Automating Accounts Payable in Dynamics 365

In today's fast-paced business environment, manual handling of invoices and financial documents is not only inefficient but prone to error. For companies leveraging Microsoft Dynamics 365, automating the accounts payable (AP) process has become a strategic necessity. This guide explores how Continia Document Capture, an advanced AP automation tool, transforms the traditional AP workflow within Dynamics 365, streamlining operations, improving accuracy, and driving significant cost savings.

1. Content Type: PDF Content
Topic-
“Automating Accounts Payable in Dynamics 365: A Practical Guide to AP Efficiency with
Continia Document Capture”
Keyword: Continia Document Capture, AP Automation
Word limit: 1500 words

List of contents
-Introduction
-Understanding Accounts Payable Challenges
-Core Functionalities in Dynamics 365 Accounts Payable
-Why Automate Accounts Payable?
-Introducing Continia Document Capture
-Key Features of Continia Document Capture
-Examples of automation in AP
-How Continia Enhances AP Automation
-Step-by-Step: Setting Up Continia in Dynamics 365
-Benefits of Using Continia with Dynamics 365
-Real World Example
-Key takeaways
-Conclusion & Summary Pointers

2. Introduction to automating Accounts Payable in Dynamics 365
In today's fast-paced business environment, manual handling of invoices and financial
documents is not only inefficient but prone to error. For companies leveraging Microsoft
Dynamics 365, automating the accounts payable (AP) process has become a strategic
necessity. This guide explores how Continia Document Capture, an advanced AP
automation tool, transforms the traditional AP workflow within Dynamics 365,
streamlining operations, improving accuracy, and driving significant cost savings.
Managing the accounts payable (AP) process can be one of the most time-consuming
tasks for any business. Manual invoice processing, approvals, and payments not only
consume resources but also leave room for errors and inefficiencies. That’s why more
and more businesses are turning to AP automation to streamline this function. By
automating AP, companies can speed up payments, reduce costs, and improve visibility
into their financial data. Let’s explore why automating your AP process could be one of
the most important decisions you make for your company.
Understanding Accounts Payable Challenges
AP Automation is a core function of every business, but traditional AP processes face
several common challenges:
 Manual data entry leading to human error
 Lost or misplaced invoices

3.  Delayed payments affecting vendor relationships
 Lack of real-time visibility into liabilities
 High operational costs due to paper-based processes
Organizations that continue to rely on manual systems often experience bottlenecks,
compliance risks, and operational inefficiencies.
Core Functionalities in Dynamics 365 Accounts Payable
 Invoice Management
 Vendor Management
 Payment Processing
 Approval Workflows
Why Automate Accounts Payable?
 Reduce Manual Work and Errors
Manual data entry is prone to errors and can slow down the AP process. From
misplaced invoices to incorrect payments, these mistakes can cost businesses
both time and money. AP automation eliminates manual data entry by capturing
invoice information automatically, ensuring accurate and consistent data flow
from start to finish.
 Increase Efficiency and Speed
With AP automation, invoice approvals, and payments can be processed in a
fraction of the time. Instead of routing physical paper invoices between
departments, you can create automated workflows that route digital invoices to
the right people for approval. This not only speeds up the entire process but also
ensures compliance with your organization’s approval policies.
 Improved Visibility and Control
One of the biggest challenges with manual AP processes is the lack of visibility
into where invoices stand in the approval process. Automated solutions provide
real-time tracking, so you know exactly where each invoice is and when it will be
paid. This level of transparency improves control over cash flow and strengthens
vendor relationships by ensuring timely payments.
 Cost Savings
Manual processes require significant resources to manage, from printing paper
invoices to physically routing them between departments. AP automation can cut
down on these overhead costs by digitizing and streamlining the entire workflow.
Additionally, by processing payments faster, companies can take advantage of
early payment discounts offered by vendors.

4.  Enhanced Compliance
Automating AP processes can also help with compliance and audit readiness.
The digitization of invoices and approvals creates an audit trail that is easy to
track and retrieve. This helps ensure that all processes are consistent, reducing
the risk of fraud or non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
Introducing Continia Document Capture
Continia Document Capture is a powerful, certified add-on for Microsoft Dynamics 365
Business Central. It specializes in automating the capture, processing, and approval of
incoming documents especially purchase invoices. Continia Document Capture is the
best and most comprehensive end-to-end add-on solution for Microsoft Dynamics that
scans, extracts OCR-data, registers, posts, and archives all types of documents with
full-text search capability.


