Sage 100

Besides Beanworks, what are the options for integrated AP Automation with Sage 100 these days?

------------------------------
Phil McIntosh
President
Friendly Systems, Inc.
Asheville NC
678.273.4010 ext 5
------------------------------

We have a customer using AvidXchange. They are quite happy with it. This is something best installed with you as an implementer for the integration; otherwise they will screw it up. (It was straightforward for us.)  The customer does not use POs, so I can't testify to how well that piece of AX functionality works. 

It is at least worth a look.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

@Jerry Norman - Is Michael Johnson still the contact there at Avid?​

------------------------------
Phil McIntosh
President
Friendly Systems, Inc.
Asheville NC
678.273.4010 ext 5
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 09:10
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: AP Automation

We have a customer using AvidXchange. They are quite happy with it. This is something best installed with you as an implementer for the integration; otherwise they will screw it up. (It was straightforward for us.)  The customer does not use POs, so I can't testify to how well that piece of AX functionality works.

It is at least worth a look.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

I haven't dealt with their partner org for several years, so I can't say. I am interested to hear of your experience if you call in blind.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 09:47
From: Phil McIntosh
Subject: AP Automation

@Jerry Norman - Is Michael Johnson still the contact there at Avid?​

------------------------------
Phil McIntosh
President
Friendly Systems, Inc.
Asheville NC
678.273.4010 ext 5
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 09:10
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: AP Automation

We have a customer using AvidXchange. They are quite happy with it. This is something best installed with you as an implementer for the integration; otherwise they will screw it up. (It was straightforward for us.)  The customer does not use POs, so I can't testify to how well that piece of AX functionality works.

It is at least worth a look.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112

I think Repay had one too though I have no experience. There’s a paid link today in my newsletter ( disclosure - they are a sponsor of my Sage 100 newsletter so I’m not independent )

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz
wayne@s-consult.com
http://www.s-consult.com
Schulz Consulting
860-516-8990
Moodus, CT
---------------------------------

My company uses repay for AP and it's pretty seamless. There is an Invoice approval (based on dollar amount) and you can opt in or out of payments. It's been a slow process getting vendors signed up, and the "newness" of RePays employees can show in the initial follow up, so I have a calendar appt for myself to pop into my dashboard and make sure nothing is on pending status once a week. Lately I have had no problems, but it was an issue when we first signed up. There is not a PO integration. Feel free to email me if you want more details, I am happy to share additional thoughts if you want them. Utimately we will keep using Repay for AP. It saves us time and money, and the overall experience has been good :)

------------------------------
Michelle Forsey
M4C Consulting
801-875-8233
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 12:26
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: AP Automation

I think Repay had one too though I have no experience. There's a paid link today in my newsletter ( disclosure - they are a sponsor of my Sage 100 newsletter so I'm not independent )

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz
wayne@s-consult.com
http://www.s-consult.com
Schulz Consulting
860-516-8990
Moodus, CT
---------------------------------

@Michelle Forsey - Does Repay AP also capture and scan the invoices? At one time this was only the payment part of automation, meaning that it could theoretically be used with other AP Automation "front ends".

@Phil McIntosh - SAP Concur also has a strong AP Automation offering. I last talked with them a couple years ago. Worth adding it to consideration set for possible sharing with your customer. 
​​

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 13:23
From: Michelle Forsey
Subject: AP Automation

My company uses repay for AP and it's pretty seamless. There is an Invoice approval (based on dollar amount) and you can opt in or out of payments. It's been a slow process getting vendors signed up, and the "newness" of RePays employees can show in the initial follow up, so I have a calendar appt for myself to pop into my dashboard and make sure nothing is on pending status once a week. Lately I have had no problems, but it was an issue when we first signed up. There is not a PO integration. Feel free to email me if you want more details, I am happy to share additional thoughts if you want them. Utimately we will keep using Repay for AP. It saves us time and money, and the overall experience has been good :)

