How ADU Gained 88% More Invoice Capacity with Tipalti Accounts Payable

The Challenge

Manual Checks and Approval Gaps

Appliance Distributors Unlimited (ADU), a family-owned distributor with eight showrooms across several states, faced significant inefficiencies in its accounts payable process. Manual checks slowed payments and increased exposure to check fraud.

Without a central AP system, approvals happened in email threads and through manual follow-ups. One AP staff member had to manage hundreds of invoices each month with limited visibility into spend. As the business grew, so did the complexity. The team needed a modern, automated way to bring order, speed, and control to AP.

The Solution

Automated AP with Tipalti

ADU implemented Tipalti, which integrates with Sage Intacct, in about 8-10 weeks. The team moved to centralized invoice submission, AI-powered invoice capture, and automated approval workflows. Now, showroom managers can review and approve expenses from anywhere within a single system, eliminating the need for email-based approvals and manual tracking.

Tipalti also shifted ADU from paper checks to secure digital payments, cutting fraud risk and simplifying payment runs. A standardized process for matching invoices to purchase orders and installation charges improved accuracy and oversight.

With AP automation in place, ADU gained real-time visibility into AP. Managers could make faster, more informed decisions and spend more time on higher-value tasks.

The Result

Scalable Operations and Faster Close

Thanks to some help from Tipalti, ADU improved efficiency and built a path to scale—without adding headcount. With Tipalti’s AI-enabled invoice processing, the team increased productivity by 88% and now handles about 1,500 invoices each month, up from 800. ADU’s AP team reduced its workload by 25% and shifted focus to accuracy and vendor relationships. 

Tipalti Accounts Payable also improved ADU’s approval visibility across all eight showrooms. With Tipalti, month-end close now takes three days instead of three. As a result, ADU’s finance team is accelerating its financial cost by 40%.