Key functionalities include:
 OCR-based data extraction
 Automatic invoice matching (PO & non-PO)
 Multi-level approval workflows
 PDF/email integration

5.  Cloud or on-premise deployment options
Key Features of Continia Document Capture
 Automatic Document Importing
Documents are automatically imported from email, scanners, or folders.
 Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
The OCR engine extracts key information such as vendor name, invoice number,
date, amount, and line items.
 Three-Way Matching
Automates the matching of purchase orders, invoices, and receipts.
 Approval Workflows
Customizable workflows ensure invoices are routed to the right people.
 Digital Archive
All documents are stored digitally, fully indexed, and easily searchable.
 Multi-language and Multi-currency Support
Supports global operations with localized compliance.
 Full Dynamics 365 Integration
Seamless user experience within the familiar D365 interface.
Examples of AP automation
Automated data capture
OCR, as an example, shifts the first step in data capture, reduces human error, and
ensures audit trails to serve the finance department. They can focus on validation and
insight, more essential tasks in the business, rather than manual tasks. Processing is
streamlined with automated data capture and attachments of the correct invoice to the
proper transaction.
Workflow
Invoice matching, vendor invoice policies and workflow automate the review process so
that invoices that meet specific criteria are automatically approved, and remaining
invoices are flagged for review. The result allows the controllers and accounts to focus
their energy where it matters most.
How Continia Enhances AP Automation
Here’s how Continia transforms a AP automation:
Traditional AP Process Automated with Continia
Manual invoice receipt Auto-import via email or scan
Manual data entry OCR extracts data instantly
Paper-based approval routing Digital multi-level workflow

6. Matching done manually Automatic 2/3-way matching
Hardcopy storage Secure digital archiving

The entire lifecycle from invoice receipt to payment is streamlined, minimizing human
touchpoints and maximizing accuracy.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Continia in Dynamics 365
Here’s a simplified roadmap for implementing Continia Document Capture:
Step 1: Install & Configure the Add-on
Install Continia from AppSource or via manual deployment in Business Central.
Step 2: Set Up Document Categories
Define categories for invoices, credit memos, and other documents.
Step 3: Configure OCR and Templates
Set up OCR profiles to recognize various invoice formats.
Step 4: Create Workflow Approvals
Define workflows for different departments, thresholds, and roles.
Step 5: Train Users
Train finance and procurement teams on using the interface and approval tools.
Step 6: Go Live & Monitor
Deploy, test with live invoices, and monitor usage and error logs.
Benefits of Using Continia with Dynamics 365
 Reduced manual entry
 Faster approvals and payments
 Increased accuracy
 Enhanced visibility & audit trails
 Scalability and compliance
Real-World Example
Imagine a medium-sized manufacturing company. Let’s say: The accounts payable
team deals with manual data entry, paper invoices, and slow approval cycles.

7. Processing invoices takes several days, which delays payments and causes missed
early payment discounts.
By implementing Continia Document Capture integrated with Dynamics 365 Business
Central, the organization automates the entire AP process. Invoices arriving by email or
paper automatically get scanned, and data is extracted using OCR technology. The
system matches invoices to purchase orders, routes them through predefined approval
workflows, and posts them into Dynamics 365, all without manual effort.
This automation reduces AP processing time freeing the team to focus on exceptions
rather than routine tasks.
Key Takeaways
 Automating Accounts Payable (AP) streamlines invoice processing, reduces
errors, and speeds up approvals.
 Dynamics 365 Business Central provides a strong platform for managing
financial operations, including AP.
 Continia Document Capture integrates seamlessly with Dynamics 365 to
automate invoice capture, data extraction, and workflow routing.
 OCR technology in Continia reduces manual data entry by automatically
extracting invoice details.
 Automation improves accuracy by matching invoices with purchase orders and
routing exceptions for review.
 Approval workflows can be customized to fit organizational roles and policies.
 Implementing AP automation cuts processing time significantly (e.g., by up to
60%), boosting efficiency and saving costs.
 Benefits include better supplier relationships, early payment discounts, audit
readiness, and enhanced visibility.
 Successful automation requires proper setup, user training, and ongoing
monitoring for continuous improvement.
 Starting with a pilot project and clear approval rules helps smooth adoption.
Conclusion & Summary Pointers
Automating accounts payable in Dynamics 365 is a critical step toward transforming
financial operations and driving efficiency across your organization. Leveraging Continia
Document Capture for AP automation provides a practical, powerful solution to
modernize the traditionally manual and time-consuming accounts payable process.

8. By integrating Continia Document Capture with Dynamics 365, businesses unlock the
full potential of AP automation, enabling automatic invoice capture through OCR
technology, seamless data extraction, and intelligent workflows that reduce errors and
accelerate processing times. This not only improves accuracy but also ensures
compliance and transparency, which are vital in today’s regulatory environment.
The benefits of automating accounts payable extend beyond just speed and accuracy.
With Continia Document Capture, companies gain enhanced visibility into their
payables, enabling better cash flow management and smarter decision-making.
Automated approval workflows and real-time notifications simplify the entire process,
allowing AP teams to focus on exceptions and strategic activities instead of repetitive
manual work.
For organizations using Dynamics 365, integrating Continia Document Capture is a
practical guide to AP efficiency that scales with your business needs. Whether you are a
small to medium enterprise or a larger company, automating accounts payable
processes reduces processing times by up to 60%, improves supplier relationships
through timely payments, and optimizes overall financial operations.
In an era where agility and efficiency are crucial, AP automation with Continia Document
Capture in Dynamics 365 is no longer optional, it is essential. It empowers organizations
to stay competitive, maintain compliance, and focus on growth rather than
administrative burdens.
To summarize, if your goal is to improve financial efficiency, reduce manual errors, and
increase operational transparency, automating accounts payable using Continia
Document Capture integrated with Dynamics 365 is the proven, practical solution to
achieve those objectives.
Embrace AP automation today and position your organization for long-term success in
the evolving financial landscape.

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