OPERA3 SQL - A simple guide to AP automation Most finance teams can admit that manual accounts payable processes are arduous, error prone and very time consuming. Audits are painful as mountains of paperwork must be sorted through, and paying invoices monthly is slow and tedious. That is where automated accounts payable comes in (AP automation). We have spoken a lot on our blog recently about AP automation, but this simple all-round guide aims to go back to basics as we explain what AP automation is, how it works and the benefits. What is AP automation? Let’s start at the beginning. AP automation, as the name suggests, automates your accounts payable process by automating the manual processes involved. It means automating processes such as receiving invoices, coding, approval, payment and reconciliation. AP Automation software provide dashboards which allow you to see the entire journey of an invoice, and its status in real-time, and everything is stored electronically