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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 1 RPMG RESEARCH CORPORATIONS 2018 ELECTRONIC ACCOUNTS PAYABLE BENCHMARK SURVEY © by Richard J. Palmer, Ph.D., C.P.A., C.M.A. Southeast Missouri State University and Mahendra Gupta, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis January 2018

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Page 1: 2018 ELECTRONIC ACCOUNTS PAYABLE BENCHMARK SURVEY · Welcome to the 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey. The survey is designed to understand and advance the successful

© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 1

RPMG RESEARCH CORPORATION’S

2018

ELECTRONIC ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

BENCHMARK

SURVEY©

by

Richard J. Palmer, Ph.D., C.P.A., C.M.A.

Southeast Missouri State University

and

Mahendra Gupta, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis

January 2018

Page 2: 2018 ELECTRONIC ACCOUNTS PAYABLE BENCHMARK SURVEY · Welcome to the 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey. The survey is designed to understand and advance the successful

© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 2

2018 ELECTRONIC ACCOUNTS PAYABLE BENCHMARK SURVEY©

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Title Page #

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 03

Confidentiality Agreement and Consent to Use .............................................................................. 04

1 Demographic Data ......................................................................................................................... 05

2 EAP Program Description .............................................................................................................. 08

3 Supplier Enablement and Retention ............................................................................................... 12

4 Capture and Payment Preferences .................................................................................................. 14

5 EAP Purchase Activity and Impact on Other Payment Methods ...................................................... 16

6 EAP Category Spending Capture ................................................................................................... 18

7 Past Changes in EAP Spending ...................................................................................................... 19

8 Expected Changes in EAP Spending .............................................................................................. 20

9 Value and Benefits of EAP ............................................................................................................ 22

10 Integration ..................................................................................................................................... 24

11 Program Management .................................................................................................................... 25

12 Mobile Technology, Blockchain, and E-Procurement ..................................................................... 26

13 Global EAP Payments ................................................................................................................... 27

14 EAP and Fraud .............................................................................................................................. 28

15 EAP Provider Selection and Interaction ......................................................................................... 29

16 Satisfaction with EAP Provider ...................................................................................................... 30

17 About the Authors ......................................................................................................................... 33

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 3

Introduction

Welcome to the 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey. The survey is designed to understand and advance the successful use of Electronic Accounts Payable (EAP or virtual cards). Eighteen major financial

institutions in the U.S. and Canada, as well as the National Association of Purchasing Card Professionals are

supporting and participating in this study. There is no charge for participation. A strict confidentiality agreement is enforced and included on the next page.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION

In recognition of your contribution of time and effort, organizations completing this survey will receive free of

charge the following:

1. A PDF copy of the 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey Results, will be sent on

completion of the survey.

2. A PDF copy of the 2015 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey Results downloadable

immediately upon completion of this survey.

3. The first 400 respondents who complete the survey will also be awarded with an Amazon.com gift

certificate ($100 for the first 50, $50 for the next 100, and $25 for the next 250).

The 2018 Results will include current market information and expert analyses that will provide your organization

with:

o Benchmark norms that will support a "segment-specific" self-assessment of performance and rationalize

dialogues about financial incentives,

o "Best practice" insights and customer commentary to assist in the development of strategies to optimize

spending and derive the greatest value from EAP,

o Market trend information to add depth in the case to top management about the benefits of EAP, and

o Information that assists in the "day-to-day" management of administrative activities and control choices

associated with EAP

IMPORTANT SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS

This survey is an in-depth examination of how organizations use and involve EAP in the procure-to-pay process.

Participants will derive the greatest benefit if all questions are answered. Most questions can be answered by the

EAP program administrator with simple selections or by providing common statistics. With the exception of a

few required questions, if any question does not apply to your organization or if the answer is unavailable for any reason, simply leave the item blank. Completion of the survey should take approximately 35-75 minutes,

depending on information availability.

