ExFlow: A Built-In AP Automation Solution for Dynamics 365

Every organization, regardless of size or industry, strives for streamlined processes to maximize productivity and drive growth. When it comes to financial operations, accounts payable (AP) automation plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, reducing manual process errors, and lowering costs.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful platform for managing various aspects of business operations, and with the inclusion of ExFlow, an AP automation solution built directly into Dynamics 365, you can attain the multiple advantages of streamlined processes.

In this blog, we’ll explore how leveraging ExFlow as part of your ERP investment helps you achieve greater efficiency and accuracy in invoice processing. We’ll also show you how the inclusion of automated AP tools facilitates improved cash flow management and enhances visibility into financial data.

Key highlights:

• ExFlow is built directly into Microsoft Dynamics 365, offering a fully embedded AP automation experience that eliminates the need for third-party integrations or external middleware.
• The solution helps organizations reduce errors, increase processing speed, and gain better visibility into invoice status, resulting in stronger financial control and operational efficiency.
• Built-in compliance with Microsoft licensing rules eliminates the risk of multiplexing, protects your business from costly audits, and ensures license transparency.
• Users benefit from a familiar D365 interface and seamless updates, helping teams adopt the solution quickly while staying current with Microsoft’s One Version policy.

What Is Accounts Payable Automation?

Accounts payable automation is the use of software to streamline and digitize the entire payment process, reducing the need for manual entry and approvals. These solutions capture invoices through OCR or online inputs, routing them for approval based on pre-set workflows, matching them to purchase orders (POs), and posting them directly into your ERP system. 

An AP automation tool centralizes this entire process, ensuring better control and visibility while freeing teams from repetitive tasks.

For organizations, automation offers:

• Minimized Manual Payment Processing: Automation removes the need for time-consuming manual entry and routing of invoices by digitizing the entire workflow. This reduces errors, accelerates approvals, and frees your finance team to focus on higher-value activities.
• Reduced Manual Payments via Invoice Matching: The system verifies accuracy before approval by automatically matching invoices to POs and receipts. This reduces the need for manual intervention and lowers the risk of duplicate or incorrect payments.
• Enhanced Audit Trail:  Every step of the invoice lifecycle is recorded, from capture to approval to payment. This digital archive supports internal controls, simplifies audits, and ensures compliance with regulatory standards.
• Early payment discounts: Automated routing gets invoices to the correct approvers faster, helping you meet early payment deadlines. Taking advantage of these discounts can significantly improve your bottom line.
• Cost Savings Through Resource Management: By reducing manual workloads and streamlining approvals, AP automation optimizes how your team uses time and resources. This leads to lower administrative costs and a more scalable finance operation.

The Advantage of Built-in Automation for AP

ExFlow AP is incorporated within the security features of Dynamics 365 and the Azure environment, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality while safeguarding sensitive financial information against potential breaches or unauthorized access. This enhances operational efficiency and instills confidence in users about the safety and compliance of their financial processes.

Our tool’s standout advantage is that it’s built right into Microsoft Dynamics 365. Unlike a standalone AP automation solution that requires cumbersome integrations, ExFlow is purpose-built to work seamlessly within the D365 ecosystem. 

An embedded solution eliminates the need for additional middleware or custom development, saving you valuable time and resources while providing a smooth user experience, which is particularly beneficial in situations when finance staff are transitioning to a new system.

Learn more by reading our complete guide to accounts payable automation.

Safeguard Security While Enhancing Compliance with Automated AP Solutions

Having your accounts payable automation solution built into Dynamics 365 offers significant advantages, especially when it comes to licensing and system security. One key benefit is the elimination of multiplexing, a common licensing violation that occurs when users indirectly access Microsoft software through third-party applications without the appropriate licenses.

Multiplexing typically happens when an external system feeds data into Dynamics 365 without proper user authentication, bypassing licensing requirements. Not only does this action create a compliance risk, but it can also result in substantial penalties. Microsoft audits non-compliant environments and issues fines based on unlicensed access that can quickly escalate for large organizations, reaching tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You eliminate this risk by using an AP automation solution that is fully embedded in Dynamics 365. All user interactions occur within the licensed environment, ensuring complete transparency and alignment with Microsoft’s licensing model.

