Hyland Bolsters Accounts Payable, ERP Connectivity

Enterprise software company Hyland is targeting data integration between accounts payable and enterprise resource planning solutions, launching enhancements to AP automation and connection capabilities.

In a press release Thursday (April 4), Hyland said its new AP connector framework supports two-way exchange and validation of data between its enterprise information platform OnBase and other ERP platforms, and accounts payable solutions. The integration supports access to key accounts payable data and documents, including invoices and vendor contracts.

In a statement, Hyland Product Manager Don Dittmar said the company’s previous work in accounts payable-ERP integration “gave our team the insight to develop the new connector framework that creates an enhanced user experience regardless of the ERP they work with.”

SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Infor Lawson, Oracle and Workday are among the first providers of ERP platforms that will be supported through the connectivity solution, with Hyland noting more integrations are ahead.

Hyland’s data integration effort follows a report issued by Hyland and Statista last year that warned corporates often approach accounts payable automation in an inefficient or erroneous manner. Its 2018 State of Accounts Payable Report warned of a “lack of understanding out there … of what [full-blown] AP automation technology is and what it can do,” according to Hyland Solution Marketing Manager Danielle Simer in an interview with PYMNTS at the time.

“You have some people say, ‘We email our invoices around for approval,’ and they consider that a paperless or automated process — and it’s really not,” Simer added.

While Hyland’s survey found two-thirds of respondents believe they have achieved, or mostly achieved, accounts payable automation, further analysis suggests that professionals often fail to understand what AP automation entails.

More than one-quarter of respondents said too many paper documents are their biggest AP challenge, while nearly the same portion cited too much manual data entry and invoice exceptions that delay processing.