If you have any questions about the survey, contact Professor Richard Palmer by email

([email protected]) or phone (618.559.5137).

Please mail this completed survey to:

RPMG Research Corporation 1616 West Main Street

Suite 502

Marion, IL 62959

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 4

Confidentiality Agreement and Consent to Use

RPMG Research Corporation maintains a policy of strict confidentiality with respect to your responses to this survey. RPMG Research Corporation, its employees and agents, shall keep all individual responses to the “2018

Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey” confidential and shall not disclose the responses to any person

or other entity. In addition, all information, analysis, responses, and other data that is specific to or identifies a specific EAP provider shall be kept confidential and only released to that specific provider. This confidentiality

agreement will apply to any person in the employment of or assisting RPMG Research Corporation in the analysis

of survey data or compilation of survey results. Notwithstanding the fact that individual responses are and shall

remain confidential, the aggregated responses of survey participants shall be made public in benchmark results, professional presentations, and published and unpublished documents authored by RPMG Research Corporation

personnel bound by this agreement.

By providing responses to this survey, you agree to allow RPMG Research Corporation to combine your response with others to create survey reports, presentations, and other analyses that describe best use and value delivered

by Electronic Accounts Payable. (Required)

Agree Do Not Agree

Note: Without consent, you may not participate in the survey. If you would like to obtain more information about the survey or our benchmark reports, please contact Professor Richard Palmer by email

([email protected]) or phone (618.559.5137).

Please note:

The 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey, including questions and other content herein, is the

copyrighted work of Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta of RPMG Research Corporation. Any use or

duplication of the questions or content of this survey without the express written consent of the authors will be a violation of United States copyright law.

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 5

SECTION 1: Demographic Data

Introductory Note: Throughout this survey, we will inquire about your organization’s use of “Electronic Accounts Payable” (EAP).

We define EAP as any non-plastic commercial card account with a “dynamically-adjustable” credit limit assigned to match the amount of each transaction. It is typically used in the process to pay for goods and services

after an invoice has been received. There is no limit to the type of goods or services that may be paid in this

manner (including, but not limited to office supplies, computers, equipment, inventory, business services, travel,

etc.). EAP may be referred to as “virtual cards,” “ePayables,” “single-use accounts,” “virtual payables,” “buyer-initiated payments,” “straight-through processing,” or other similar terms. Traditional ghost card

accounts (with preset fixed credit limits) are not considered EAP.

1. Does your organization use “electronic accounts payable” (EAP) to pay suppliers? (Required) Yes

No

If you answered “No,” please see message below. Otherwise, continue with Question 2(a).

Due to your organization’s lack of EAP use, this is the end of your survey.

If you would like to obtain more information about the survey or our other commercial card benchmark

reports, please contact Professor Richard Palmer by email ([email protected]) or

phone (618-559-5137).

2(a). Information about the person responsible for completion of the survey:

Name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Job Title: _____________________________________________________________________________

Phone number: (__ __ __) __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ Extension (if applicable): ___________

2(b). Your organization-assigned email address (Required)*: ________________________________________

* In order to receive the free PDF copy of the 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey Results and early response gift certificates (if applicable), you must provide your email address at your

organization. Personal email addresses will not be accepted.

2(c). Would you like to be notified about future RPMG commercial card surveys and reports? Yes No

3(a). Information about your organization:

Organization name: ____________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________________ State, province, or territory: ____________

Country: United States Canada Other ______________________________

For “Other,” please see message below, and then continue on. Otherwise, skip to Question 3(b).

A note on currency:

This survey asks questions related to EAP spending, controls, and organizational revenue in U.S. dollars. As a

matter of uniformity and to ensure quality data, please adjust your organization’s figures to its equivalent in U.S.

dollars.

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 6

3(b). What is the name of the primary bank or financial institution that provides your organization with most or

all of its EAP products?

