Exploring the AP process at Ocean Smart
When the team from Ocean Smart began exploring inefficient processes in their organization, they quickly determined that the accounts payable (AP) process could be improved with some automation. By streamlining and automating the AP process, Ocean Smart can reduce the number of errors made by AP staff. The reductions are made because they can eliminate the possibility of transposing or inaccurately entering information in their enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The following provides a flowchart of the process for paying vendor invoices, then a written description of the process:
Figure 8.1 – AP process flowchart
- The invoice from the vendor is received by mail, fax, or email and submitted to the AP team for processing.
There are no guarantees that an invoice makes it to the AP team, however, because there are no validation steps confirming receipt. Even if the invoice is submitted by email...
