Precoro Targets the Final Frontier of Procurement: Integrated Payments

NEW YORK, NY – June 16, 2026 – Procurement automation platform Precoro announced today the launch of Precoro Payments, a new capability designed to eliminate the final, often manual, step in corporate spending: paying the invoice. By integrating payment execution directly into its AI-powered procurement workflow through a partnership with payments giant Stripe, Precoro aims to create a single, unbroken chain from initial purchase request to final payment confirmation.

The move directly targets a persistent source of friction for finance departments, especially in the mid-market companies that form Precoro's core clientele. For years, the procure-to-pay (P2P) process has been a story of fragmentation. Even with sophisticated software for purchasing and invoice processing, the final act of payment often forces teams to exit the platform, log into separate banking portals, and manually re-enter data—a process ripe for error and delay.

"Finance teams shouldn't have to bridge the gap between invoice processing and payment execution with manual steps or fragmented systems," said Andrew Zhyvolovych, CEO of Precoro, in the announcement. "Precoro now connects the entire flow, from AI-powered invoice capture and PO matching through approval and into payment. Our goal is simple: fewer handoffs, fewer delays, and a process teams can actually trust day to day."

The Persistent 'Last Mile' Problem

The "gap" Zhyvolovych refers to is more of a chasm for many organizations. Industry analysis reveals that the accounts payable (AP) function remains one of the most labor-intensive areas in finance. While procurement and invoice approvals have seen significant automation, the final payment execution has lagged, creating a critical bottleneck. This "last mile" problem is characterized by a reliance on disconnected systems and manual processes.

For a typical mid-sized company, an approved invoice often triggers a clunky, multi-step workflow. A finance professional might download the invoice details, log into one or more banking portals, and manually key in vendor information, payment amounts, and bank details to initiate an ACH or wire transfer. This manual swivel-chair integration is not just inefficient; it's a significant source of operational risk. Industry studies suggest that manual data entry contributes to invoice error rates as high as 2%, leading to incorrect payments, disputes with suppliers, and hours of costly rework.

Furthermore, these fragmented processes cripple visibility. When payment execution happens outside the procurement system, finance leaders lose a real-time view of cash flow and payment statuses. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to manage working capital effectively, capture early payment discounts, or provide suppliers with timely updates on their invoices. The cost is tangible, with research indicating that AP automation can reduce invoice processing costs by over 60% by eliminating such manual touchpoints. Precoro's new feature, which allows users to initiate ACH, same-day ACH, and wire transfers directly from an approved invoice record, is engineered to seal this costly and risky gap.

A Unified Workflow in a Crowded Market

Precoro's entry into integrated payments places it in a competitive field populated by established players like Coupa, SAP Ariba, and more specialized AP automation platforms like Tipalti and BILL. Giants like Coupa and SAP Ariba have long offered comprehensive, enterprise-grade Business Spend Management (BSM) suites that include payment capabilities. However, their complexity and cost can be prohibitive for the mid-market.

This is where Precoro seeks to differentiate itself. The platform, already used by over 1,000 organizations, has built its reputation on ease of use, rapid implementation, and a focus on the specific needs of mid-sized companies. By adding a seamlessly integrated payment layer, it can now offer a complete end-to-end P2P solution that competes directly with platforms like Tipalti, which has found great success by automating global payables for scaling companies.

"Previously, you had platforms that were great at procurement and others that were great at payments, but connecting them was the user's problem," noted one fintech analyst. "Precoro's strategy is to own the entire workflow in a package that's digestible for a company that doesn't have a massive IT department." The integration ensures that every payment is automatically linked back to its corresponding invoice and purchase order, creating an immutable, easily traceable audit trail—a critical feature for compliance and financial control.

The Strategic Power of Embedded Finance

The decision to partner with Stripe rather than build a payment infrastructure from the ground up is a telling strategic move and a prime example of the "embedded finance" trend reshaping the software industry. Instead of reinventing the wheel, Precoro is leveraging Stripe's robust, secure, and global payment rails. This allows Precoro to accelerate its time-to-market and offer reliable, multi-currency payment capabilities without diverting focus from its core competency in AI-powered procurement automation.

For the end-user, this partnership translates into a more cohesive experience. The complexity of payment processing, compliance, and security is handled by Stripe in the background, while the user interacts with a single, familiar interface. This model makes powerful financial services accessible within the context of daily business operations.

However, this approach is not without its considerations. The integrated model introduces a dependency on Stripe's performance and pricing. While the press release did not detail the cost structure, transaction fees are an inherent part of using such payment services, and companies will need to factor this into their total cost of ownership. Furthermore, while the integration promises a seamless experience, successful implementation will still hinge on a company's ability to manage the transition from old processes. "The technology can be perfect, but you still have to navigate the human element of change management and ensure it syncs cleanly with your existing ERP system," a consultant specializing in P2P implementations cautioned.

From Automation to Autonomy: The Road Ahead

Precoro's launch is more than a feature release; it's a marker of the broader evolution in financial technology toward hyperautomation. The goal is no longer just to automate discrete tasks but to create intelligent, autonomous workflows that manage entire business processes with minimal human intervention. With its existing AI capabilities for invoice capture and PO matching now extended to payment execution, Precoro is pushing toward this vision of a "touchless" P2P cycle.

The real prize for businesses lies in transforming the finance function from a reactive, transaction-processing cost center into a strategic, data-driven partner. By freeing AP teams from the drudgery of manual data entry and reconciliation, platforms like Precoro enable them to focus on higher-value activities like cash flow analysis, supplier relationship management, and strategic sourcing. The real-time visibility afforded by an end-to-end system provides the data foundation for more agile and informed financial decision-making.

Achieving this vision requires more than just new software. Companies adopting these integrated solutions must be prepared to rethink their internal processes and invest in training. Data migration and ensuring a smooth handshake with legacy accounting systems remain practical hurdles. Nonetheless, the direction of travel is clear. As AI becomes more sophisticated and embedded finance becomes the norm, the fragmented and manual financial workflows of today will increasingly be seen as a relic of a bygone era. Precoro's move to close the P2P loop is a significant step on that journey.