Wondering if accounts payable automation is worth the investment? These twelve organizations transformed their AP processes, dramatically reducing manual work while improving accuracy and control.
From managing explosive growth to streamlining international payments, their stories demonstrate how the right AP automation solution can help businesses of any size scale efficiently.
1. Galway Sustainable Capital
Boosting efficient, sustainable growth with BILL.
Founded in 2020, Galway Sustainable Capital puts institutional funding from investors like Macquarie Asset Management and Oaktree Capital to work supporting environmental and social resilience.
Galway invests in sustainability-focused ventures ranging from solar projects to innovative solutions like fishing invasive Asian carp from the Mississippi River, aiming to build a sustainable economy while modeling efficient resource management in their own operations.
Challenge
Growing from three employees to 30 in just three years—while increasing assets under management from $25M to over $650M—demanded smart systems that could scale. They needed a faster, cleaner solution for their AP, with a good audit trail to prove value immediately.
With six key outcome areas to track across environmental and social benefits, Galway needed financial systems that could provide clear visibility into their impact while reducing manual processes.
Result
- Eliminated paper processes from financial operations.
- Accelerated easy audit of carbon-related spending.
- Improved visibility into financials for leadership and investors.
- Determined BILL hits the “sweet spot” for companies Galway invests in, making it the perfect recommendation for responsible fintech automation.
“BILL has been a tremendous partner for us. We are happy to recommend it to our portfolio companies."
2. SF New Deal
Streamlining small business support with BILL.
SF New Deal helps under-resourced small business owners in San Francisco succeed through direct support, grant funds, technical assistance, and neighborhood vibrancy initiatives.
Led by a team that understands small business needs firsthand, SF New Deal distributed over $8.4 million in grants across diverse communities in 2023 alone.
Challenge
With hundreds of grants to distribute, sometimes up to $2 million worth in a single month, SF New Deal needed to dramatically reduce the 30-day city payment timeline—a timeline that stretched into months all too often.
The challenge was clear: find a way to distribute grants quickly and efficiently while making sure their diverse community of small business owners could easily navigate the process.
Result
- Cut average time to payment by 50%.
- Distributed 525 small-business grants in one year.
- Closing books 3 days faster vs. manual.
- Streamlined audit process.
- Effortless sync with QuickBooks.
“At one point we had 100 grants going out at one time, so just being able to import them and disburse them in a minute is amazing."
3. Teguar Computers
Improving international vendor payments with BILL.
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Founded in 2010, Teguar manufactures industrial- and medical-grade computers designed for continuous use in demanding environments. Their waterproof, impact-resistant desktops, tablets, monitors, and handheld devices are built for the toughest work environments imaginable.
After making the Inc. 5000 list for five consecutive years as one of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies, Teguar continues to expand, recently opening a partner office in Taiwan and reaching nearly $27 million in revenue.
Challenge
Facing explosive growth and increasing custom orders, Teguar needed a solution to manage a growing legion of international vendors efficiently—not to mention payment tracking and cash flow forecasting—all with a two-person finance team.
Result
- Saved 5+ hours per week.
- Streamlined international wire payment, tracking, and communication.
- Improved cash flow forecasting with real-time reporting.
- Reduced manual checks to approximately one per month.
- Freed up controller time for strategic planning and further initiatives.
"As soon as I pay my bills, BILL draws it all out and the cash is gone. So I'm not sitting here chasing unreconciled checks forever. It keeps the books very clean."
4. Bombas
Finding a comfy AP process with BILL.
Bombas started with a mission—to provide thousands of unhoused people across the country (and around the world) with socks, the most requested clothing item in shelters.
Since their successful appearance on Shark Tank, they've expanded beyond socks to other apparel while maintaining their buy-one-give-one model. To date, they've surpassed 100 million donations through their network of more than 3,500 community organizations.
Challenge
With roughly 50% of their payments going to international vendors—a percentage that increases during holiday seasons—Bombas needed a solution that could handle both domestic and international payments seamlessly.
Their growing volume of transactions required an efficient approval workflow that wouldn't slow down their mission of giving back to the community.
Result
- Streamlined approval workflows with automatic routing to correct approvers.
- Simplified international payments process.
- Improved cash flow visibility and spend projections.
- Reduced AP processing time even as payment volume increased.
- Enhanced vendor experience with self-service payment status tracking.
"BILL Accounts Payable does it all in one shot, using the same process for both domestic and international payments."
5. Ambient Photonics
Energizing financial operations with BILL.
Ambient Photonics is revolutionizing the field of low-light energy harvesting photovoltaics—solar cell technology that powers IoT and smart devices using ambient light.
Based in Scotts Valley, California, this innovative startup is working to reduce global reliance on disposable batteries through its sustainable power solutions.
