Today’s article from Vishal Patel, Research Director at Ardent Partners is more of a request to participate in our one large AP-themed market research effort. Please read the whole article, but if time is tight, just click here to take the survey. We thank you for your support.

ePayables (or AP automation) solutions are continue to gain traction in the market as more and more enterprises are seeing the value of removing paper from the accounts payable (AP) process and realizing the benefits that come from automation. These benefits include reduced processing costs and greater efficiency throughout the invoice receipt-to-pay process as well as enhanced visibility into invoice and payment data. But, while the benefits from AP automation are significant, enterprises have largely failed to take full advantage of the available solutions. So, AP remains one of the last departments in the organization in need of more automated processes. This is unfortunate because automating the AP function can elevate its strategic value in the organization due to, among other things, its potential to positively impact working capital strategies.

Based upon our work on the ePayables SMARTSet, we can say that the solution provider market is really heating up and more M&A activity is expected this year. We also expect to see many new product launches and a continued focus on suppliers. Anyway, with that as a preamble, I’m happy to announce that:

Ardent Partners has launched its annual AP-themed survey for a report that will publish in April, 2012.

This report will capture the strategies, processes and intentions of accounts payable (“AP”) organizations for 2012 and beyond making it a must-read for AP and P2P professionals. Our aim is to get a clear view of what your AP organization has prioritized for this year and get a better understanding of the three to five year vision for the function. This report will also identify the top challenges being faced in the industry and present a clear discussion of the key strategies and technologies that enterprises are utilizing to enhance performance and increase the value that AP can deliver.

As a thank you for taking this 10-12 minute survey, you will receive:

• A free copy of the final report (valued at $399)
• A free copy of our ePayables Business Case Template (valued at $199

We welcome your participation and thank you for your consideration!

Tagged in: Ardent Partners Research, ePayables, P2P, People, Process, Technology