How an invoice approval can go from 7 steps to 3

Invoice approval is one of the most common places where time disappears. It looks simple, but a typical flow has many small manual steps and long waits.

The typical flow

An invoice arrives by email. Someone downloads it, retypes the details into the accounting system, emails the approver, waits, chases, then updates a tracking sheet and tells finance.

What we would change

• Read the data automatically instead of retyping it.
• Route by rule: small invoices to one approver, large ones to two.
• Remind automatically so nobody has to chase.
• Post to the ledger when approved, with a clear audit trail.

What stays human

The approval decision itself. Automation prepares the invoice, checks it against the purchase order and puts it in front of the right person with everything they need.

What to measure

Time from invoice received to paid, number of manual touches per invoice, and the share of invoices that need correction. Measure these before and after so you can see the gain.

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