Procure-to-Pay Process: What it is, Benefits, and Steps Involved

The traditional procurement process is time-consuming, prone to errors, complex, and challenging to implement efficiently. From raising a purchase request to making vendor payments, multiple stakeholders are involved. In addition, securing approvals through various channels of an organization leads to chaos. Hence, 77% of companies are shifting to procure-to-pay solutions, also known as procurement software.

What is Procurement Software? 

Procurement software are tools that automate the procurement process. 

Instead of relying on multiple platforms and different channels to procure goods and services, the process is automated and brought together on a centralized platform. 

A powerful procurement solution helps you in:

• streamlining the request and approval process for purchases
• generating, tracking, and managing purchase orders
• creating, negotiating, and tracking supplier contracts
• managing and maintaining supplier relationships 
• automating invoice validation, approval, and payment workflows
• integrating with other systems for seamless data flow and coordination.

What Are the Benefits of Procurement Software? 

By automating your procurement process with a procurement management software, you can improve it in the following ways: 

• Once you enter data, it is auto-populated throughout the procurement cycle. This minimizes the risk of errors due to manual data entry in purchase orders, invoices, and other documents.
• You get real-time visibility into the procurement process. You can also track the status of purchase requests, orders, deliveries, and payments. 
• With built-in reporting and analytics tools, you can generate detailed reports on spending, supplier performance, and other key metrics. This data-driven insight enables better inventory planning and strategic decision-making.
• You can standardize workflows for purchase requisitions and approvals. Route the requests to the appropriate individuals for approval and reduce any delays. Notifications and reminders are automated, ensuring timely responses.
• Invoice processing and payment workflows are automated. This ensures that invoices are paid on time. This helps in taking advantage of early payment discounts and strengthens vendor relationships. 

Top 6 Procurement Software 

To help you select the procurement management software best suited for the needs of your organization, we have listed the top 6 procurement solutions:

1. Pluto 

Pluto is an all-in-one procurement software designed to transform your accounts payable (AP) processes. It reduces your finance team's workload and makes procurement easy. From automating purchase requests to setting multi-layer approval workflows and managing vendors, it is the ultimate procurement solution to transform a chaotic procurement process into a faster and more efficient one. 

Key Features:

• Features fully customizable and automated workflows for raising purchase requests and purchase orders, requiring no technical expertise
• Offers flexible approval engine capable of managing intricate hierarchies
• Enables multi-layer invoice approvals with policies to align with your company's structure
• Ability to upload invoices easily via WhatsApp images, eliminating the need to search for invoice details. Also, facilitates invoice capture via emails directly to speed up the receipt capture process.
• A centralized dashboard to gather bills in one place and track the status to avoid double payments
• Vendor-specific corporate cards to control budgets and detect irrelevant expenses
• Supports local and international wire transfers to make payments 
• OCR technology minimizes manual data entry by creating and populating bills from invoices
• Supports ERP integration to synchronize your vendors, POs, and bills and integrates with accounting software, such as Oracle, NetSuite, Zoho, Quickbooks, Wafeq, Xero, etc.
• Raises alerts for upcoming payments and enables scheduling payments in advance and automate invoices 
• Provides a complete audit trail of the process to ensure visibility at each step
• Shows real-time analytics to facilitate deep insights for supporting budget control

Pricing:

‍Request the sales team for a custom quote

Pros:

• More financial control with vendor-specific corporate cards 
• Better Forex rates than most local banks 
• Multiple integration options

Cons:

• Slightly longer on-boarding due to corporate card offering 
• Integrates with all other major ERPs except Tally

2. Yooz 

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Yooz optimizes the AP process, specifically focusing on invoice management. It is a cloud based software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to enhance security and control in AP automation. It is suitable for mid-size companies of all sectors wanting to automate procurement with a cloud-based procurement solution. 

