What Are The AP Automation Implementation Challenges?
1. Cost Concern
31% of businesses say cost is their biggest concern when it comes to implementing AP automation. Any new technology spending can be hard to justify, especially when ROI isn't guaranteed upfront. Uncertainty around hidden fees or implementation costs makes that harder. Here's what the numbers actually show: processing an invoice manually costs an average of AU$28 to AU$31. With AP automation, that drops to AU$9 per invoice. The savings are there; it's about finding a solution you can trust to deliver them.
2. Lack of Expertise
Nearly 29% point to a lack of expertise as a key barrier. Your finance team is skilled at what they do, but configuring and deploying automation software is a different challenge entirely. When your team is already at capacity with day-to-day work, taking on a complex technology rollout without the right support feels like a significant risk. But with an intuitive system and excellent customer support, it won't be a challenge.
3. Security Concerns
For 27% of businesses, data security is a serious barrier to adopting AP automation. Handing sensitive information, such as supplier details, invoice amounts, and payment terms, to a third-party platform is a big step. There's also the question of compliance. Moving away from familiar processes, even inefficient ones, can feel risky when you're accountable for getting it right. This barrier can be easily resolved with a secure system that protects your sensitive AP data.
4. Integration Challenges
You've built workflows your business depends on, and the thought of introducing new software that might not sync with your existing systems is a legitimate concern. 24% of businesses, too, think integration is an implementation challenge. The solution is an automation system that integrates seamlessly with your tech stack, without costly integration fees.
How Does Lightyear Help With Implementing AP Automation?
1. Transparent Pricing
Lightyear offers a transparent pricing plan, starting at A$155/month. There are no hidden implementation fees, so what you see is what you pay, before you sign anything. If you are not ready to commit spend to the solution yet, a 30-day free trial lets you test the platform against your actual invoices, so you can see the impact before making any financial decision.
Moreover, when it comes to justifying the investment internally, our customer data shows a short average ROI payback period. You can run the numbers for your own business using our ROI calculator because the best proof is seeing what it means for you specifically. Furthermore, as your business grows, Lightyear grows with you. There's no charge per user or entity, so you can scale without worrying about your software costs scaling at the same rate.
2. Supportive Implementation Team
Over 90% of Lightyear customers complete a successful implementation on their first attempt. The difference comes down to how implementation is handled. While an ERP rollout can take up to 12 months, you can be live on Lightyear within 4 to 6 weeks. You don't need technical knowledge or an internal IT team to get started. Lightyear's implementation team manages the entire setup end-to-end, so your finance team can stay focused on day-to-day operations.
Lightyear’s implementation specialists have guided thousands of Australian businesses through this process and know exactly where things can go wrong and how to prevent them. Unlimited support is included at every pricing tier (not a premium add-on), so there's always someone available when questions come up after go-live.
This is what the AP Manager at Strandbags said, “Whenever there's an issue, the support team is always very helpful and quick to respond. The support is crucial, and I appreciate how efficiently they handle even minor issues. It’s reassuring to know that help is always just a call away.”
Want to see exactly what the process looks like? Our AP automation implementation plan walks you through every step.
3. ISO 27001 certified
Lightyear is internationally recognised for information security. Within Lightyear, you control who inside your business can access what through role-based permissions that limit visibility.
Additionally, every approval and change is recorded in a full, timestamped audit trail, so you're always ready for compliance reviews or external audits. Furthermore, Lightyear supports SSO login across desktop and mobile, with biometric login available on mobile, ensuring secure access without being a barrier for your team.
4. Supercharge Your Integrations
If you've been through a painful integration before — one that required costly bespoke development just to get systems talking — this will feel different. Lightyear integrates with many popular Australian accounting platforms, with no custom development and no risk to your live financial data.
“Lightyear’s integration with Xero was very straightforward, and the teams in the venues found the platform easy to use.” - Plate It Forward
Your existing GL codes sync directly into Lightyear, and your implementation specialist works with you to set up your coding rules, so the logic your team already uses is preserved from day one. Furthermore, if you're operating across multiple locations or entities, Lightyear lets you manage everything from a single platform, without juggling separate systems across sites.
“We can click the link in Xero and look at the invoice instead of going through 100 files to actually find the invoice.” - Allendale
The gap between where you are and where you need to be is smaller than you think. Lightyear helps close the gap by addressing and overcoming the 4 main concerns. The system is transparent with its pricing, integrates with many accounting & ERP systems, comes with a dedicated implementation team and is completely secure with ISO certification.
