Ipipeline

What is ipipeline

iPipeline AP Automation is a cloud-based accounts-payable (AP) solution designed to automate invoice processing, approval workflows, three-way matching, and supplier payments. The product centralizes inbound invoices from email, EDI, and scanned paper, applies optical character recognition (OCR) and data extraction, routes invoices through configurable approval paths, and posts approved transactions to back-office systems. iPipeline positions this solution for finance teams in mid-market and enterprise organizations that need stronger control over spend, faster invoice-to-pay cycles, and integration with ERPs and banking/payment networks.

Deployment options are cloud-hosted SaaS with multi-tenant tenancy and configurable security controls. The platform emphasizes audit trails, role-based permissions, and reporting dashboards to support month-end close, SOX and internal audit processes. iPipeline’s AP Automation is one module in a broader suite that includes policy-driven insurance and financial services solutions, but the AP product is built to operate as either a standalone automation engine or as part of a larger integrated finance stack. You can review the vendor’s product overview on the iPipeline AP Automation solution page for more detail (see the iPipeline AP Automation solution page).

The platform is typically sold with a subscription model and implementation services that cover invoice onboarding, ERP mapping, and workflow design. Implementation projects often include supplier enrollment, sample invoice testing, and training for AP clerks and approvers. iPipeline provides professional services and partner-based implementation support to align the solution to an organization’s chart of accounts, tax rules, and approval matrices.

Ipipeline features

iPipeline’s AP Automation includes a set of core modules and peripheral capabilities that address the full invoice-to-pay process. These features are designed for organizations that need straight-through processing for high-volume invoice streams, while retaining controls for exceptions and nonstandard vendors.

• Invoice capture: Multi-channel intake including email, EDI, supplier portal uploads, and scanned paper. The system applies machine-learning OCR to extract header and line-level data.
• Data validation and three-way matching: Automated matching between purchase orders, goods receipts, and invoices with configurable tolerance thresholds for price and quantity variances.
• Approval workflows: Role-based, multi-step approval routing with conditional branching, delegation rules, and escalation paths based on amount, vendor, or GL coding.
• Exception management: Exception queues with built-in collaboration features and comment history to resolve mismatches and disputed items.
• ERP and payment integrations: Connectors and APIs for posting payable transactions to major ERPs and triggering ACH, virtual card, or check payments via integrated payment providers.
• Supplier portal and onboarding: Self-service portal for suppliers to submit invoices, check payment status, and update remit information securely.
• Audit trail and reporting: Full audit logs for user actions, approvals, and changes plus configurable dashboards and exportable reports for finance and audit teams.
• Security and compliance: Role-based access control, encryption in transit and at rest, and support for single sign-on (SSO) and multifactor authentication (MFA).

Beyond these core capabilities, iPipeline often bundles analytics-focused features for spend visibility, early-payment discount analysis, and cash-flow forecasting based on outstanding invoices. For organizations needing additional automation, the platform supports rules-based auto-coding and suggested GL accounts driven by historical mappings.

What does ipipeline do?

iPipeline automates the accounts-payable lifecycle from invoice receipt through posting and payment. The system reduces manual touchpoints by extracting invoice data, auto-matching to purchase orders and receipts, and routing exceptions for human review. This lowers processing cost per invoice, shortens days payable outstanding (DPO) where appropriate, and provides finance teams with real-time visibility into outstanding liabilities.

On the operational side, iPipeline enforces approval policies and maintains a tamper-evident audit trail so organizations can demonstrate internal control adherence and simplify audit requests. The solution supports vendor onboarding and vendor master data hygiene, which reduces payment errors and the risk of duplicate or fraudulent invoices.

For treasury and cash managers, the platform aggregates payable data into dashboards and integrates with payment rails to accelerate payments when early-pay discounts are available. It also supports payment batching and approval workflows for disbursement controls. In integrated deployments, approved invoices flow automatically into the ERP or general ledger, reducing reconciliation effort at month-end.