Key Features:

• Enables online, real-time management of supplier relationships, improving communication and collaboration
• Provides mobile access for invoice approval and communication
• Maintains regulation-compliant traceability, ensuring adherence to relevant laws and standards
• Automates real-time GL coding and purchase order matching
• Captures all types of documents through various channels, such as email, drag-and-drop, mobile, scan, and sFTP, supporting multiple formats, including PDF, Factur-X, UBL, CII, and EDIFACT
• Integrates with accounting software and  and ERPs
• Allows users to approve and pay invoices in batches, offering multiple payment options, such as Virtual Credit Card, ACH, eCheck, and Paper Check
• Offers a range of services, including consulting, configuration, training, and user support

Pricing:

Free trial for up to 15 days followed by a "pay-as-you-use" model.

Pros:

• Integration with Sage Intacct
• Ability to tag people in the comments and email them directly from the invoice
• Numerous criteria available for setting up the approval workflows

Cons: 

• Doesn’t offer payment services in UAE, so you need to carry out payments on a different platform
• Doesn't have integrations with major suppliers as a form of punchout
• Time-consuming to download and export files
• Hard for vendors to send the invoices through Yooz

3. Procurify

Procurify speeds up the procurement process, enhances internal communication, and reduces financial risks. It is an easy-to-implement tool that saves time for finance and operations teams. From catalog management to custom user controls, it helps to track the procurement process in real-time. 

Key Features:

• Tailors purchase orders to match your internal processes and vendor expectations
• Creates, tracks, and maintains an audit trail of all procurement transactions for transparency and compliance.
• Enhances financial controls by enabling purchase order-based purchasing
• Ensures that requested items are approved against budgets before procurement.
• Sync purchase orders with your accounting system or ERP, whether via API, CSV, flat file, or direct integration
• Integrates with trusted suppliers through PunchOut catalogs to streamline the ordering process.
• Enables blanket purchase orders, which involve making multiple purchases against a single purchase order, even when details of future purchases may be unknown.
• Purchase order workflows to save on shipping costs, unlock vendor discounts, and reduce paperwork 

Pricing:

Starts at $2000/month with a custom pricing tier

Pros:

• Easy to make amendments in the original purchase order
• Enables ordering from multiple websites for resources, including Amazon
• Makes it easy to upload documents to support expense and order reports

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer payment services in UAE, so you will need to carry out payments on a different platform
• Isn’t catered to the UAE market, and does not support UAE specific workflows such as VAT management
• Cannot edit orders once they are approved
• Cannot see the order history for a catalog item without running a report
• Physical inventory has to be tracked outside Procurify

4. Precoro

Precoro is a cloud-based solution designed to streamline operations, automate tasks, and centralize purchasing procedures. It enables tracking discounts, monitoring corporate expenses, and enhancing cash flow transparency. It also provides analytics and reports for strategic procurement planning.

Key Features:

• Simplifies the approval by allowing users to approve from any device via email or Slack notifications. 
• Supports customizable approval workflows with multi-step and role assignment
• Facilitates creating, approving, and tracking purchase orders and transfer orders from Amazon Business via Punch-in
• Connects with various ERPs and business tools like NetSuite, QuickBooks, and Xero, or its API
• Ensures data security through Single Sign-On (SSO) and 2-factor authentication
• Offers an intuitive interface and guidance from a dedicated customer success manager whenever needed
• Gives a risk-free 14-day free trial with access to all features

Pricing:

Starts at $35 per user per month billed annually for teams with under 20 members and offers custom pricing for enterprises

Pros:

1. Provides flexibility for enterprise needs
2. Works well for budgeting procurement
3. Allows tracking invoices in a centralized environment

Cons: 

1. Requires training to customize complex workflows
2. Invoice processing is slow
3. Isn’t suitable for manufacturing industries
4. Difficult to collaborate on invoice drafting

5. Kissflow

Kissflow simplifies and enhances procurement processes while ensuring transparency and compliance. It helps to automate the entire process without requiring technical expertise or coding experience. It comes with 50+ ready-to-use applications, enabling unlimited automation applications.  

