Stampli
AP automation built around collaboration on each invoice, with an AI assistant that learns your coding and approval patterns.
What is Stampli?
Stampli centres every incoming invoice in a shared conversation thread. AP clerks, approvers, department heads and even vendors can discuss line items, request clarification, attach supporting documents and approve - all on top of the invoice itself rather than in scattered email chains. An AI assistant called Billy the Bot watches these interactions, learns coding patterns, and starts suggesting GL accounts, cost centres and approval routes automatically.
Invoices arrive via email, upload, or direct integration with the ERP. Billy extracts header and line-level data, matches against purchase orders where available, flags potential duplicates, and routes the invoice to the right approver based on historical patterns. Once approved, the transaction pushes directly to the connected ERP for payment and reconciliation.
The platform connects to a long list of accounting systems - NetSuite, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP and others - without requiring changes to the ERP’s configuration. Stampli sits on top as an orchestration layer rather than replacing any part of the existing stack.
Where it shines
The collaboration model is genuinely different from most AP tools. Instead of routing invoices through a rigid workflow and hoping the right person sees them, Stampli makes each invoice a living conversation. Questions get answered in context, audit trails are complete, and the days of searching through email to find who approved what are over.
Deployment speed is a standout. Because Stampli does not require ERP customisation, mid-market teams often go live in weeks rather than the months that heavier AP platforms demand. The learning curve is gentle - the interface looks more like a messaging app than an enterprise finance tool, which helps with adoption across non-finance approvers.
Billy the Bot improves noticeably over time. After processing a few hundred invoices, the GL code suggestions become accurate enough that AP clerks shift from coding every invoice manually to reviewing and confirming suggestions. This changes the role from data entry to exception management, which is a meaningful productivity gain.
The breadth of ERP coverage is another advantage. Teams running older or less common systems that other AP vendors do not prioritise often find that Stampli already has a working connector.
Where it falls short
Payments are an add-on module, not part of the core product. Stampli started as an invoice processing and approval platform, and while it now offers payment capabilities, teams that want end-to-end AP - from invoice receipt through payment execution - may find the payment layer less mature than specialists like Tipalti or BILL.
Pricing is quote-based and not published, which makes it difficult to evaluate cost before engaging with the sales team. Mid-market buyers who want to compare options on a spreadsheet before scheduling demos will find this frustrating.
For smaller businesses with straightforward AP needs, BILL offers a simpler and more affordable entry point. For teams processing very high volumes and seeking maximum AI autonomy, Vic.ai pushes the automation boundary further with its autonomous processing model.
Conclusion
Stampli is the right choice for mid-market finance teams that want modern AP automation layered on top of their existing ERP without a painful migration. The collaboration-first design and adaptive AI assistant make it practical and fast to deploy. Just confirm that the payment capabilities meet your needs before committing, or plan to pair it with a payment execution tool.
