Accounts Payable Success Stories: Documenting Results to Support Growth, Reduce Costs; Leading companies realigning the accounts payable team as a core resource and solution to strategic challenges

Business Wire, July 6, 2005

BOSTON -- Successful accounts payable teams now have a golden opportunity to demonstrate the long-term value their processes and expertise can deliver. AberdeenGroup's latest publication in the Invoice Reconciliation and Payment Business Research Series, "Accounts Payable Success Stories," shows that organizations that address and deploy accounts payable solutions holistically across four key elements of the Invoice Reconciliation and Payment Solution Framework realize substantial benefits, including:

--Invoice processing cost reductions;

--Accounts Payable labor reductions;

--On-time payment improvements; and

--Greater discounts realization.

"Accounts Payable Success Stories" highlights drivers influencing process transformation, provides an overview of deployment best practices, and offers Aberdeen's recommendation for success.

Moreover, the publication features seven case studies detailing the business challenges, results, and lessons learned from organizations demonstrating the value accounts payable delivers. Case studies spotlight leading companies in Healthcare, Manufacturing, Telecommunications, Transportation, and Retail.

"These success stories provide a benchmarking resource guide, documenting the significant progress now being made by these groups," according to Jeff Pikulik, lead analyst in Aberdeen's Procure-to-Pay practice. "Technology is important, but the real findings demonstrate the tactics these companies used to deploy the solutions across the entire company and enable their suppliers," said Pikulik. "The results are impressive, realigning the accounts payable team as a resource and solution for a company's more strategic challenges."

Between April and June 2005, Aberdeen reviewed accounts payable programs from over 25 organizations and built on its previous research of more than 700 programs. Based on the success stories, Aberdeen highlights recommendations for creating a more strategic role for accounts payable, selecting the right scope, enabling suppliers, and involving the entire organization in the process.

To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, follow this link: http://www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/RA_IRPBP_JP.asp

About AberdeenGroup, Inc.

Aberdeen Group provides fact-based research and insights focused on the global, technology-driven value chain. Aberdeen's benchmarking, market and solution assessments, sales acceleration programs, and conferences support Global 5000 value chain and technology executives -- and the solution providers who serve them. For more information, visit www.aberdeen.com or call 617-723-7890.