Key Features:

• Offers fluid forms to enable easy capturing, approval, and tracking of purchase requests
• Allows to register and maintain vendors effortlessly with access to multilingual catalogs
• Integration with accounting systems, ERP, and finance systems like Quickbooks, SAP, and Microsoft Dynamics 
• Accelerates the invoice approval process with timely alerts and automated checks. Connect invoices to contracts, purchase orders, and service entry sheets in a single dashboard
• Customizable reports to visualize data using charts, filters, and heatmaps
• Ability to define and manage budget restrictions with dynamic rules throughout the entire procure-to-pay lifecycle
• Customized approval workflows to ensure transparency with rule-based approval processes
• Smart alerts that provide real-time updates on the status of purchase orders and invoices to keep stakeholders informed 

Pricing:

Starts at $2499/month (billed annually). Pricing varies based on transaction volume and number of users.

Pros: 

• Intuitive interface with a relatively short learning curve
• Allows automated workflows to be created with limited technical expertise

Cons:

• Not built specifically for procurement teams
• Does not support payment flows in UAE
• Cost of its license is high (particularly for SMBs)
• Can not handle intricate processes that require a high degree of customization or involve multiple conditional branches
• Customization options are limited, including specific integrations, advanced business rules, or more sophisticated automation capabilities

6. Vendr

Vendr is a practical solution for streamlining SaaS procurement. It simplifies the entire process, from intake requests to contract management. It provides essential SaaS insights, negotiates expert advice, and integrates with core business tools for procurement and vendor management. 

Key Features:

• Buyer guides to provide negotiation insights and gain the upper hand in software purchases
• Negotiation advisory to provide personalized guidance on negotiating like a pro and enter negotiations with confidence
• Simplified intake forms to ensure company-wide compliance and visibility
• Integration with different accounting and finance tools, such as Oracle, NetSuite, Intuit, Quickbooks. 
• Integrates with platforms like Rippling Workday to include correct stakeholders. Additional integration with SSO providers such as onelogin.
• Comprehensive renewal dashboard to receive early alerts and streamline the renewal preparation process to maximize savings.
• Vendr Slack integration for quick answers and timely notifications to collaborate in real time with your team, minimizing approval cycle times

Pricing:

There are 2 packages—the basic one starts at $15,000/year and the pro package starts at $20,000/year.

Pros:

• Offers assisted buying with a team who negotiates on your behalf
• Comprehensive database of vendors in one place
• Helps standardize procurement workflow 
• Provides insights about fair market value 

Cons:

• Restricted to SaaS procurement only 
• Multilingual services are limited 
• Navigating multiple workflows is not as fluid as desired
• Doesn't support multiple currencies 

Find the Right Procurement Software 

When choosing procurement software, focus on user-friendliness, scalability, and integration capabilities. Make sure the software aligns with your specific needs.

Finding the right software for accounts payable automation will be crucial for your business. For instance, if you frequently deal with multiple suppliers and have a complex approval process, ensure the software can accommodate these intricacies. Similarly, if you're in the healthcare industry, look for procurement software that complies with industry regulations like UAE Healthcare Law and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulations. This ensures the privacy and security of patient data and adheres to local data protection standards. Moreover, check if the vendor offers active support and training. In case of a technical issue, having an unresponsive support team can disrupt the process and create bottlenecks.

Don't rush the decision. Thoroughly evaluate multiple options. Investing in an appropriate solution will save you money and headaches in the long run.

Want a tool that is safe, fast, and transforms your chaotic procurement process into an automated solution? Book a demo today and see how Pluto can simplify procurement for your team.

The panic sets in when the custodian makes the entries for petty cash expenses and the balance mismatches by, let's say, AED 1500. 

When discrepancies happen, you have two options: mark it as a write off, or spend hours carrying out an investigation. Write offs are generally not accepted in companies and can lead to problems during audit season. The best option is to investigate. 

While the amount is meager, this cashier must scrutinize each voucher and receipt for the next few days to find the loophole. The employee in question will have to review over 100+ documents to spot the discrepancy, disrupting the petty cash operation and causing delays in closing the books.

This post will cover how to reconcile petty cash and optimize the process, so you never have to face this situation. We will look at some best practices to ensure the custodian does not spend weeks accounting for the missing AED 1500.