American Express Fifth Third Bank Synovus

Bank of America Merrill Lynch First National Bank of Omaha TD Bank

Barclays HSBC UMB BBVA Compass JPMorgan Chase Union Bank

BMO Harris Bank Lloyds Bank US Bank

BNP Paribas PNC Bank US Bank Canada Capital One Regions Bank Wells Fargo

Citibank Scotiabank WEX

Comdata Silicon Valley Bank Zions Bank Commerce Bank SunTrust Bank Other (please name):

____________________

3(c). Identify the brand associated with the primary EAP product used by your organization (select one): American Express Visa

MasterCard Other (please identify): ___________________

3(d). Does your organization use any additional EAP providers

other than the primary provider selected above?

Yes (please identify): ________________

No

4. Please select the best description of your organization (please select one): (Required)

Public corporation State/province or state/provincial government agency

Privately-owned corporation City/county or city/county government agency

Public college or university Federal government agency

Private college or university Not-for-profit organization

School district Other (please describe): _______________________

If you chose “public corporation,” “privately-owned corporation,” or “other,” please answer Questions

4(a) and 4(b) on the next page; otherwise skip to Question 5.

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4(a). Please select the best description of your company’s geographic footprint.

A North American company with all operations and sales in North America

A North American company with operations and sales to customers outside of North America

A non-North American company with operations and sales in North America

A non-North American company with all operations and sales outside of North America Other (please describe): __________________________________________________________

4(b). Please select the one industry classification that best describes your company:

Administrative and support services Pharmaceuticals

Advertising and marketing Publishing and media

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Professional, scientific, and technical services

Arts and entertainment Real estate, rental, and leasing services

Automotive retailing and service Social services

Construction Software and information technology

Educational services Telecommunications and data processing services

Finance, insurance, and banking Transportation

Food service and restaurants Tourism and leisure

Hospitals Utilities (gas, electrical, and water)

Lodging and hospitality Warehousing and distribution services

Management of facilities/companies Wholesale and retail trade

Manufacturing Other (please describe):

Mining, oil and gas extraction, pipeline,

and refining services

__________________________________________

5. Please provide a brief description of your organization’s business activities and/or primary

product/service: _________________________________________________________________________________

6. Please provide the number of employees at your organization: (Required) __, __ __ __, __ __ __

7. What is your organization’s approximate annual revenue (or budget for governmental and not-for-

profit entities) for the last complete year? (Required)

Less than $1 million $1 billion to $1.9 billion

$1 million to $9.9 million $2 billion to $4.9 billion

$10 million to $24.9 million $5 billion to $9.9 billion

$25 million to $99.9 million $10 billion to $20 billion

$100 million to $299.9 million Greater than $20 billion

$300 million to $499.9 million Not sure

$500 million to $999 million

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 8

SECTION 2: EAP Program Description

8. Please identify the types of EAP platforms used by your organization. (A response to each platform is

required)

Common Types of

EAP Platforms Description of Platform

Does Your

EAP Program

Include this

Platform?

Virtual accounts

maintained by supplier

Fixed account number assigned to a specific supplier and held in trust by that supplier, who charges the account to receive

payment for approved invoices. Yes No

Virtual accounts

maintained by buyer

Fixed account number is assigned to a specific supplier, but not

held by that supplier. The account number is transmitted to and

charged by the supplier at time of payment. Yes No

Single-use or rotating

pool of accounts

Randomly generated account number is transmitted to and

charged by the supplier at the time of payment. Yes No

Buyer-initiated

payments or straight-

through processing

Card account is charged on behalf of the supplier, resulting in

funds being deposited in the supplier’s bank account. Suppliers

do not initiate the transaction or input card data. Yes No

Other (please describe below if used) Yes No

Please describe your organization’s other EAP platform if selected above:

__________________________________________________________________________________

9. Average monthly spending on EAP (all platforms combined)

currently is: (Required)* $__ __ __, __ __ __, __ __ __ .00

10. Average number of monthly transactions on EAP (all

platforms combined) currently is: (Required) * __ __ __, __ __ __, __ __ __

* If the most recent month of EAP activity is not representative of your typical activity, please report your

spending and number of transactions for an average month. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 9

11(a). Please provide the percentage of combined monthly EAP spending that is conducted on each of the EAP

platforms below.

