Scaling a business is all well and good until you run headfirst into the finance wall. That’s the
one where bills accumulate, vendors are knocking on your door, and your internal staff is
overwhelmed with manual labor. That’s where accounts payable outsourcing saves your sanity
(and time).
If you’re committed to scaling your business without stumbling over your own back-office chaos,
then AP outsourcing should be your first step.
Let’s discuss why.
The Back-End Problem Nobody Discusses
Every business, particularly fast-growth businesses, spend lots of time thinking about sales,
product, and marketing. And yes, all those things are important. But behind the scenes, finance
teams are frantically worried. The more you grow, the more bills come in. And if you’re still doing
them manually or with a stretched team, you’re essentially setting yourself up for mistakes and
delays.
That’s where accounts payable outsourcing services begin to seem like a no-brainer. Rather
than putting your staff through the wringer, you assign the task to pros who do this day in and
day out.
Why AP Outsourcing Makes Sense First
Don’t outsource payroll, audits, or financial planning before you outsource AP. Begin small.
Begin with AP.
Why? Because accounts payable is the simplest finance function to outsource. It’s a repeatable,
document-intensive process that doesn’t require profound decision-making.
Through accounts payable outsourcing companies, you can outsource much of the
drudgery—invoice processing, approvals, payments, reconciliation—all done externally, but with
evident control in your possession.
And here’s the cherry on top: You don’t have to develop a huge internal team just to keep up
with bills.
Common Gains Through Outsourcing AP
Here’s what the majority of companies notice after making the accounts payable outsourcing
switch:
Fewer mistakes: No more late payment due dates or duplicate payments
Improved vendor relations: Vendors are paid on time, which translates to fewer irate emails
Scaling: Whether you’re processing 100 or 10,000 invoices a month, the system performs
Greater control: Contrary to what people believe, outsourcing doesn’t result in loss of control.
You actually gain improved visibility and monitoring
Also, when AP is not on your plate, your internal staff can spend time on strategic things—such
as cash flow planning or budgeting—rather than running after invoices.
How to Choose the Right AP Outsourcing Partner
Don’t just Google and take the first name you find. There are a lot of accounts payable
outsourcing providers, and they are not created equal.
Ask these questions before deciding on one:
What systems do they operate? Are they cloud-based?
Can they integrate with your current accounting software?
Do they offer real-time tracking?
How do they handle sensitive vendor data?
It also helps to ask for a trial run or a short-term project first. You’ll get to see how they work
without committing long term.
The Cost Factor
Many businesses think outsourcing means big bills. But the truth is, accounts payable
outsourcing services often cost less than hiring a full-time AP team.
You don’t pay for benefits, office space, training, or software. And because the experts are doing
the work, it normally takes less time and is less error-prone.
That’s money and time saved—two things every growing business needs more of.
Final Thoughts
Scaling your business doesn’t simply equal more sales. It equals tighter systems, smoother
processes, and fewer fires to fight.
If your finance operations are also taking a beating, don’t wait for things to get worse. Begin with
AP. Let a solid team take it over and grow your business without the back-end mayhem.