What is Petty Cash Reconciliation?

Petty cash reconciliation is the process of matching opening and closing balances of petty cash, where the difference must be equal to the total of documented petty cash expenses. 

Either the custodian or someone from the finance department performs this function to ensure the accuracy and completeness of records. It helps identify and rectify discrepancies that may arise due to errors of omission, commission, or principle. 

How Often Should Petty Cash Be Reconciled?

Petty cash reconciliation is generally done once a month if you rely on manual processes for petty cash management. It allows for timely identification of discrepancies, ensures efficient tracking of small expenses, and facilitates prompt resolution. 

However, if you have an expense management platform to record all the petty cash expenses digitally, you reconcile petty cash in real time. Since you directly add all the transactions on the platform, reconciliation becomes easy with the ability to track each cash money movement in an auditable platform. As a result, you identify discrepancies at the earliest and avoid a balance mismatch.

What Are the Steps of Cash Reconciliation?

If you use a digital platform for petty cash management, reconciliation becomes easy as the system highlights any discrepancy in the real time. So, it is as simple as flagging transactions with missing receipts.

However, if you have a manual petty cash process, here are the petty cash reconciliation steps:

1. Ascertain Fund Balance

Begin by determining the existing balance in the petty cash fund. This involves counting the physical cash on hand and comparing it to the initial amount allocated to the fund.

2. Gather Documentation Proofs

Collect all receipts and documentation related to petty cash expenditures. Ensure each expense is supported by a valid receipt, providing a clear record of how the funds were used.

3. Categorize Total Withdrawals and Spends

Categorize the various expenditures based on their nature (e.g., office supplies, refreshments, etc.). Tally the withdrawals within each category to gain insights into the distribution of expenses.

4. Reconcile Differences

Compare the total of documented expenses with the physical cash on hand. Identify any discrepancies or amounts that are unaccounted for. This step is crucial for ensuring that all expenditures are correctly represented.

5. Record in General Ledger

Record the reconciled petty cash transactions in the general ledger. It formalizes the financial entries and ensures that the petty cash activity is accurately reflected in the organization's overall accounting system.

6. Replenish

If the petty cash fund is running low or depleted, replenish the funds. Submit the reconciled documentation to the finance or accounting department for approval and allocate the necessary funds to restore the petty cash balance.

Challenges of the Manual Petty Cash Reconciliation Process

Here are the top four challenges of the manual petty cash reconciliation process:

1. Risk of Fraud, Waste, and Misuse

With manual reconciliation, it becomes easier for individuals to manipulate or misappropriate funds without proper oversight. The absence of real-time tracking leads to instances of waste or misuse of petty cash, posing a significant challenge to financial integrity.

For instance, an employee might submit duplicate receipts for the same expense, pocketing the reimbursement and leading to financial discrepancies. Duplicate receipts are difficult for custodians to keep track of when there are 1000’s of receipts. 

2. Custodian Chasing for Receipts

In a manual system, the petty cash custodian has to press the employees for the collection of receipts for expenses. It is time-consuming and delays the reconciliation process. It also leads to incomplete and missing documentation.

3. Lack of Internal Control

Manual processes lack the robust internal controls that automated systems offer. This absence of controls makes enforcing consistent adherence to organizational policies challenging and increases the risk of errors or unauthorized use of petty cash.

For example, an employee may submit incomplete or inaccurate receipts for petty cash expenses, leading to inconsistencies. As a result, it becomes difficult to ensure adherence to documentation standards.

4. Missing Cash or Documentation

The manual handling of petty cash poses a threat to losing physical money or documentation. Misplacement of receipts or cash, whether intentional or accidental, leads to hindrances in the reconciliation process and compromises the accuracy of financial records.

For instance, an employee may unintentionally misplace a set of petty cash receipts during an office activity. The missing documentation will create difficulty reconciling expenditures, introducing uncertainty into the financial records.

From these challenges, we understand that while we focus on optimizing the reconciliation process, we must first refine our petty cash management process. 

