For many organizations, Microsoft Dynamics is not the problem; it is the foundation. It holds financial data, drives reporting, and supports day-to-day operations across the business.
Yet Accounts Payable (AP) often feels more cumbersome than it should. Manual batch builds, multi-step approvals, separate payment portals, paper checks, and re-keying data across systems all create unnecessary friction.
Key Question: If your ERP already runs your business, why does AP still feel disconnected?
At TMC, we work with finance teams facing this challenge, whether they’re on BC today or just getting started. In most cases, the answer is not to replace your ERP; it is to optimize how AP operates within it.
Why AP Inefficiencies Develop Over Time
Most AP inefficiencies are not the result of a single decision. They accumulate gradually through small, well-intentioned adjustments:
- Spreadsheets added to track approvals outside the ERP
- Third-party payment portals introduced for specific vendor needs
- Manual handoffs created between entities or departments
- Multiple logins required to complete a single payment run
Each of these addresses a short-term problem. Together, they create process gaps that slow down payment cycles, complicate internal controls, and make month-end close more difficult than it needs to be.
In most cases we see, Dynamics 365 Business Central or GP is functioning exactly as intended. The inefficiencies live in the disconnected tools surrounding it.
What ‘Embedded’ AP Automation Actually Means
There is an important distinction between integrated and embedded AP solutions, and it matters significantly for finance teams.
- Integrated solutions connect to Dynamics from outside, often requiring users to leave the ERP to complete workflows or approve payments.
- Embedded solutions operate directly inside Microsoft Dynamics, keeping all AP activity within the system your team already uses.
When AP is embedded within Dynamics, your team benefits from:
- A single system of record for all financial activity
- Familiar workflows that require little to no retraining
- Consistent approval logic aligned with existing business rules
- Fewer points of failure and less reconciliation overhead
This distinction is central to the guidance we provide clients when evaluating AP automation options.
Strengthening Internal Controls and Audit Readiness
Accounts Payable is one of the highest-risk areas in any finance function. Outgoing payments require strong visibility, clear approval trails, and reliable exception management.
When AP processes are managed inside Microsoft Dynamics, controls are easier to maintain and verify:
- Audit trails are centralized and consistently formatted
- Approval workflows are transparent and traceable
- Exceptions are surfaced and resolved within the same system
- Risk exposure from fragmented processes is reduced
Rather than layering controls across multiple platforms, embedded AP keeps them within the governance structure your team already trusts.
Scaling AP as Your Organization Grows
Growth creates new AP complexity: additional entities, higher invoice volumes, expanded approval hierarchies, and greater compliance requirements. If your current process depends on manual coordination across systems, that complexity compounds quickly.
Embedded AP automation supports scale by maintaining:
- Centralized workflows across multiple entities and bank accounts
- Multi-entity visibility without requiring separate logins
- Consistent controls that do not require redesigning as volume increases
This is particularly relevant for organizations transitioning from Dynamics GP to Business Central, where maintaining process continuity reduces both risk and the burden of user adoption.
Modernizing Payments Without Leaving Your ERP
Vendor payment expectations have shifted. Suppliers increasingly prefer electronic payment options, while finance teams require flexibility, real-time visibility, and stronger fraud protection.
Meeting these expectations does not require moving outside Microsoft Dynamics. Embedded AP solutions can support:
- Check payments for vendors who require them
- Electronic payment methods, including ACH and virtual card
- Outsourced payment services for organizations seeking to reduce check handling
All payment activity remains visible and auditable within Dynamics — no external portals, no disconnected reporting.
Getting More Value from Your Existing Dynamics Investment
One of the most common misconceptions in ERP conversations is that modernization requires replacement. For most organizations, that is not the case.
Embedded AP automation helps organizations:
- Close operational gaps without disrupting existing workflows
- Improve efficiency in payment processing and approval cycles
- Extend the value of their current Dynamics environment
- Reduce the total cost of managing disconnected AP tools
The result is a more stable, more manageable payment process — one that allows finance teams to focus on higher-value work rather than system navigation.
Is Your AP Process Aligned with Your ERP?
Microsoft Dynamics is already the core of your financial operations. The opportunity is in ensuring your Accounts Payable processes are fully aligned with it — not working around it.
At TMC, we help organizations:
- Identify where AP inefficiencies exist in their current environment
- Evaluate embedded automation options suited to their Dynamics version
- Strengthen internal controls and improve audit readiness
- Scale their AP operations with confidence
Connect with the TMC team to learn how you can optimize Accounts Payable without replacing your ERP