Type of EAP Platform

Percentage of Combined Monthly EAP

Spending on Platform

Virtual accounts maintained by supplier ______ %

Virtual accounts maintained by buyer ______ %

Single-use or rotating pool of accounts ______ %

Buyer-initiated payments or straight-through processing ______ %

Other ______ %

TOTAL (should sum to 100%) 100%

11(b). Please select the dollar range that best represents the average transaction amount for each EAP platform.

If a platform is not used, please select “N/A.”

Average Transaction Amount

Virtual

accounts

maintained

by supplier

Virtual

accounts

maintained

by buyer

Single-

use or

rotating

pool of

accounts

Buyer-initiated

payments or

straight-through

processing Other

N/A (platform is not used)

$1 to $1,000

$1,001 to $2,000

$2,001 to $3,000

$3,001 to $4,000

$4,001 to $5,000

$5,001 to $6,000

$6,001 to $7,000

$7,001 to $8,000

$8,001 to $9,000

$9,001 to $10,000

$10,001 to $15,000

$15,001 to $20,000

$20,001 to $40,000

Greater than $40,000

12. Please select the answer that best completes the sentence:

Compared to purchases my organization makes with plastic cards, EAP purchases are for…

goods and services of the same type and dollar amount

goods and services that are different

N/A; my organization does not use plastic cards

For “goods and services that are different,” please answer Question 12(a). Otherwise, skip to Question 13.

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 10

12(a). Please describe how purchases via EAP differ from purchases via plastic cards (select all that apply)

Compared to purchases my organization makes with plastic cards, EAP purchases are…

for goods and services of higher dollar values

for purchases from suppliers with whom the organization conducts a high number of transactions

for goods and services which are not allowed to be paid by plastic cards

for transactions requiring additional approvals or controls prior to payment

different in other ways (please describe): __________________________________

13. What is the largest single transaction paid by any EAP platform at your organization in the past year?

$10,000 or less $200,001 to $300,000

$10,001 to $50,000 $300,001 to $500,000

$50,001 to $100,000 $500,001 to $1,000,000

$100,001 to $200,000 More than $1,000,000 (please specify): $_____________

14. How long has your organization been using EAP?

Less than one year 3-4 years 7-8 years 11-12 years

1-2 years 5-6 years 9-10 years 13 years or more

15. Does your organization use EAP to its full potential? Yes No

For “No,” please answer 15(a). Otherwise skip to 16.

15(a). Please select the answer that best completes the sentence:

EAP spending at my organization would be _____ if we used EAP to its full potential.

50% higher 4-5 times higher 8-9 times higher 12-15 times higher

2-3 times higher 6-7 times higher 10-11 times higher more than 15 times higher

16. Does your organization’s use of EAP occur within an “integrated payables solution”

where the bank or EAP provider enables payments to suppliers through multiple payment channels, based on rules reflecting your organization’s preferences?

Yes No

For “No,” please answer 16(a). Otherwise skip to 17.

16(a). Does your organization plan to use an “integrated payables solution” in the next

three years? Yes No

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 11

17. Please rate the degree to which EAP has been valuable in delivering outcomes to your organization.

Outcome

Value of EAP in

Delivering Outcome

Where:

1=Not valuable

2=Slightly valuable

3=Moderately valuable 4=Very valuable

5=Extremely valuable

Enhance financial position (e.g., improve working capital/cash flow, obtain rebates, obtain early payment

discounts, avoid late fees, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5

Reduce reliance on checks 1 2 3 4 5

Improve organizational processes

(e.g., increase administrative efficiency, simplify spend reconciliation process,

improve integration with accounting systems, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5

