments can complete invoice processing even if approvers are travelling or out of the office.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enables a more efficient workflow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improves file management and makes it easy to access information required for an audit or review<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Do You Have to Use a Separate AP Automation System?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The short answer is no. But as your invoice volume increases, using an AP solution could be more cost-effective and efficient than adding people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most businesses maximize the use of their ERP system especially if it has an accounts payable module. However, your existing module may only have the bare minimum features.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re processing a few invoices, the system could work fine. But you won\u2019t stay as a small business forever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As your market grows, you\u2019ll need a better way to manage all supplier invoices your business receives. For instance, integrating AP automation solutions to ERP platforms will make instant data capture and automated invoice approvals possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ERP systems strive to be the all-in-one solution for businesses. However, many systems lack the robust features required to meet the needs for an effective and speedy invoice management process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Price is also the deciding factor for some organizations. Using a separate AP automation solution could be a more practical and affordable choice for your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23649\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23649\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23649 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-7.jpg\" alt=\"man working on computer\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-7.jpg 800w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-7-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-7-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23649\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty Images by Canva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><b>Do You Need Coding Knowledge to Integrate Apps?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It depends on the apps you have to link together. Most cloud-based apps allow users with no coding knowledge to complete the process themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some accounts payable apps allow you to connect to another app with a few clicks. You may also reach out to your vendor to see if they can assist you with connecting an ERP system that doesn\u2019t appear on their list of integrations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are using legacy systems or an older app, integration can be complicated and expensive. When this happens, companies often hire people to act as the glue between two unintegrated apps until they retire the old system.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>How AP to ERP System Integration Works<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your AP automation software integrates with ERP, fewer switches happen since you forward some information from one tool to another without leaving the platform.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s a guide on <\/span><b>how to integrate AP automation solutions from Envoice with two ERP systems.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central streamlines business processes by connecting operations with finance and sales. Using this ERP resulted in a 10% reduction in finance and hiring needs and a 162% ROI over three years. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[3]<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23647\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23647\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23647 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-4.jpg\" alt=\"Microsoft Dynamics\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-4.jpg 800w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-4-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23647\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Microsoft Dynamics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Integrate with Envoice<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Users have to integrate their Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud or on-premise account with the Envoice AP automation platform to extract and format supplier data and receipts properly. Integration also allows users to sync master data and transfer purchase posting data.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General Steps to Follow<\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On your Envoice account, choose Settings &gt; Integrations &gt; Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central&gt;Activate&gt;View the API Key<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authorize Envoice to access your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central account. Log in to your account and open the Envoice Integration Setup page.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter the API URL and API key and Enable data sync and downloading attachments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit this<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.envoice.eu\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360022393393\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">link<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for more detailed instructions. Contact customer support if you are using an on-premise version of Microsoft Dynamics 365.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directo<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directo creates solutions customized to your business needs. With an ERP system created to meet your requirements and keep up with changing technologies, you can continue updating your tools to support the needs of your organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23645\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23645\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23645 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-5.jpg\" alt=\"Directo\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-5.jpg 800w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-5-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23645\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Directo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0How to Integrate with Envoice<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directo users have to activate integration to share data between Envoice and Directo via secure API.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General Steps to Follow<\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Log in to your Envoice account. Go to Settings &gt; Integrations &gt; Directo&gt;Activate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the Directo Configuration Page check the API Key and API address<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open your Directo account and modify your settings using this<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.envoice.eu\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360014126859\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">document<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a guide.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>What are the challenges associated with ERP integration?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incompatible systems pose technical issues that make integration complex but there\u2019s an even bigger problem that happens after the integration happens\u2013bad data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data accuracy is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to ERP integration. Since 44% of transactional data in ERP systems are from parties outside the organization \u2013 banks, customers, suppliers, and carriers.[2]<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incorrect, incomplete, or outdated information fed into your ERP system could have compounded effects on your business. Companies that rely on manual data entry have higher risks of committing errors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integration Is Just a Part of a Bigger Solution<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23643 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-2.jpg\" alt=\"workers looking at digital tablet\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/envoice.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ap-automation-erp-integration-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getty Images by Canva<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integration aims to eliminate human error by pushing data directly from one system to another. However, this also means that the system that captures information from the source document \u2013 your invoice \u2013 needs to be accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pressure now lies in making sure information from the accounts payable automation solution is accurate and complete. Invest in a system that makes the best use of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/blog\/best-ocr-software-for-accounts-payable-and-invoice-processing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OCR<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, RPA, Machine Learning, and other AI tools to help your AP team detect and correct transactions before transmitting information to your ERP system.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Tame Data Through Intelligent Automation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Businesses and organizations recognize the need for ERP integration with intelligent tools like accounts payable automation. Creating connected systems while addressing data accuracy and reliability is an investment that could lead to better and more strategic decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deliver better data with smarter integration with Envoice solutions. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/d\/z2d-993-g7y\/envoice-demo-eng?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=request+demo&amp;utm_content=home+request+demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Request a Demo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to learn more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[1] <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2022\/08\/how-much-time-and-energy-do-we-waste-toggling-between-applications\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harvard Business Review<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[2]<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.opentext.com\/erp-systems-are-still-plagued-by-bad-data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Open Text<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[3]<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dynamics.microsoft.com\/en-us\/business-central\/overview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microsoft Dynamics<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Connecting your AP automation software to your ERP system is possible, but the exact steps depend on your software and vendor. What Happens When You Integrate Apps? Do you input information from supplier invoices in more than one system? Entering data manually and reconciling payments between two or more systems means a higher risk of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[114],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accounting-automation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23642"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24470,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23642\/revisions\/24470"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/envoice.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}