Instead of focusing on improving the assessment process, we shall first work on the internal procedures of approvals and documentation. It will ensure the completeness and accuracy of records and save custodians from spending weeks matching the balances.

Best Practices for Petty Cash Reconciliation

To avoid mismatches and ensure the accuracy of records, adopt the following best practices:

Maintain Receipts Digitally

Digitally store receipts using an electronic system or expense management platform to ensure a secure and easily accessible record of all transactions. It eliminates the risk of physical receipt loss or damage and facilitates efficient reconciliation.

Stringent Documentation and Regular Review

Ensure clear and detailed receipts for all expenses to enhance accountability. Regularly review these documents for prompt identification of discrepancies. It fosters transparency and helps maintain a true and fair view of the financial statements.

Set Controls

Establish precise petty cash policies and procedures for petty cash management, including predefined spending limits and approval processes. Such controls prevent misuse and ensure that expenditures align with organizational guidelines. You can additionally specify the expense category and vendors for enhanced control.

Securely Store Cash and Documents

Designate a locked and controlled space, like a safe or lockable drawer, for physical cash and accompanying documents in the petty cash system. Limit access to authorized personnel to minimize theft or mishandling risks. Regularly reconcile cash on hand with documented transactions to promptly identify and address any discrepancies, ensuring the overall integrity of the petty cash process.

Maintain a Log

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Keep a detailed log or ledger of all petty cash transactions, including dates, amounts, and purposes. It serves as a comprehensive record for reconciliation and provides a historical overview of petty cash usage. A better way would be to maintain a digital log, which will be more accessible and accelerate the reconciliation process as well.

Use of Virtual Cards

Shift to virtual or prepaid cards for the petty cash process. Virtual cards allow for controlled and traceable spending with transactions automatically recorded. This digital approach enhances security and simplifies the reconciliation process. 

However, these virtual cards should not be mistaken for shared corporate cards or employees' personal debit cards, which could be reimbursed later. Such confusion makes the petty cash process more chaotic and takes away the ease of reconciling with digitization. You lose visibility, and the employees wait weeks to get reimbursed.

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Digitization Simplifies Petty Cash Reconciliation

Petty cash reconciliation strengthens when the foundation is set right. It means having defined policies and methods. 

An expense management platform further assists the teams to manage effectively by providing real-time visibility. It helps you enforce the policies with advanced control and simplifies the approval and documentation process by providing all the details on a single dashboard, leaving no loopholes for any mistakes. 

Book a demo today! See how you can digitize your petty cash process to save time and ensure that a mismatch, even of an insignificant amount, never haunts your team. 

The finance landscape is undergoing a seismic shift in an era of unstinted technological advancement. Back in 2018, a PWC report found that amongst the top 12 challenges that financial organisations faced, 4 of them were technology-related. It wasn't about deciding whether to implement digital transformation technologies but more about understanding the enterprise value these investments would add.

According to Deloitte, adopting the right digital transformation strategies can increase market value by up to $1.25 trillion across Fortune 500 companies. But how can organisations implement these strategies successfully?

The CFO's Perspective on Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is no longer just a buzzword; it is a mandate for modern businesses, and the CFO plays a central role in this paradigm shift. Gone are the days when the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position revolved solely around balance sheets, budgeting, and compliance. The modern CFO is now tasked with leading the charge in the digital transformation of the finance department.

With its vision of becoming a global technology and innovation hub in the UAE, the need for digital transformation is even more compelling.

Why is digital transformation so vital for a CFO?

• Real-Time Financial Insights: Real-time access to financial data can be an invaluable asset in combating expense fraud. Digital transformation allows CFOs to detect irregularities promptly, leading to timely intervention and reducing the financial losses associated with fraud.
• Enhanced Reporting: CFOs can generate comprehensive financial reports more quickly and accurately, aiding in transparency and stakeholder communication.
• Cost Reduction: Automating financial processes can lead to cost savings, such as reduced labour and operational costs.
• Strategic Planning: Digital tools help CFOs analyse financial data and create insights to make strategic decisions and adapt to changing market conditions.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Digital solutions assist in maintaining compliance with changing regulations and mitigating financial risks.

