Automation has revolutionized accounts payable (AP), but to assume that automation alone defines the future of AP is to miss the larger transformation underway. True evolution in this space isn’t just about faster invoice processing or seamless payment cycles. Sismai Roman Vazquez explains that it’s about building a cross-functional AP operation that serves as a strategic asset across departments, not just a back-office tool.
The Strategic Role of AP
For years, the AP function was treated as a cost center focused solely on processing transactions. But with the rise of SaaS-based AP solutions, organizations are beginning to rethink that framework. And rightly so. Automation may remove manual drudgery, but it doesn’t inherently make AP smarter. That requires integration, communication, and cross-functional collaboration.
Finance no longer works in a silo. When AP is connected with procurement, legal, compliance, treasury, and even IT, it enables a flow of intelligence across the enterprise. This isn’t theory; it’s happening inside forward-thinking finance teams who view AP not as a checkbox task, but as a key node in their organizational intelligence network.
It’s a shift professionals like Sismai Roman have long championed, redefining AP not just as a function, but as a capability.
Why Cross-Functional AP Matters
Accounts payable sees everything that flows through the business. That makes it an incredibly powerful source of operational insight if you know how to use it. Sismai Vazquez explains that a cross-functional AP setup makes this possible:
- Procurement Alignment: AP and procurement working together means faster issue resolution, fewer discrepancies, and better vendor relationships.
- Compliance Visibility: Cross-functional workflows reduce the risk of fraud, duplicate payments, and out-of-policy spending.
- Data-Driven Forecasting: Treasury and FP&A gain near real-time insight into cash flow, payables timing, and working capital cycles.
- IT Integration: AP platforms must plug into the broader ERP and security frameworks—and that requires real collaboration with IT.
These aren’t fringe benefits; they’re central to how modern enterprises operate.
Why Finance Needs to Think Like Product
For cross-functional AP to thrive, finance leaders need to adopt a product mindset. That means thinking in terms of stakeholder needs, user experience, and long-term impact, not just transaction volume or closing cycles. It’s something professionals like Sismai Roman Vazquez have emphasized consistently: the idea that financial systems, especially AP, should be built like internal products—intuitive, collaborative, and deeply aligned with business objectives. When AP workflows are treated with the same care as external tools, adoption improves, and silos break down.
Rethinking SaaS AP Solutions
SaaS solutions have certainly made AP more scalable and secure. But that’s just table stakes now. The differentiators aren’t about features; they’re about how the tool fits into an organization’s broader ecosystem.
It’s here that leaders like Sismai Roman Vazquez bring clarity. Viewing the AP stack not as a standalone solution but as an integrated layer of the finance and operations tech stack is a mindset shift. One that more CFOs and controllers are beginning to adopt.
For Sismai Vazquez, this isn’t about technology for its own sake; it’s about using AP to enable smarter business decisions, faster.
The Cultural Shift Behind Cross-Functional AP
The tools don’t drive the change; people do. A truly cross-functional AP department reflects a finance culture that values transparency, agility, and shared accountability. That means:
- Finance leads partnering with legal on vendor terms.
- Controllers working directly with procurement on policy exceptions.
- IT teams being proactive stakeholders in AP system selection and integrations.
This cross-departmental approach creates a more agile organization that can adapt faster to both opportunity and risk.
Measuring Impact Beyond Efficiency
A final but critical shift is how AP success is measured. Traditional metrics like invoice processing time or cost per transaction are still helpful, but they don’t tell the full story. In a cross-functional model, AP’s effectiveness is also about how quickly procurement issues get resolved, how well vendor risks are flagged, and how deeply finance insights drive strategic planning. Leaders like Sismai R. Vazquez argue that without reframing these KPIs, organizations will continue to underutilize one of their most intelligence-rich functions.
From Tactical to Transformational
Automation will always be part of the AP conversation, but the real frontier is strategic enablement. When AP works in sync with adjacent functions, it becomes a force multiplier. Fraud detection improves. Cash flow becomes more predictable. Vendor management becomes proactive, not reactive.
Sismai Vazquez explains that this shift doesn’t just benefit finance. It touches every department that relies on clarity, speed, and compliance in financial operations.
Conclusion
The next generation of AP leaders won’t just think in terms of workflows and payments. They’ll think in terms of ecosystems. For professionals like Sismai R Vazquez, the question isn’t whether automation is in place. It’s whether AP is connected, intelligent, and influential across the business. That’s the future to aim for.
