Esker Showcases Single-Platform AP and AR Invoice Automation at Financials 2011 Conference, Leads Breakout Session Today

Esker, the leader in document process automation solutions and an SAP software solution partner, today announced that its U.S. Chief Operating Officer will lead a breakout session as part of Esker’s participation as a Platinum Sponsor and exhibitor at the Financials 2011 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. At booth 605 Esker is showcasing its automation platform with SAP-certified integration for both paper-free accounts payable invoice processing and 100% electronic accounts receivable invoice delivery as well as automated processing and delivery of orders and other documents in the cash conversion cycle.

Steve Smith, Esker’s U.S. COO, will present a breakout session titled How to Quit Paper in AP, AR and More with a Single Platform today from 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Grand 107 at the Financials 2011 conference. The session will explore challenges businesses face with manual processes in accounts payable and accounts receivable, and how intelligent technology integrates with SAP solutions to automate invoice capture, workflow and electronic delivery. Smith will walk through case study examples highlighting lessons learned in implementing the technology and benefits of AP and AR automation including shorter payment cycles, lower days sales outstanding (DSO), fewer human errors, increased visibility for financial planning and higher productivity. Also covered will be deployment options including cloud services and phased implementation approaches.

In addition, Esker announced today the release of a new white paper titled, "Consolidating Accounts Payable Workflow Outside the SAP System.” Derived from Esker’s experience working with organizations in the SAP ecosystem to automate accounts payable processes, the white paper intends to help IT managers and SAP system administrators make informed decisions when optimizing vendor invoice processing and choosing between a solution for AP workflow integrated inside the SAP system or one residing outside. According to Esker, automation can save organizations 40 to 60 percent of AP operational and administrative costs. Other benefits of automated vendor invoice processing include shortened reconciliation and payment cycles, increased visibility of invoice processing and approval status, improved reporting and audit trails, elimination of duplicate payments and fraud, and strengthened credit rating, compliance status and supplier relationships.

As a tool to assist IT managers and SAP system administrators in their decision-making process, the white paper outlines key factors to consider and analyzes:

• AP challenges: the elimination of manual handling of paper documents and the management of multiple ERP systems within the same company.
• Advantages of workflow outside the SAP system, but tightly connected to it, which include: ease of deployment, flexibility, ease of use for non-SAP users, consistency across different business applications, workflow consolidation, the elimination of time and geography constraints, and support for the set-up of shared services. Users have access to all information within the SAP system without having to depend on access to and proficiency with SAP applications.

"This white paper is the result of our expertise in AP automation within the SAP environment and is based on numerous projects accomplished for our customers around the world,” said Emmanuel Olivier, Chief Operating Officer, Esker. "With this publication, we are sharing that expertise with SAP professionals and providing them with the tools to make the best decisions relating to solutions for automated AP data validation and approval workflow.”

About Esker

Esker is a recognized leader in helping organizations reduce the use of paper, eliminate manual processes and simplify IT landscapes. With its comprehensive platform, Esker delivers the benefits of automated document processing as on-demand services (SaaS) and on-premise solutions. Customers achieve significant operational efficiencies, cost savings and ROI in as little as three to six months while gaining visibility and control within order-to-cash and procure-to-pay business processes ranging from sales order management and accounts receivable to purchasing and accounts payable. Founded in 1985, Esker operates globally with more than 80,000 customers and millions of licensed users worldwide. Esker has global headquarters in Lyon, France and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.esker.com. Follow Esker on Twitter and join the conversation at twitter.com/eskerinc.

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