What is the best digital transformation tool for you?

As a CFO, your journey towards a comprehensive digital transformation should be guided by specific features that enhance financial efficiency and help combat one of the most prevalent issues—expense fraud. Here's what you should look for in a digital transformation tool to achieve these goals:

1. Full Control Over Budget Allocation and Spend Visibility:

Access to complete control over budget allocation and clear visibility into how those budgets are spent is the foundation of sound financial management. Your chosen digital transformation tool should empower you to allocate resources efficiently and make data-driven decisions.

2. Real-Time Closure with ERP Integration:

Moving from traditional month-end closures to real-time closures is a game-changer. This transition ensures you have real-time insights into your company's expenditure, allowing you to address financial challenges swiftly. An essential component of this is seamless integration with your ERP system, which provides instant access to financial data.

3. Elimination of Petty Cash Usage:

Digitization of financial processes is a fundamental aspect of modern financial management. To achieve this, focus on strategies to eliminate petty cash usage as much as possible. Consider solutions that offer alternatives, such as merchant-specific cards, fuel cards, and PRO cards, which reduce inefficiency and enhance security.‎

4. Advanced Expense Fraud Detection:

Expense fraud is an all-too-common challenge faced by many companies. Leveraging digitization to combat this issue is essential. Look for a solution equipped with world-class Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to identify duplicate receipts and suspicious transactions. The goal is to ensure transactions are monitored in real-time and in an automated manner, such that financial compliance is continuously maintained.

5. Improved Audit Process for Accounting Teams:

Ensuring an enhanced audit process is a vital component of your CFO responsibilities. You must seek a digital transformation tool with two critical features for this. First, accounting automation powered by ERP integration streamlines financial processes and reduces the potential for human error. Second, the tool should provide 100% visibility into all receipts across the company, creating a comprehensive audit trail and reducing the likelihood of discrepancies.

6. Insights and Forecasting:

To thrive in a rapidly changing business environment, a CFO must have a finger on the pulse of their company's finances. A 360-degree digital transformation solution offers complete real-time visibility into all company expenditures. This feature allows you to provide timely, data-driven insights and forecasts, enabling proactive decision-making.

7. Multi-Subsidiary Expense Tracking:

In the UAE, as businesses achieve a reasonable size, they often evolve into multi-subsidiary or multi-branch entities. Given this common trajectory, it's imperative that the chosen digital transformation tool supports multi-subsidiary expense tracking. This ensures that financial data from all parts of the organization is aggregated and analyzed effectively. Not only does it provide a holistic view of the company's financial health, but it also enables consistent monitoring and control of expenses across the entire organization.

To illustrate the power of these digital transformation features, let's look at real-life business examples from the UAE:

1. Dubai Blockchain Mandate: Dubai is on a mission to become the world's inaugural blockchain-powered city. The Dubai Blockchain Mandate, led by the Smart Dubai Office, lays out a clear path for integrating blockchain technology across the city. By embracing blockchain technology, Dubai has the potential to realize annual savings of 5.5 billion dirhams in document processing alone, equivalent to the value of one Burj Khalifa every year.

2. Dubai Government Services: The government is committed to digitizing its services, the rate of which in 2023 stands at 99.5%. Currently, 87% of all government service transactions are digital. Furthermore, the government has also developed over 100 smartphone apps with cybersecurity and data law compliance.

The digital transformation process is an ongoing journey that entails mobilising the entire workforce and instilling a change-oriented mindset with no pre-defined endpoint that might extend well beyond your current leadership. It serves as the fundamental framework for an organisation's survival in an era marked by disruptions. Achieving success in this context involves formulating a strategy around making purposeful investments in the digital realm. It requires the prudent allocation of resources toward innovative technologies that can drive the organisation's strategic initiatives.

Ultimately, the successful execution of digital transformation mandates the ability to communicate to stakeholders that every digital initiative undertaken is a deliberate move to enhance the organisation's prospects for sustained success.