Regional utility provider supercharges Accounts Payable processing
- Company: Regional utility provider
- Industry: Utilities
- Revenue: 103.4 million
- Employees: 501-1,000
- Headquarters: Huntsville, AL
Business need
Business need
Key Facts:
- 30K invoices/year handled with no increase in AP staff
- 100% digital capture eliminates manual entry and validation
- SAP S/4HANA-ready with seamless upgrade and integration
A municipally-owned utility company in Alabama faced a surge in invoice volume – approximately 30,000 annually – due to rapid regional growth. To support a broader supply chain logistics initiative, the company needed an adaptable AP automation solution that could streamline invoice processing, improve cost allocation, and enhance responsiveness to audits and field operations.
Key priorities included:
- Handling high invoice volumes with existing staff
- Increasing digital invoice submissions and securing legal data
- Automating routing, validation, and approvals across four service areas
- Accelerating audit readiness and field agent responsiveness
Solution implemented
Solution implemented
A regional utility provider partnered with Serrala to deploy a cloud-based AP automation solution that enhanced visibility and control across its distributed workforce. The system was designed to support four profit centers and streamline invoice processing from capture to audit.
Key capabilities included:
- Cloud-based invoice capture and web approvals
- Automated validation, routing, and exception handling
- Guided coding and payment requests for unplanned spend
- Real-time status tracking and batch export for audits
Results achieved
Results achieved
The AP team quickly adapted business rules to improve automation—without IT support. Vendors now submit digital invoices via email, significantly boosting processing speed and accuracy. The solution was also upgraded seamlessly in preparation for a move to SAP S/4HANA.
Key outcomes included:
- Lower cost per invoice and elimination of manual entry
- Increased throughput with the same AP team
- Faster approvals and improved visibility across service areas
- Real-time reporting for continuous improvement and audit readiness