From idea to impact: designing an AP finance platform with business in mind
From idea to impact: designing an AP finance platform with business in mind
📁 Project Overview
📁 Project Overview
This was a week-long design challenge with a broad scope that involved building a fully functional AP finance platform from scratch. It required automated multi-level flows, role-based approvals, and responsive mobile and desktop interfaces.
This was a week-long design challenge with a broad scope that involved building a fully functional AP finance platform from scratch. It required automated multi-level flows, role-based approvals, and responsive mobile and desktop interfaces.
🎯 Goals
🎯 Goals
Create a dashboard with a clear overview of pending, approved, and rejected invoices
Create a dashboard with a clear overview of pending, approved, and rejected invoices
Implement a detailed invoice view with supporting documents and transaction history
Implement a detailed invoice view with supporting documents and transaction history
Design approval, rejection, and escalation flows with full automation options
Design approval, rejection, and escalation flows with full automation options
Integrate the ability to assign approvers based on company hierarchy and finance policies
Integrate the ability to assign approvers based on company hierarchy and finance policies
Develop a mobile app for approvers to quickly review and act on pending invoices
Develop a mobile app for approvers to quickly review and act on pending invoices
Provide documented reasoning behind each design decision
Provide documented reasoning behind each design decision
👩🏻💻 Role
👩🏻💻 Role
Conducted extensive research to understand AP flows and user pain points
Conducted extensive research to understand AP flows and user pain points
Designed the dashboard and mobile app interfaces
Designed the dashboard and mobile app interfaces
Defined key goals for the project while taking business considerations into account
Defined key goals for the project while taking business considerations into account
challenge
challenge
Design a user-friendly B2B SaaS accounts payable platform that streamlines invoicing and finance workflows for admin, approver, and analyst roles.
Design a user-friendly B2B SaaS accounts payable platform that streamlines invoicing and finance workflows for admin, approver, and analyst roles.
Research & insight
Research & insight
Understanding the context
Understanding the context
Since I had no user access and little prior knowledge, my goal was to map core AP flows like invoice approval and automation using secondary research.
Since I had no user access and little prior knowledge, my goal was to map core AP flows like invoice approval and automation using secondary research.
Identifying market leaders
Identifying market leaders
I needed to analyze the competition. Using G2 ratings I identified Airbase, Bill, Stampli, and Yooz as top AP platforms, all scoring 9.0+ in invoice processing and management.
I needed to analyze the competition. Using G2 ratings I identified Airbase, Bill, Stampli, and Yooz as top AP platforms, all scoring 9.0+ in invoice processing and management.
User reviews and demo videos
User reviews and demo videos
I took a deep-dive into G2 user reviews and demo videos for all four platforms, then organized the insights I uncovered into an affinity map to make sense of the data.
I took a deep-dive into G2 user reviews and demo videos for all four platforms, then organized the insights I uncovered into an affinity map to make sense of the data.
Analyzing insights by frequency
Analyzing insights by frequency
Using theme frequency analysis I could see user sentiment around specific functionalities and pain points. These insights guided platform improvements and helped clarify my solution’s value proposition.
Using theme frequency analysis I could see user sentiment around specific functionalities and pain points. These insights guided platform improvements and helped clarify my solution’s value proposition.
Business considerations
Business considerations
My approach needed to be market-viable. I mapped features and pain points by risk and benefit, then used a Value-Effort matrix to prioritize what to tackle, balancing the technical with the commercial.
My approach needed to be market-viable. I mapped features and pain points by risk and benefit, then used a Value-Effort matrix to prioritize what to tackle, balancing the technical with the commercial.
Conclusions
Conclusions
With the AP flow mapped, I defined the value proposition around three improvements: better performance (using progressive disclosure), more intuitive mobile approvals, and enhanced UI.
With the AP flow mapped, I defined the value proposition around three improvements: better performance (using progressive disclosure), more intuitive mobile approvals, and enhanced UI.
Wireframes
Wireframes
Iteration #1 - Low fidelity
Iteration #1 - Low fidelity
I quickly sketched low-fidelity wireframes to visualize a potential solution for all three roles.
I quickly sketched low-fidelity wireframes to visualize a potential solution for all three roles.
Approver
Approver
Admin
Admin
AP analyst
AP analyst
Iteration #2 - Admin and analyst changes
Iteration #2 - Admin and analyst changes
The desktop platform saw a switch to sidebar navigation to match user expectations. I also introduced a stepper for progressive disclosure.
The desktop platform saw a switch to sidebar navigation to match user expectations. I also introduced a stepper for progressive disclosure.
Admin - the start of the invoice automation flow
Admin - start of invoice automation flow
Admin - invoice automation concept
Admin - invoice automation concept
AP analyst - approved, pending, and rejected invoices
AP analyst - approved, pending, and rejected invoices
Hi-fi screens
Hi-fi screens
Admin
Admin
The invoice automation flow can be seen from start to finish (the main challenge requirement).
The invoice automation flow can be seen from start to finish (the main challenge requirement).
AP analyst
AP analyst
The AP analyst dashboard shows workflow-relevant info and how invoice data enters the system.
The AP analyst dashboard shows workflow-relevant info and how invoice data enters the system.
Approver
Approver
For mobile, I implemented key desktop features like quick approvals, comments, and escalation groups.
For mobile, I implemented key desktop features like quick approvals, comments, and escalation groups.
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
These are some of the lessons I learned from completing this week-long design challenge.
These are some of the lessons I learned from completing this week-long design challenge.
Balancing choices is important
By focusing only on delivering a minimum viable experience, I finished the challenge within the week.
Balancing choices is important
By focusing only on delivering a minimum viable experience, I finished the challenge within the week.
Grasp what you’re building
Without AP experience, competitor analysis and demo data helped me quickly create a viable solution.
Grasp what you’re building
Without AP experience, competitor analysis and demo data helped me quickly create a viable solution.
Never ignore the business aspect
Analyzing the challenge from a business perspective helped me prioritize the right features.
Never ignore the business aspect
Analyzing the challenge from a business perspective helped me prioritize the right features.
The value proposition doesn't have to be about reinventing the wheel
Research showed users preferred focused UI and performance improvements over a full overhaul.
The value proposition doesn't have to be about reinventing the wheel
Research showed users preferred focused UI and performance improvements over a full overhaul.