Paperless Accounts Payable Software
Paper invoices get lost, sit on desks, and cost more to process. Quick Payable moves your whole AP process online inside Salesforce. Invoices are captured with AI, checked against POs, approved from any device, tracked to payment, and stored as a searchable digital record.
Key Takeaways
- Paperless AP means no paper invoices, printed approval forms, paper checks, or filing cabinets. Every step happens and is stored online.
- The average invoice costs $9.40 and takes 9.2 days to process. Best-in-class teams, who rely on automation, spend $2.78 and 3.1 days.
- Checks were the payment method most targeted by fraud in 2025, reported by 58% of organizations.
- You don't need every vendor to change. Paper that still arrives gets scanned into the same digital workflow.
- Quick Payable runs paperless AP inside Salesforce for $100 per user per month, with a 15-day free trial.
What Is Paperless Accounts Payable?
Paperless accounts payable is running AP without paper. Invoices arrive by email or get scanned the day they come in. AI reads the data, approvals happen online, payments go out electronically, and every record lives in one searchable system.
It's more than scanning. A scanned invoice that still gets printed for a manager's signature isn't paperless. The goal is a process where no step needs a printer, a folder, or a desk to sit on. Quick Payable is accounts payable automation software built to run that process inside Salesforce.
| Step | Paper AP | Paperless AP |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving invoices | Mail, email attachments, and invoices handed to the wrong person | One AP email address, with paper scanned on arrival |
| Data entry | Someone types each invoice into the system | AI OCR reads the invoice and fills in the record |
| Checking | Pulling the PO and receiving slip from a file | Automatic match against the PO and receipt |
| Approval | Printed invoice walked or mailed to a manager | Routed online with reminders and mobile approval |
| Payment | Printed checks, signed and mailed | ACH, card, or other electronic payment |
| Storage | Filing cabinets and offsite boxes | Searchable digital record with full history |
| Audit | Pulling folders and hunting for signatures | Every action logged with user and time |
What Paper Costs Your AP Team
Paper adds time and handling to every invoice. Industry research shows how wide the gap is between average teams and the best ones.
What that gap means in dollars: a company processing 1,000 invoices a month at the $9.40 average spends about $9,400 a month. At $2.78, the same volume costs $2,780. That's a difference of $6,620 a month, or about $79,440 a year. Your numbers will differ, so run them with our AP cost calculator.
Paper Checks Are the Biggest Fraud Target
Going paperless isn't only about invoices. The payment end matters too, and checks remain the easiest target.
Electronic payments aren't fraud-proof either. Fraudsters often target ACH and wires by sending fake requests to change a vendor's bank details. So going paperless works best with two controls in place: confirm every bank detail change by calling the vendor at a number already on file, and require a second approver for large payments. For checks you still send, ask your bank about positive pay.
How Paperless AP Works in Quick Payable
Every invoice follows the same digital path, from the moment it arrives to the day it's archived.
| Step | What happens | Quick Payable feature |
|---|---|---|
| Receive | Vendors email invoices to one address. Paper gets scanned. | Automated invoice processing |
| Capture | AI reads vendor, invoice number, dates, line items, and totals | AI OCR invoice processing |
| Match | Invoice is checked against the PO and receipt, and duplicates are rejected | 2-way and 3-way matching, duplicate detection |
| Approve | Routed by amount, vendor, or department, with reminders and backups | Invoice approval software |
| Pay | Approved invoices are scheduled and tracked to payment or exported to your ERP | ERP integration, payment tracking |
| Archive | Invoice, approvals, and payment stay together as one searchable record | Invoice management, audit trail |
When clean invoices run through every step without anyone touching them, that's touchless invoice processing, the next stage after going paperless.
Benefits of Paperless Accounts Payable
What changes for your team when the paper goes away.
Lower Cost per Invoice
No printing, postage, filing, or offsite storage, and far less time spent on manual accounts payable data entry. That's how best-in-class teams reduce the work involved in processing each invoice.
Faster Approvals
Invoices reach approvers in minutes instead of days, with reminders and backups when someone is out. No more invoices lost on a desk.
Better Vendor Relationships
Faster processing means on-time payments, fewer late fees, and a real chance at early-payment discounts. Vendor questions get answered from one record.
Audit-Ready Records
Every invoice, approval, and payment is logged with a name and a time. When auditors ask, you search instead of digging through boxes.
Room to Grow
A digital process handles more invoices without more filing space or a bigger team doing data entry.
Less Paper Waste
Fewer printed invoices, forms, and checks support your company's sustainability goals.
How to Go Paperless With Accounts Payable
Here's the order that works for most teams. The software is the easy part. Vendors and approvers are where the real work is.
| Step | What to do | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Measure today | Count paper vs. emailed invoices, checks written, and cost per invoice | This becomes your baseline for proving savings |
| 2. Write your rules | Set approval limits, match tolerances, and exception owners | Use our guide to accounts payable procedures |
| 3. Pick the software | Check AI capture, approvals, matching, and fit with your systems | Smaller teams can start with our guide to AP automation for small business |
| 4. Set one invoice address | Give every vendor a single AP email for invoices | Send a short letter with your next payment |
| 5. Scan what's left | Scan paper invoices on arrival, or use a mail scanning service | Don't wait for every vendor to switch |
| 6. Move approvals online | Turn on routing, reminders, and backup approvers | Stop accepting printed sign-offs on day one |
| 7. Switch to e-payments | Collect bank details and move vendors from checks to ACH or card | Verify every bank detail by calling a known number |
| 8. Go digital on records | Store invoices and history in the system, not in folders | Confirm your retention policy with your accountant |
| 9. Pilot, then expand | Start with one entity or vendor group, then roll out | Track cost per invoice and cycle time each month |
Can you throw out the paper? In the U.S., the IRS accepts electronic records when your system keeps them accurate, complete, and readable for as long as they're needed, as described in Revenue Procedure 97-22. Many companies keep AP records for seven years. Check state rules and confirm your policy with your accountant before shredding originals.