Challenge
Controller Nick Mehta was handling the company's entire finance function solo, processing 400-500 payments each month. Their previous system involved manually printing checks, stapling them to invoices, and tracking down signatures—an overwhelming process that consumed hours upon hours of valuable time.
With over 50% of transactions involving international vendors and some payments approaching $1M, they needed a solution that could handle high-volume domestic and global payments while maintaining robust security and control.
Result
- Eliminated 90% of AP processing time.
- Streamlined approval workflows with three-level verification.
- Enabled centralized, location-independent invoice access.
- Automated PO matching with NetSuite integration.
- Improved vendor relationships through payment transparency.
- Successfully managed $20M+ in European payments.
- Enhanced fraud prevention through automated duplicate detection.
"We just had a payment for $959,000 that we sent out yesterday, and I got an email, even after three levels of approvals. There's a lot of wire fraud going on right now, and BILL makes me feel comfortable that unauthorized payments likely won't go through."
6. joe
Brewing smoother international payments with BILL.
Founded by brothers Brenden and Nick Martin along with Lenny Urbanowski, joe empowers independent coffee shops through mobile ordering, point of sale (POS) systems, and loyalty programs.
With a mission to level the playing field against corporate coffee chains, joe has grown to serve 1,500 coffee shops across the US, helping them increase revenue by approximately 50% within six months of implementation.
Challenge
Managing a global, remote team of 15 employees—including overseas engineers—joe struggled with an inefficient, manual payment process. They dealt with paper checks and complex international wire transfers that had to be processed before strict deadlines.
The process wasn't only time-consuming but also required working through an expensive staffing agency for their international engineering talent.
Result
- Reduced international payment processing time from hours to just 4 minutes per month.
- Eliminated staffing agency costs, enabling direct compensation for engineers.
- Improved engineer retention through full-time employment and equity offerings.
- Streamlined vendor payment processes with multiple payment options.
- Freed up leadership time to focus on product development and company strategy.
"We chose BILL Accounts Payable because it’s the best in the industry … the easiest, most user-friendly financial operations solution."
7. Two Chambers of Commerce
Streamlining payables to better serve AAPI business communities with BILL.
The California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (CalAsian Chamber) and the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SacAsian Chamber) work together to support Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)-owned businesses.
Operating as separate legal entities, the two chambers share a common mission: mobilizing resources and creating equitable opportunities for AAPI business owners across Sacramento and California through advocacy, consulting, and technical assistance.
Challenge
During the pandemic's shift to remote work, their paper-based payment process became even more cumbersome. Director of Finance Ryan Fong had to physically drive checks to the CEO's house for signatures before mailing them out.
The manual process also complicated audits, requiring Fong to prove approvals by pulling email chains with extensive back-and-forth communication.
Result
- Saved 3-4 hours per week on payment processing.
- Eliminated manual check runs and physical signature requirements.
- Streamlined audit trails with clear approval tracking.
- Simplified grant program management.
- Enhanced payment transparency for consultants.
- Achieved seamless integration with QuickBooks.
- Added ACH payment capabilities previously unavailable.
"The ability to designate approvers and easily view approval dates in BILL has really improved audits for us, as well as invoicing for grant reimbursements."
8. Church Community Housing Corporation
Building efficiency into affordable housing operations with BILL.
Church Community Housing Corporation (CCHC) is a cornerstone of affordable housing development in Newport County, Rhode Island.
Managing more than 2,000 housing units—including single-family homes, apartments, senior housing, and shelters—CCHC provides safe, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents while handling utilities to ensure tenants maintain essential services.
Challenge
CCHC's decades-old financial processes were causing significant delays and inefficiencies. Their paper-based system required 5-7 business days to process payments, with each check needing manual entry, executive director review, and board member signatures.
High transaction fees for rent payments also created a difficult choice between passing costs to tenants or reducing rental income—neither ideal for an affordable housing nonprofit.
Result
- Reduced payment processing time from 5-7 days to 24 hours.
- Saved 10-20 hours per week on administrative tasks.
- Streamlined approval process for board members.
- Achieved seamless integration with Sage 50.
- Improved contractor relationships through faster payments.
- Eliminated manual data entry for invoices.
- Enhanced utility payment management for tenant properties.
"As a nonprofit, if you are spending too much time on payables, BILL is a no brainer. For the cost vs the value, we're saving both time and money. It really blew us away."
9. Ignite Medical Resorts
Managing rapid growth with BILL.
Ignite Medical Resorts combines advanced medical rehabilitation with luxury hospitality. Starting with just two facilities, they've expanded to 23 separate legal entities, offering patients everything from VR-enabled physical therapy to executive chef-prepared meals.
Their innovative approach pairs state-of-the-art medical care with resort-style amenities, creating a unique healing environment.
