Best Practices

The current issues of the day, such as the evolution of networks and continued impact of mobility and other types of innovation, dominate long-term business planning. After all, no true organizational leader wants to ignore what’s happening outside of their company, especially if modern advancements are to play a vital role in the very future [...]

Heightened volatility and increased business risk have combined with tight and uncertain credit markets to ensure that having cash and maintaining direct access to it will remain a priority of the first order for most finance and procurement leaders over the next few years. This has resulted in a business environment that allows for much [...]

I’ve been working with Accounts Payable (“AP”) professionals for almost 15 years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how infrequently they get the recognition and credit they wholeheartedly deserve. More often than not, AP only gets mentioned when there is a problem. Maybe a vendor has not been paid and is looking for [...]

Over the past decade, Ardent Partners research has consistently shown that transforming an Accounts Payable (AP) department is a worthwhile undertaking that can deliver significant bottom-line value while also elevating AP’s place within the organization. To maximize the value created from their efforts, AP leaders must pursue a holistic transformation that incorporates people, processes, and [...]

Looking for ways to improve operations and automate Accounts Payable never goes out of style. Some companies have already started this journey while others are just beginning. With that in mind, join Ardent Partners’ Research Director, Bob Cohen and Anna Tujunen, Product Lead at Dooap, on Wednesday, February 7th at 12:00 pm EST for a [...]

While a fully automated Procure-to-Pay (P2P) process remains the exception and not the rule in today’s market, Best-in-Class procurement departments are keenly aware of the importance of process automation in driving efficiencies and improving visibility into both enterprise spend and the underlying processes of the function. Ardent Partners research finds that Best-in-Class procurement departments automate [...]

Supply chain finance (“SCF”) is an advanced financial solution that accomplishes two primary goals: suppliers get paid more quickly but at a slight discount, and buyers preserve their days payable outstanding (“DPO”) and cash on hand. At its core, SCF is an early payment discount technique that uses third-party capital, typically from a financial institution [...]

[Editor’s Note: Today’s article is a guest publication from Philip Flores Jr., Senior Vice President at BMO Harris Bank N.A. Ardent Partners is happy to review and feature guest publications from authors across the accounts payable and supply management industry. If you or someone you know would like to become a guest contributor, please contact [...]

AP’s ability to add value to the strategic objectives of the business is greatly enhanced through technology. Leveraging technology enables AP to process invoices and payments in a more efficient and accurate manner while exercising greater control in the outflow of cash. Automation also captures real-time invoice and payment data allowing for more accurate forecasting [...]

Editor’s Note: Ardent Partners recently published our annual AP-themed report, The State of ePayables 2017: The Convergence of Cash, Suppliers, and Intelligence. Today’s article is the final installment of a four-part series focused on how the role of the Accounts Payable professional has changed over the last 15 years. If you would like to get the full [...]