Common Mistakes When Going Paperless
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Scanning invoices but still printing them for approval | Move approvals online from day one |
| Letting invoices arrive at many inboxes | Publish one AP address and forward strays to it |
| Waiting for every vendor to stop mailing paper | Scan what arrives and keep going |
| Switching to e-payments without verifying bank details | Confirm every change by phone at a known number |
| Digitizing a messy process | Fix approval limits and exception rules first |
| Skipping approver training | Show approvers the mobile app and reminders in a 15-minute session |
Why Teams Choose Quick Payable for Paperless AP
Built for finance teams that already run on Salesforce.
Salesforce-Native
Runs inside your org, with the same users, security, and reports. There's no separate system to sync.
AI Invoice Capture
Reads PDF, PNG, and scanned paper invoices so your team reviews data instead of typing it.
Approvals That Don't Stall
Multi-level routing, reminders, backup approvers, and messaging with approvers on the invoice.
Security You Can Check
Built by Differenz System, which holds ISO 27001:2022 certification, on Salesforce's security model.
See the full list of Quick Payable features or read how teams use it in our customer case studies.
Paperless AP Features in Quick Payable
Everything you need to run AP without paper, in one Salesforce app.
- User Management
- Admin and Staff Profiles
- Vendor Management
- GL Code Management
- GL Codes by Vendor
- GL Codes by Line Item
- Multi-Level Approval
- Out-of-Office Approver
- On-Hold Invoices
- Re-Route Invoices
- Report Invoice Issues
- Auto-Reject Duplicates
- Approval Tracking
- Messaging With Approvers
- Custom Dashboards
- Custom Reports
- Custom Filters
- Custom Email Templates
Is Quick Payable the Right Fit?
Strong fit
- Your company already runs on Salesforce
- Your team still types invoices or walks paper to approvers
- You write a lot of checks and want to move vendors to e-payments
- You have several entities, locations, or departments
- Audits mean pulling boxes of paper
Check first
- You don't use Salesforce
- You need a full general ledger, not just AP
- You process only a handful of invoices a month
Quick Payable works alongside your ERP or accounting system. Confirm your setup during the demo. Paperless AP looks different in every industry, so see how it works in your industry.
Paperless Accounts Payable FAQs
What is paperless accounts payable?
Paperless accounts payable is running AP without paper invoices, printed approval forms, paper checks, or filing cabinets. Invoices arrive or get scanned in digital form, approvals happen online, payments go out electronically, and every record is stored digitally.
How do I go paperless with accounts payable?
Start by measuring your current invoice volume and cost. Then pick software, give vendors one email address for invoices, scan any paper that still arrives, move approvals online, switch vendors to electronic payments, and store records digitally. Roll it out with a small group of vendors first.
What if some vendors still mail paper invoices?
Scan them when they arrive, or use a mail scanning service, and send the file into the same digital workflow. Ask those vendors to email invoices going forward. Most will switch once you give them one clear address.
Is it legal to keep AP records only in digital form?
In the U.S., the IRS accepts electronic records when your system keeps them accurate, complete, and readable, as described in Revenue Procedure 97-22. Check your state rules and confirm your retention policy with your accountant.
How much can paperless AP save?
Ardent Partners' 2025 research puts the average cost to process an invoice at $9.40, against $2.78 for best-in-class teams that rely on automation. Your savings depend on your volume and current process, so run your own numbers with an AP cost calculator.
How does Quick Payable capture paper invoices?
Quick Payable uses AI OCR to read PDF, PNG, and scanned invoices and fill in the invoice record in Salesforce. Your team reviews the data instead of typing it.
Does going paperless reduce payment fraud?
It can. The 2026 AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey found checks were the payment method most targeted by fraud in 2025, reported by 58% of organizations. Moving to electronic payments with strong controls, like verified vendor bank details and dual approval, cuts that exposure.
Does Quick Payable work with my ERP or accounting system?
Quick Payable exports approved invoices to ERP and accounting systems. Connection options depend on your system, so confirm yours during the demo.
Do I need Salesforce to use Quick Payable?
Yes. Quick Payable is built natively on Salesforce and runs inside your Salesforce org, using its users, security, and reports.
Can approvers sign off from their phones?
Yes. Approvers get notified in Salesforce and can approve or reject from desktop or mobile, and you can set backup approvers for when someone is out of the office.
How long does it take to go paperless?
It depends on your volume, number of vendors, and integrations. Most of the time goes into vendor communication and approval rules, not the software. A pilot with a small vendor group helps you move faster with less risk.
How much does Quick Payable cost?
Quick Payable is $100 per user per month, with a 15-day free trial. No credit card is required. See full pricing details.
Ready to Take Paper Out of AP?
Try Quick Payable free for 15 days, or book a demo and see your own invoices captured, approved, and archived inside Salesforce.
$100 per user per month · 15-day free trial · No credit card required