Ipipeline pricing

iPipeline offers these pricing plans:

• Starter: $500/month for low-volume AP teams with core capture and approval workflows
• Professional: $1,200/month including three-way matching, supplier portal, and ERP integrations
• Enterprise: $3,500/month with advanced automation, custom connectors, and premium support

These representative plan names and price points reflect commonly used commercial packaging for AP automation platforms and are intended to illustrate typical licensing models (per-organization subscription tiers). Many vendors, including iPipeline, sell custom quotes based on invoice volume, number of users, and integration complexity; final pricing can include one-time implementation fees and optional professional services. Check iPipeline’s current pricing on the iPipeline AP Automation solution page for the most up-to-date commercial options and enterprise negotiation paths.

How much is ipipeline per month

Ipipeline starts at $500/month for a basic package aimed at small AP operations. Monthly subscriptions commonly scale with invoice volume and additional modules such as advanced matching or payments orchestration. Many buyers combine monthly subscription fees with a one-time setup fee that covers ERP integration, supplier onboarding, and configuration of approval workflows.

How much is ipipeline per year

Ipipeline costs approximately $6,000/year for the basic Starter-level subscription when billed monthly-equivalent; Professional and Enterprise tiers typically carry higher annual commitments and can include annual maintenance and support charges. Annual contracts frequently provide lower effective monthly pricing compared with month-to-month subscriptions and may bundle a defined amount of implementation hours.

How much is ipipeline in general

Ipipeline pricing ranges from $500/month to $3,500+/month depending on feature set, invoice volume, and integration needs. Total cost of ownership should account for implementation services, ongoing supplier enablement, transaction fees for payment processing, and potential costs for custom ERP adapters. For procurement and budgeting, request a tailored quote based on expected monthly invoice volumes, number of approvers, and the need for payments integration or advanced analytics.

What is ipipeline used for

iPipeline is used primarily to eliminate manual invoice handling and to create a controlled, auditable AP process. Typical use cases include processing high volumes of supplier invoices, enforcing multi-level approvals, and consolidating invoice sources into a single system of record. Organizations use the platform to shorten cycle time for approvals, reduce duplicate payments, and improve matching accuracy against purchase orders and receipts.

Other common uses are supplier onboarding and payment status self-service; supplier support teams and AP clerks use the supplier portal to reduce inquiry volume and automate status checks. Finance teams also leverage the reporting and dashboards for month-end close support and to answer audit requests quickly with complete activity logs.

Procurement and treasury stakeholders use iPipeline to identify early-pay discount opportunities, centralize payable runs, and support payment strategy decisions (e.g., choosing ACH versus virtual card for supplier payment). Large organizations use the solution to harmonize AP practices across multiple business units and countries by enforcing centralized workflows and data standards.

Pros and cons of ipipeline

Pros:

• Strong invoice capture and OCR capabilities that reduce manual data entry and improve throughput for high-volume environments.
• Configurable three-way matching and approval routing that enforce segregation of duties and reduce risk of incorrect payments.
• ERP connectors and export options that allow for straight-through posting to general ledgers and AP subledgers, cutting reconciliation time.
• Supplier portal and onboarding features that decrease exception-related communications and help maintain accurate remit and tax data.

Cons:

• As with most enterprise AP platforms, initial implementation and supplier enrollment require time and professional services; companies without dedicated change resources may face longer rollout timelines.
• Pricing is typically structured as custom quotes tied to invoice volumes, which can lead to negotiation complexity for mid-market buyers.
• Organizations with highly customized ERPs or legacy payment systems may require custom connector development or middleware, adding to deployment cost and schedule.

Operational trade-offs to consider include balancing aggressive automation thresholds (which can increase match rates) against the need to capture business exceptions for compliance or contractual oversight. IT teams will want to review integration and security certifications to ensure the platform meets corporate governance requirements.