Challenge
When the pandemic complicated an already-strained manual process, Hanscom resorted to stuffing envelopes with a friend just to get payments out.
With facilities across multiple states and approximately 2,000 monthly payments to process, Ignite needed a scalable solution that could handle its complex multi-entity structure.
Result
- Managing AP for 23 facilities with minimal headcount.
- Streamlined processing of 2,000+ monthly payments.
- Automated expense management for employee programs.
- Achieved seamless integration with Sage Intacct while maintaining entity separation.
- Simplified receipt capture and expense coding.
- Enhanced communication with bill-related comments in the app.
- Gained flexibility for emergency spending situations.
"Up until a year and a half ago, I ran AP by myself. Even when we had 16 facilities. I was stretched thin, but I did it. And I only did it because BILL is that easy to use. It's that flexible."
10. Tower 28 Beauty
Scaling financial operations to match explosive growth with BILL.
Tower 28 Beauty creates clean beauty and skincare products for sensitive skin. As the only beauty brand that’s 100% compliant with the National Eczema Association, they've experienced dramatic growth, expanding into all Sephora stores across the United States and Canada.
The company has tripled in size, growing from 12 to 30 employees while its vendor base has expanded from 112 to nearly 300.
Challenge
As monthly transactions increased from 600 to 3,000, Tower 28's manual processes became unsustainable. Each payment required multiple emails, screenshots, and PDF attachments for approval, creating a time-consuming bottleneck that hindered growth.
The company also struggled to manage expenses for its remote workforce while maintaining proper controls and visibility.
Result
- Saved up to 40 hours per week on AP processes.
- Automated 90% of previous manual payment tasks.
- Scaled from 300 to 6,000 monthly invoices without adding headcount.
- Enabled remote payment approvals from any location.
- Streamlined vendor self-service for payment status.
- Implemented controlled spending through virtual and physical cards.
- Enhanced real-time visibility into budgets and expenses.
"If we had kept running our finances the way we were before, there's no way we would've been able to grow. I think, in a lot of ways, BILL allowed us to grow at the rate that we were able to."
11. FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective
Doubling financial operations efficiency across multiple brands with BILL.
FairWave is a specialty coffee collective that helps independent coffee and tea brands compete with industry giants. The rapidly growing collective now includes 10 brands across Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, adding a new brand approximately every three months.
Their mission is to respect every hand in the journey from seed to cup while helping small, local coffee shops leverage economies of scale without losing their unique identity.
Challenge
Managing multiple independent brands presented unique financial complexities. Each acquisition required rapid integration of accounts payable, spend management, and credit systems—all while maintaining daily operations.
The collective needed a solution that could handle enterprise-level complexity without enterprise-level overhead.
Result
- Doubled financial operations efficiency without adding AP headcount.
- Reduced monthly close cycle by 12+ hours (saving 144+ hours annually).
- Streamlined credit card management across 98% of operations.
- Simplified receipt capture through mobile app integration.
- Enhanced budget control for team events and conferences.
- Achieved seamless integration with NetSuite.
- Improved spend visibility across all brands and locations.
- Enabled digital wallet integration for delivery drivers.
"With old-school systems, there's always a tradeoff. Increasing financial control adds approval steps that slow everything down. BILL streamlines financial operations while increasing things like control and visibility. It's a game changer."
12. Mark Cuban Companies
Managing 100 entities with just one AP clerk, with BILL.
Mark Cuban Companies encompasses approximately 100 entities and hundreds of investments under one umbrella. This complex organization requires sophisticated financial management while maintaining tight security and control across its diverse portfolio of companies.
With entities spread across multiple industries and locations, their financial operations demand both precision and efficiency.
Challenge
The organization struggled with highly manual processes, including pre-printed check stock for 75 different accounts, creating security risks. Two AP clerks spent over 20 hours each week monitoring a single email inbox for invoices, while paper bills often arrived past due.
Bank reconciliations were 22 months behind, and expense management involved juggling multiple credit card vendors with various subcards and logins. Receipt tracking for remote employees was a "hassle beyond words."
Result
- Reduced manual AP work by more than 50%.
- Managed 100 entities with just one AP clerk (down from two).
- Achieved 90-95% accuracy in invoice processing through AI and OCR.
- Eliminated the need for pre-printed check stock.
- Consolidated multiple credit card programs into one streamlined system.
- Receipts captured via mobile app at point of sale.
- Enhanced fraud detection capabilities.
- Established seamless integration with Sage Intacct.
"A close confidant told us that BILL is the gold standard for financial operations automation. We decided to try it — the savings in both time and money were immediate."
Ready to automate your accounts payable process?
BILL Accounts Payable combines powerful automation with intuitive controls to help you streamline payments, reduce manual work, and scale your operations efficiently.
From automated approval workflows to seamless accounting software integration, BILL gives you everything you need to modernize your AP process.