SugarCRM Automates the Procure-to-Pay Workflow With Tipalti Accounts Payable and Procurement

The Challenge

Inefficiencies in Manual, Paper-Based Processes

SugarCRM, an award-winning customer relationship management platform with users in 120 countries, faced significant challenges in its accounts payable and procurement operations. The finance team relied heavily on manual, paper-based processes, including receiving invoices, printing them out, attaching them to check copies, and filing them in physical cabinets. This approach was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and inefficiencies. The manual workflow strained the finance team’s resources, especially when handling international finance operations, leading to increased workloads and potential payment delays.

Without a  connected system, SugarCRM experienced an array of issues. Updates to purchase orders frequently triggered rechecks and reopened invoices, creating extra steps for the finance team. New integrations also brought complications, like incomplete vendor records. Faced with these manual inefficiencies, SugarCRM’s finance team sought a scalable solution to streamline processes, enhance data integrity, and improve overall visibility.

The Solution

Streamlined Procure-to-Pay Workflows With Tipalti

To eliminate  SugarCRM’s manual challenges, the finance team implemented Tipalti Accounts Payable and Procurement,  which seamlessly synced with ERP, NetSuite. Tipalti provided a unified system that optimized invoice approvals and significantly reduced recurring errors. An important change was repositioning the “Accounting Approval” step before legal and compliance reviews, enabling earlier identification of mismatches or incomplete information and minimizing disruptions during compliance checks.

The Tipalti platform also consolidated SugarCRM’s procurement and vendor records into a single centralized system. This gave the finance team the ability to define default approvers and correct issues in real time. Automating these processes ensured accurate vendor details and a consistent flow if data across systems. With fewer manual interventions for approvals and procurement, SugarCRM’s employees could submit purchase requests with ease.

The Result

Fewer Errors and Greater Flexibility for Finance

The implementation of Tipalti’s integrated platform transformed SugarCRM’s finance operations. By streamlining approval workflows and syncing vendor data, the finance team saw significant reductions in errors such as purchase order mismatches and invoice bounce-backs. This improvement allowed them to shift focus from manual corrections to higher-value strategic efforts.

After implementation, the transformation was clear:

• Invoice Volume: Increased by 33%, from 300 to 400 per month.
• Team Size: Reduced by 50%, from 3 to 1.5 AP staff.
• Time Spent: Weekly AP workload decreased by approximately 50%, from 21–30 hours to 11–15 hours per employee.
• Automation: Up to 99% of the AP workflow is now automated.
• Month-End Close: Time required for month-end close was cut by up to 43%, from 7–9 days to just 3–5 days, saving up to 19 hours monthly.

In addition to operational benefits, the automation provided SugarCRM’s finance lead, Sondra Brandt, with newfound peace of mind. Confident in the system’s ability to manage workflows, she took her first-ever two-week vacation, knowing there would be no disruptions in her absence.