Project at a glance
AP processes varied by region, with invoices tied to local teams and manual workflows slowing everything down. Nothing moved until the right person in the right location picked it up. As volumes grew, the process couldn’t keep up, and when remote working hit, paper-based workflows broke entirely.
- Global AP standardised across all regions
- Scaled invoice volumes without increasing headcount
- Consistent approval controls across the business
- Invoices processed by time zones, not tied to location
- Greater flexibility across global teams
If the right team wasn’t available, invoices didn’t move
R.J. O’Brien operates globally. Its AP process didn’t. Invoices were handled locally, by region. If a team wasn available, invoices waited. That dependency created delays and limited flexibility across the function. The process relied heavily on manual and paper-based workflows. That worked, until it didn’t. When remote working became the norm, those workflows broke overnight. The issue wasn’t just efficiency. It was how work moved through the business. The day-to-day reality included:
- Invoices tied to specific locations and teams
- Delays waiting for the right team to process them
- Manual workflows limiting scalability
- No flexibility across regions or time zones
Turning a regional process into a global one
Fixing global AP isn’t about adding automation. It’s about removing dependency. SoftCo implemented a single, standardised AP process across all regions, fully integrated with Infor Sun Systems. Invoices are now captured, matched, coded, and routed through a consistent workflow. Approvals happen via email, removing unnecessary steps and reducing friction. More importantly, invoices are no longer tied to location. Any team can pick them up, process them, and move them forward.
“We wanted something that could centralise AP globally, but still be easy for users to work with day-to-day.”
From fragmented workflows to a single global process
The change is visible in how the function operates day to day. Invoices move through a single global process. Work is no longer dependent on location, and teams can support each other across regions. As volumes increased, the process held. Headcount didn’t. Approval controls are now consistent, ensuring invoices are processed within defined thresholds across the business. The result is a finance function that is more flexible, more consistent, and able to scale without adding cost.
Increased invoice volume
Handled without adding headcount
Global process standardised
Consistent workflows across regions
Stronger approval controls
Invoices processed within thresholds
Consistent invoice handling
Across all jurisdictions
Improved operational efficiency
Reduced friction in AP
“As invoice volumes have grown, we haven’t had to increase our headcount. The global AP process gives us the visibility and control to scale.”
Amar Shah
Chief Financial Officer, RJ O’Brien