------------------------------
Michelle Forsey
M4C Consulting
801-875-8233
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 12:26
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: AP Automation

I think Repay had one too though I have no experience. There's a paid link today in my newsletter ( disclosure - they are a sponsor of my Sage 100 newsletter so I'm not independent )

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz
wayne@s-consult.com
http://www.s-consult.com
Schulz Consulting
860-516-8990
Moodus, CT

Nope. They only take care of approval of invoices and then payment of invoices (OTP Credit Card; ACH or Check) one posted (They have their own register similar to an ACH register native to Sage)

Invoice Approval Screen:




------------------------------
Michelle Forsey
M4C Consulting
801-875-8233
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 13:37
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: AP Automation

@Michelle Forsey - Does Repay AP also capture and scan the invoices? At one time this was only the payment part of automation, meaning that it could theoretically be used with other AP Automation "front ends".

@Phil McIntosh - SAP Concur also has a strong AP Automation offering. I last talked with them a couple years ago. Worth adding it to consideration set for possible sharing with your customer.
​​

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 13:23
From: Michelle Forsey
Subject: AP Automation

My company uses repay for AP and it's pretty seamless. There is an Invoice approval (based on dollar amount) and you can opt in or out of payments. It's been a slow process getting vendors signed up, and the "newness" of RePays employees can show in the initial follow up, so I have a calendar appt for myself to pop into my dashboard and make sure nothing is on pending status once a week. Lately I have had no problems, but it was an issue when we first signed up. There is not a PO integration. Feel free to email me if you want more details, I am happy to share additional thoughts if you want them. Utimately we will keep using Repay for AP. It saves us time and money, and the overall experience has been good :)

------------------------------
Michelle Forsey
M4C Consulting
801-875-8233


Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 12:26
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: AP Automation

I think Repay had one too though I have no experience. There's a paid link today in my newsletter ( disclosure - they are a sponsor of my Sage 100 newsletter so I'm not independent )

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz
wayne@s-consult.com
http://www.s-consult.com
Schulz Consulting
860-516-8990
Moodus, CT

AP Automation is essentially a significant part of Document Management solutions. Most customers who adopt full DM start with this element. (Altec as much as told me that if a customer doesn't have more DM needs than APA then they are better off with a focused APA solution.)

APA solutions seem to vary in these areas:
1. Invoice capture and visibility. Can vendors readily check on the status of their invoices?

2. Matching. This is where PO matching is, and that apparently is all over the map. Rules affecting creation and matching are important (eg, what if the invoice is received before the shipment and RoG is processed? What about under- or over-fulfillment? etc. 

3. Workflow for approving the invoice. This is the main reason our customer invested in this: they had a boatload of people to approve invoices. 

4. Integration to Sage 100. Our customer uses VI for all this, it works well for them. If it's more integrated than this, beware of how it handles exceptions.

5. Payment approvals and payments. AP Automation vendors are in this for the payment float; it is a big-money game for them. They also will use the vendor names you enter as targets for their other financial services. Pay attention to the offerings and flexibility the vendor has in this. What makes the Repay offering interesting to me is that offers a competition potential at this. AvidXchange has been accused in the past of harassing the payment recipients (the customer's vendors) to choose the expensive next-day payment (essentially AR factoring) options (I think AX cut back on this practice.)

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

I seem to remember Repay saying vendors could create a portal login so they could see status of payments... but maybe that was coming? I never followed up becuase none of my vendors ever requested it. The nice thing about Repays is reconciliation. I see one withdrawal for 60K or 75K or whatever my payables were, and I am done. Cut's my Recon time literally in half. 

The payables dashboard is nice too. Maybe check with Anne or Wayne and see if you can get a demo. It's quick and easy. and from both a consultant and customer standpoint pretty painless. Like I said, the hardest part was just following up with Vendors the first couple of weeks to see if they submitted forms for CC or ACH. Sometimes the initial phone calls seemed like a scam. Everyone is on guard these days. 