In addition to license adherence, a native integration enhances overall system security. Keeping your AP processes within Dynamics 365 can:

• Reduce the need for external data transfers
• Minimize exposure to breaches
• Prevent invoice fraud
• Stop unauthorized access 

Centralizing workflows in a trusted ERP environment allows tighter access controls, audit trails, and encryption protocols. The result is a more secure, compliant AP operation that enables your team to focus on strategic financial management instead of chasing down security gaps or correcting preventable issues.

Microsoft D365 One Version

To support its cloud-first vision, Microsoft’s One Version policy ensures that organizations always run the latest version of Dynamics 365. This approach brings several operational and strategic benefits that improve efficiency, agility, and system resilience.

The key benefits of One Version include:

• Continuous Access to Innovation: Users receive regular feature updates and functionality improvements without waiting for major releases, allowing businesses to stay competitive and leverage the latest technology as soon as it’s available.
• Reduced IT Overhead: With automatic updates managed by Microsoft, internal IT teams no longer need to plan, test, and execute complex upgrade projects, freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.
• Improved System Stability and Security: Regular updates include critical security patches and performance enhancements, reducing vulnerabilities and improving overall system reliability.
• Enhanced User Experience: Frequent updates mean faster access to usability improvements, ensuring end-users benefit from an intuitive and efficient interface aligned with the latest best practices.
• Greater Compliance and Compatibility: Staying on the latest version helps ensure alignment with Microsoft’s support policies, partner solutions, and regulatory standards, minimizing risk and reducing integration issues.

In traditional ERP environments, manual updates require careful planning, resource allocation, and testing cycles, any of which can go wrong and disrupt business continuity. These disruptions can delay access to critical system functions, interrupt day-to-day workflows, and force IT teams to divert attention from strategic initiatives to troubleshooting.

One Version removes this risk by automatically keeping all users on the latest version of Dynamics 365. Updates are delivered seamlessly in the background, with minimal intervention required. As a result, all users benefit from the most recent features, functionality improvements, and security patches, driving consistency across teams and giving organizations the agility to respond quickly to changing business needs.

The Benefits of an AP Automation System in a Nutshell

When evaluating AP solutions, it’s important to choose a system that automates tasks and aligns natively with your ERP environment for long-term scalability and compliance. Here’s what sets ExFlow apart:

• A natively developed AP automation system engineered to the rules set by MS for D365 certification, ExFlow provides full confidence that processes are optimized and errors reduced
• Constant optimization of the standard product leads to consistent efficiency and control improvements
• Gives you higher AP automation ROI
• Familiar UI for greater user satisfaction
• No license compliance risk through inadvertent multiplexing, providing increased security of cost and brand protection

Enhance the ROI of your ERP with ExFlow’s Advanced AP Automation Solutions

Investing in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system like Microsoft Dynamics 365 represents a significant commitment for your organization. These platforms serve as the backbone of business operations, centralizing data and processes across various departments. However, the true value of an ERP investment lies in its ability to adapt and evolve alongside your business. 

ExFlow AP for Business Central (BC) and Finance & Operations (F&O) leverages the existing infrastructure of D365, extending its capabilities to automate accounts payable processes seamlessly. 

This addition enhances functionality and ensures consistency and integrity across your organization. With our AP automation software, you get a single source of truth for all financial data and processes, eliminating the need for additional synchronization. This unified approach streamlines operations, reduces complexity, and minimizes the risk of discrepancies. 

By consolidating financial information within the ERP system, you:

• Gain greater visibility and control over your operations
• Enabling informed decision-making with real-time insights and fostering organizational agility
• Derive maximum value from your ERP investment
• Driving sustainable growth and competitive advantage

Want to learn more about how to leverage your ERP investment with ExFlow? Book a demo of our AP automation solution today.