Your Infor SyteLine system handles inventory, production, and finance with ease. So why does processing a simple invoice still feel like pulling teeth?
The problem isn't your ERP. It's that most teams are still managing their accounts payable (AP) process with manual workflows using spreadsheets, email chains, and endless data entry. While SyteLine streamlines your manufacturing operations, your manual AP process creates bottlenecks that slow everything down.
Let's explore why manual invoice processing holds SyteLine teams back, and how automation can transform your AP workflow from a daily struggle to a smooth, efficient process.
The Real Cost of Manual Invoice Processing
Every minute matters when you run a manufacturing operation. Many Infor SyteLine teams spend hours each week on tasks that could be automated. Manual invoice processing creates risks and problems that hurt your entire operation, including:
Never-Ending Data Entry
Every invoice that comes to your desk needs someone to open it, read it, and type all the details into SyteLine. Each field needs to be manually entered, from vendor names and invoice numbers to line items, amounts, and due dates.
This constant data entry is tedious and can lead to mistakes. One wrong number in a vendor code can delay payment for days. A wrong amount means extra approvals. A missed line item creates problems that take hours to fix.
Your team ends up spending their days copying information instead of building vendor relationships, improving processes, or working on bigger goals.
The Approval Maze
SyteLine doesn't include built-in invoice approval workflows. This means your team has to build their own system. Usually this means forwarding emails, tracking down approvers, and logging who approved what.
Without automatic routing, it's hard to keep approvals consistent. Different invoices might take different paths. This makes it harder to maintain proper controls and records.
And when someone goes on vacation or misses an email, the invoice lifecycle becomes bottlenecked. These delays hurt more than just your AP team; they damage relationships with suppliers who are waiting for payment.
Volume Overwhelm
As your business grows, so does your invoice volume. The manual AP process that worked with 50 invoices per week falls apart when you're processing 200. What starts as a manageable stack of papers can quickly become overwhelming.
This is because manual processes don't grow well. Your team ends up working longer hours, rushing through reviews, or falling behind on processing.
Duplicate Payments, Missing Documents, & Unhappy Vendors
Manual processes open you up to the risk of duplicate invoices or payments. A vendor might send the same invoice twice, or someone might enter an invoice that was already processed. These pain points often hide until month-end, when they become urgent problems.
Invoices can also disappear completely, when an email gets missed, a paper invoice gets lost, or someone forgets to follow up on pending approval. By the time anyone notices, the vendor is calling about their overdue payment.
Limited Visibility
Invoice data is often scattered across email folders, filing cabinets, and different computers, making it nearly impossible to see your AP status clearly. Simple questions become time-consuming searches: Has this invoice been approved? Who's reviewing that large purchase? Are we on track to meet payment deadlines?
This lack of visibility makes it hard to manage cash flow, maintain vendor relationships, and prepare for audits. Your team spends time hunting for information instead of analyzing trends or finding ways to improve.
How Automation Transforms Your Infor SyteLine AP Process
Here's the good news: You don't have to live with these problems forever. AP automation fixes these issues and creates real benefits for Infor SyteLine users, like:
Smart Invoice Capture Eliminates Data Entry
Automated invoice processing starts with optical character recognition (OCR) technology that reads invoice data straight from PDFs and images. Instead of typing vendor information and line items by hand, the system captures this data automatically and checks it against your SyteLine records.
This eliminates this time-consuming part of invoice processing and cuts down on errors. When data gets captured digitally, there are no typos, no misread handwriting, and no formatting problems.
Intelligent Matching Streamlines 3-Way Matching
Automation automatically matches invoices with purchase orders (POs) and receipts in your SyteLine system. Clean matches move forward on their own, while problems get flagged for review. This speeds up approvals while keeping the controls that protect your business.
Instead of checking each invoice against PO records by hand, your team only needs to review exceptions and unusual transactions. This improves both speed and accuracy.
Configurable Workflows Ensure Consistent Approvals
Automated approval routing means every invoice follows the same path based on rules you set up. Whether routing depends on amount, department, or GL code, the automated system handles it the same way every time.
Real-Time Visibility Improves Decision-Making
With automated AP processing, you can see where each invoice stands in real time. Dashboards show what needs approval, what's been processed, and what's coming due. This visibility helps you manage cash flow, avoid late fees, and keep vendor relationships strong.
Everything gets stored digitally, making compliance simple. When audit time comes, your team can find matching documents, approval details, and payment information in seconds.
The Time Savings Add Up
When you eliminate manual tasks, your team gets time back for more valuable work. Instead of spending hours on data entry and tracking approvals, they can spend more time building vendor relationships, analyzing cost data, and finding new ways to help your business succeed.
Beyond saving time, automated processes reduce stress and frustration. When invoices move smoothly through automated workflows, your team can focus on exceptions and strategic work, instead of putting out daily fires.
SyteLine Integration that Actually Works
The key to successful AP automation is picking a solution that works with your current Infor SyteLine setup.
Seamless SyteLine integration means you don't have to change how you use your ERP or retrain your team on new systems. A well-built automation solution handles the repetitive tasks, while SyteLine stays your main system.
A quality solution, like Nimbello, understands the unique invoice processing needs of SyteLine users. Platforms like Nimbello support your current approval structures, GL setups, and reporting needs, while getting rid of the manual work that slows you down.
Ready to Speed Up Your AP Process?
If your team is still relying on manual accounts payable processes with your SyteLine system, you're not alone. Many manufacturing organizations continue to rely on outdated workflows simply because that's how things have always been done.
Nimbello is designed specifically for SyteLine users who want to eliminate manual processing without disrupting their existing workflows. Our solution captures invoice data automatically, routes approvals based on your business rules, and posts approved invoices directly to SyteLine — all while maintaining the visibility your team needs for success.
Ready to see how automation integrates with SyteLine to transform your AP process? Contact us to schedule a demo today!