Oh gosh! Plus, yes.. we as a customer legit get money back each month. and that doesn't suck either. haha. 






------------------------------
Michelle Forsey
M4C Consulting
801-875-8233
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 13:55
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: AP Automation

AP Automation is essentially a significant part of Document Management solutions. Most customers who adopt full DM start with this element. (Altec as much as told me that if a customer doesn't have more DM needs than APA then they are better off with a focused APA solution.)

APA solutions seem to vary in these areas:
1. Invoice capture and visibility. Can vendors readily check on the status of their invoices?

2. Matching. This is where PO matching is, and that apparently is all over the map. Rules affecting creation and matching are important (eg, what if the invoice is received before the shipment and RoG is processed? What about under- or over-fulfillment? etc.

3. Workflow for approving the invoice. This is the main reason our customer invested in this: they had a boatload of people to approve invoices.

4. Integration to Sage 100. Our customer uses VI for all this, it works well for them. If it's more integrated than this, beware of how it handles exceptions.

5. Payment approvals and payments. AP Automation vendors are in this for the payment float; it is a big-money game for them. They also will use the vendor names you enter as targets for their other financial services. Pay attention to the offerings and flexibility the vendor has in this. What makes the Repay offering interesting to me is that offers a competition potential at this. AvidXchange has been accused in the past of harassing the payment recipients (the customer's vendors) to choose the expensive next-day payment (essentially AR factoring) options (I think AX cut back on this practice.)

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

It's very important that we get the customer clear about WHY they want APA. There are basically 2 pieced to this: a) front-end invoice capture and approval, and b) eliminating check runs.

As Michelle points out, only simplifying the check runs can have huge ROI on its own. The front-end process is more work, so you best be sure there is payoff for that.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 14:03
From: Michelle Forsey
Subject: AP Automation

I seem to remember Repay saying vendors could create a portal login so they could see status of payments... but maybe that was coming? I never followed up becuase none of my vendors ever requested it. The nice thing about Repays is reconciliation. I see one withdrawal for 60K or 75K or whatever my payables were, and I am done. Cut's my Recon time literally in half.

The payables dashboard is nice too. Maybe check with Anne or Wayne and see if you can get a demo. It's quick and easy. and from both a consultant and customer standpoint pretty painless. Like I said, the hardest part was just following up with Vendors the first couple of weeks to see if they submitted forms for CC or ACH. Sometimes the initial phone calls seemed like a scam. Everyone is on guard these days.

Oh gosh! Plus, yes.. we as a customer legit get money back each month. and that doesn't suck either. haha.






------------------------------
Michelle Forsey
M4C Consulting
801-875-8233
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2022 13:55
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: AP Automation

AP Automation is essentially a significant part of Document Management solutions. Most customers who adopt full DM start with this element. (Altec as much as told me that if a customer doesn't have more DM needs than APA then they are better off with a focused APA solution.)

APA solutions seem to vary in these areas:
1. Invoice capture and visibility. Can vendors readily check on the status of their invoices?

2. Matching. This is where PO matching is, and that apparently is all over the map. Rules affecting creation and matching are important (eg, what if the invoice is received before the shipment and RoG is processed? What about under- or over-fulfillment? etc.

3. Workflow for approving the invoice. This is the main reason our customer invested in this: they had a boatload of people to approve invoices.

4. Integration to Sage 100. Our customer uses VI for all this, it works well for them. If it's more integrated than this, beware of how it handles exceptions.

5. Payment approvals and payments. AP Automation vendors are in this for the payment float; it is a big-money game for them. They also will use the vendor names you enter as targets for their other financial services. Pay attention to the offerings and flexibility the vendor has in this. What makes the Repay offering interesting to me is that offers a competition potential at this. AvidXchange has been accused in the past of harassing the payment recipients (the customer's vendors) to choose the expensive next-day payment (essentially AR factoring) options (I think AX cut back on this practice.)

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112