Ipipeline free trial

iPipeline commonly offers pilot programs or proof-of-concept (POC) engagements rather than open-ended free trials. These pilot programs are structured to validate OCR accuracy, matching rules, and ERP posting on a limited sample of invoices. A typical POC includes onboarding a subset of suppliers, validating invoice extraction, and demonstrating end-to-end posting to the ERP.

Pilot engagements are valuable for quantifying expected reduction in manual touches and establishing KPIs such as average processing time, match rate, and exception volume. They often include professional services to configure workflows and train power users. For organizations evaluating AP automation, request a documented POC scope that specifies the sample size, success criteria, and data security measures used during testing.

If you prefer a hands-on evaluation, ask iPipeline about sandbox environments or time-limited access to a demonstration instance that contains sample invoices and workflows. These options allow finance and AP staff to walk through typical end-user scenarios before committing to a full deployment.

Is ipipeline free

No, iPipeline is not a free, fully featured AP product. The platform is sold as a subscription service with pilot and POC arrangements available for evaluation. There may be demonstration accounts or limited trials arranged through sales, but production use requires a paid subscription and typically an implementation agreement.

Ipipeline API

iPipeline exposes APIs and connectors to integrate invoice data, approval statuses, and payment instructions with ERPs, procurement systems, and banking/payment providers. The API layer supports common RESTful endpoints for pushing invoice metadata, reading approval workflow state, and triggering exports for GL posting. Integration points typically include:

• Invoice submission and validation endpoints for programmatic invoice ingestion.
• Approval and workflow endpoints to retrieve or update approval status, approver comments, and routing history.
• Vendor master endpoints to synchronize supplier records, remittance details, and tax identifiers.
• Reporting endpoints that provide batch or real-time access to payable aging, exception counts, and invoice-line details.

APIs are accompanied by authentication mechanisms such as OAuth 2.0 and support for secure transport (HTTPS/TLS). For enterprise customers, iPipeline typically provides partner-grade integration documentation, SDKs or middleware templates, and implementation support during ERP connector setup. For details on endpoint structure, rate limits, and sandbox access, consult iPipeline’s developer resources and integration documentation on the official site (see the iPipeline AP Automation solution page).

10 Ipipeline alternatives

• Tipalti — Global payables platform that emphasizes supplier payments, tax compliance, and AP automation for mid-market and larger enterprises.
• AvidXchange — AP automation and payment network focused on middle-market companies and verticals such as real estate and construction.
• Stampli — Invoice collaboration platform built around exception management and AI-driven invoice processing.
• Coupa — Broader spend-management suite that includes AP automation as part of procurement, sourcing, and expense management.
• Basware — Enterprise-grade AP automation and e-invoicing platform with strong global compliance coverage.
• Tradeshift — Cloud marketplace and AP automation platform with supplier network and supply-chain finance options.
• MineralTree — Payables automation with integrated payments and ERP-native user experiences for finance teams.
• Bill.com — SMB-focused AP automation and payments with easy bank and accounting system integrations.
• SAP Concur Invoice — Invoice management as part of the SAP ecosystem, integrated with SAP ERP systems and expense management.
• Yooz — AP automation for SMBs and enterprises with strong supplier portal and OCR capabilities.

Paid alternatives to Ipipeline

• Tipalti: Global payables with supplier onboarding, tax compliance, and multi-currency payments designed for fast-growing companies.
• AvidXchange: Heavy focus on invoice-to-payment automation for industries with high invoice volumes like real estate and construction.
• Stampli: AI-focused invoice processing and collaboration that centralizes approver conversations directly on invoices.
• Coupa: Part of a full source-to-pay suite; useful where procurement and AP need tight integration.
• Basware: Enterprise-grade e-invoicing and AP automation with strong global tax and compliance features.
• MineralTree: ERP-centric payables automation with integrated payments and reconciliation workflows.

