Accounts Payable Outsourcing

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the transition to outsourced accounts payable managed to minimise disruption to our business?

Our transition process is methodically structured to ensure business continuity while implementing new workflows. We begin with a comprehensive assessment phase lasting 1-2 weeks where we document your existing processes, supplier relationships, approval hierarchies, and system configurations. Next, we establish parallel processing for 2-4 weeks where we handle invoices alongside your existing system to validate accuracy and workflow efficiency. We then gradually transfer operations based on supplier categories or invoice types, rather than attempting a single cutover date. Throughout this process, we maintain daily status meetings and provide real-time dashboards tracking transition metrics. This phased approach typically results in full transition within 4-8 weeks, with contingency protocols in place should any issues arise.

What happens to our existing accounts payable staff when we outsource?

Many organisations redeploy accounts payable staff to higher-value financial analysis roles after outsourcing. We can help structure this transition by identifying analytical skills that would benefit from development and creating customised training programs. Some clients maintain a strategic AP manager internally who oversees our outsourced team and manages escalations. For staff reductions, we can coordinate timelines to align with natural attrition or provide interim work during the transition period. We also offer potential employment opportunities within our organisation for exceptional AP professionals who may not wish to transition to new roles within your company.

How do you handle supplier relationship management and communication?

Beyond basic invoice processing, we implement comprehensive supplier relationship protocols. Our team establishes direct communication channels with your vendors, managing inquiries about payment status through dedicated supplier portals and support lines. We document supplier preferences, payment terms, and historical issues in a centralised knowledge base accessible to all team members. For strategic suppliers, we conduct quarterly business reviews analysing payment performance and identifying optimisation opportunities. Our approach reduces supplier inquiries to your internal team by approximately 85% while maintaining your company's reputation for reliability and professionalism with your supply chain partners.

How do you handle exception management and non-standard invoices?

Our exception management framework categorises invoice anomalies into predefined resolution paths rather than treating all exceptions identically. We maintain a continuously updated rule engine with client-specific policies for handling common exceptions such as price variances, missing POs, or approval routing. For unique situations, we employ a tiered escalation process with defined service levels for resolution. Our platform captures detailed exception metrics to identify root causes and systematic issues with specific suppliers or departments. This structured approach reduces exception processing time by approximately 67% compared to typical in-house operations and provides valuable analytics to eliminate recurring issues through supplier education or process refinement.

How does your OCR technology handle complex invoice formats and handwritten information?

Our intelligent document processing combines multiple OCR engines with machine learning algorithms trained on millions of diverse invoices. Unlike basic OCR, our system recognises contextual relationships between data fields and adapts to supplier-specific invoice layouts after processing just 3-5 examples. For handwritten notations, we employ specialised neural networks optimised for varied handwriting styles with accuracy rates exceeding 92%. The system continuously improves through machine learning feedback loops. For complex or low-quality documents that challenge automated extraction, we employ human-in-the-loop processing where specialists validate critical fields without compromising turnaround times. This hybrid approach achieves 99.5% accuracy regardless of document complexity or quality.

How do you ensure compliance with international tax regulations for global operations?

For organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions, we maintain a specialised tax compliance team that monitors regulatory changes across 42 countries. Our systems are configured to support country-specific requirements including VAT processing, withholding taxes, and electronic invoice mandates in regions like Latin America and parts of Europe. We implement jurisdiction-specific validation rules and document retention policies aligned with local requirements. For complex regulatory environments, we partner with regional tax specialists to ensure complete compliance. Our quarterly compliance reviews identify potential issues before they impact financial reporting or create audit exposure. This comprehensive approach significantly reduces compliance risk while supporting consistent global processing standards.

What happens if processing volumes suddenly increase or we acquire another company?

Our service model incorporates flexible capacity planning designed to accommodate both predictable volume fluctuations and unexpected surges. We maintain cross-trained teams that can quickly shift resources to manage volume spikes without compromising service levels. For seasonal businesses, we proactively adjust staffing based on historical patterns and your business forecasts. In acquisition scenarios, we deploy specialised integration teams familiar with merging disparate AP processes and supplier databases. These teams work alongside our regular processing staff to ensure continuity while incorporating new entities. Our capacity model can typically accommodate up to 300% volume increases with just 2-3 weeks' notice, providing significant flexibility compared to maintaining equivalent internal staffing.

What specific industry expertise do you have that would benefit our business sector?

We maintain specialised teams with deep experience in key industries including manufacturing, retail, healthcare, professional services, construction, and technology. These teams understand sector-specific challenges such as progress billing in construction, chargebacks in retail, or complex service agreements in healthcare. They are familiar with industry-standard coding practices, typical approval hierarchies, and common compliance requirements. Our knowledge base includes templates and best practices gathered from hundreds of implementations within each sector. This specialised expertise accelerates implementation and ensures we address unique industry requirements without the learning curve typical of generalist providers. Our industry teams regularly participate in sector-specific continuing education to maintain current knowledge of evolving business practices.