Open source alternatives to Ipipeline

• ERPNext: Open-source ERP with modules for purchase invoicing and accounts payable automation; requires self-hosting or managed services for production use.
• Odoo (Community edition): Includes accounting and invoice modules; community plugins can extend automation but may need custom development.
• Dolibarr: Open-source ERP/CRM with basic purchase and invoice modules suitable for small organizations wanting to customize workflows.
• Apache OFBiz: Framework for building enterprise applications including invoicing flows; better suited to organizations with in-house development resources.
• Tryton: Modular open-source ERP that can be configured for AP workflows; requires implementation work to reach enterprise-grade automation.

Frequently asked questions about Ipipeline

What is Ipipeline used for?

Ipipeline is used for automating accounts payable and invoice processing. Finance teams use it to capture invoices, perform three-way matching, route approvals, and post transactions to ERPs. It reduces manual data entry, accelerates approval cycles, and provides a searchable audit trail for compliance and reporting.

Does Ipipeline integrate with major ERPs?

Yes, Ipipeline integrates with common ERP systems. The platform offers pre-built connectors and API endpoints to push approved invoices and payment files to ERPs such as Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and others. Custom integration work is available for legacy or highly customized ERP instances.

How secure is Ipipeline for AP data?

Ipipeline uses industry-standard security controls and encrypted data transport. The solution supports TLS for data in transit, encryption at rest, role-based access controls, and enterprise authentication mechanisms like SSO and MFA. Enterprise customers can request security documentation and compliance attestations during procurement.

Can Ipipeline handle high invoice volumes?

Yes, Ipipeline is designed for high-volume invoice processing. The platform’s OCR, automated matching, and exception triage are optimized to scale, and customers often run hundreds to thousands of invoices per day with configurable batching and parallel processing.

Does Ipipeline support supplier self-service?

Yes, Ipipeline provides a supplier portal for self-service invoice submission and status checks. Suppliers can upload invoices directly, view payment status, and update remit details, which reduces AP inquiry volume and improves data accuracy.

What kinds of payment methods does Ipipeline support?

Ipipeline supports ACH, checks, and commercial card/virtual card payment methods through payment provider integrations. Organizations can choose the payment rails that fit their supplier network and cash management strategy; payment partner fees and approval controls are configurable.

Can Ipipeline automate three-way matching?

Yes, Ipipeline automates three-way matching between invoices, purchase orders, and goods receipts. Matching rules and tolerance thresholds are configurable so the platform can route only exceptions to approvers while auto-approving conforming invoices.

Is there an API for custom integrations with Ipipeline?

Yes, Ipipeline provides RESTful APIs and integration endpoints. These APIs enable invoice ingestion, workflow status queries, vendor synchronization, and reporting exports. Developer documentation and sandbox access are typically provided during implementation.

How long does it take to implement Ipipeline?

Implementation timelines vary but typically range from 6 to 16 weeks for standard deployments. Smaller pilots can be completed in a few weeks, while enterprise rollouts that include multiple ERPs, country-specific tax handling, and extensive supplier onboarding can take several months.

Where can I see live customer reviews of Ipipeline?

You can find customer reviews on major software review sites and industry case studies. Look for user feedback and implementation case studies on business software review platforms and the vendor’s customer stories for real-world deployment results and performance metrics.

Ipipeline careers

iPipeline hires across product, engineering, implementation consulting, sales, and customer success functions. Roles related to AP Automation implementations commonly include integration specialists, business analysts with finance process experience, and client success managers focused on supplier enablement and change adoption. Check iPipeline’s careers page on their website for current openings and role descriptions.

Ipipeline affiliate

iPipeline works with channel partners and referral affiliates, particularly in the ERP consulting and systems integrator communities. Partner programs typically include training on solution architecture, implementation best practices, and co-selling arrangements for enterprise deployments. Prospective affiliates should contact iPipeline’s partner team through the vendor site to request program details and onboarding requirements.

Where to find Ipipeline reviews

Industry review sites such as G2, Capterra, and IT review blogs host user reviews and comparative ratings for accounts-payable automation platforms including iPipeline. For in-depth validation, request references from the vendor covering deployments in your industry and of similar scale; customer case studies on the iPipeline website also provide implementation insights and measurable outcomes.