Increase spending transparency (e.g., improve payment tracking, obtain data not consistently provided by other

payment methods, consolidate spending across multiple units/systems, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5

Enhance cybersecurity 1 2 3 4 5

Strengthen control over spending

(e.g., reduce potential for waste or abuse) 1 2 3 4 5

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 12

SECTION 3: Supplier Enablement and Retention

18. Approximately how many suppliers does your organization currently pay with EAP?

Less than 10 51 to 100 401 to 500

10 to 25 101 to 250 More than 500

(please specify): _______ 26 to 50 251 to 400

19. Please estimate the percentage of your organization’s supplier base that currently accepts EAP. __ __%

20. Who conducts most of the key steps to enable and maintain supplier acceptance of EAP? (select one)

Members of my organization

Bank or EAP provider

3rd party service provider (please identify): __________________

Neither my organization nor our EAP provider (or 3rd party) is very involved in enrolling suppliers

to accept EAP

Other (please describe): _____________________________________________________

21. In the last year, how many of your organization’s suppliers have:

(a). begun accepting EAP: __, __ __ __

(b). stopped accepting EAP: __, __ __ __

If Question 21(b) is greater than 0, answer Question 21(b)(1). Otherwise, go to Question 22(a).

21(b)(1). Which answer best describes your organization’s most frequent response to suppliers that stop

or request to stop accepting EAP?

No response is made

We engage with the supplier

We inform our EAP provider of the supplier’s request and allow them to address

Other (please describe): _____________________________________________

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 13

22(a). What actions does your organization take to support enrolling and maintaining the EAP-accepting supplier

base?

To enroll and maintain the EAP-accepting supplier base, does your organization…

Does your

organization

engage in

activity?

(1). Directly contact suppliers to inform them of the EAP program? Yes No

(2.) Have a clear EAP acceptance on-boarding process for new suppliers? Yes No

(3). Have a process in place for suppliers to self-enroll for acceptance of EAP? Yes No

(4). Have senior leadership reach out to suppliers directly? Yes No

(5). Target suppliers based on “fit” for EAP (e.g., high transaction volume)? Yes No

(6). Include a requirement to accept EAP in RFPs or at renewal of supplier contracts? Yes No

(7). Help suppliers seek and obtain lower interchange rates for large-ticket purchases? Yes No

(8). Provide internal incentives to employees who successfully enlist suppliers? Yes No

(9). Integrate EAP in a “dynamic discounting” payment strategy (where suppliers have

input into the method, terms, and timing of payment)? Yes No

(10). Have standard terms that differ across different payment methods? Yes No

(11). Offer faster payment with EAP to encourage acceptance (e.g., pay immediately upon

invoice receipt)? Yes No

(12). Extend payment terms for non-EAP payment methods (e.g., pay at 60 days instead of

30)? Yes No

(13). Revisit discussions with suppliers that initially refuse EAP payment at least annually? Yes No

22(b). Which action by your organization has been most effective in on-boarding and maintaining supplier acceptance of EAP? (Please identify the line number from the question above, or describe any

action not listed)

________________________________________________________________________________

23. Other things being equal (e.g., product quality, price), how often does your organization direct

purchases to a supplier that accepts EAP over a non-accepting supplier?

Very frequently Frequently Occasionally Rarely Very rarely Never

24. How frequently does your organization change suppliers due to a lack of EAP acceptance?

Very frequently Frequently Occasionally Rarely Very rarely Never

25. If all of your suppliers accepted EAP payment, by how much would your organization’s

monthly EAP spending increase?

Less than 10% 26% to 50% 101% to 200% More than quadruple

10% to 25% 51% to 100% 201% to 400% Not sure

26. Overall, how satisfied is your organization with the current level of supplier acceptance for EAP

payment?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 14

SECTION 4: Capture and Payment Preferences

27. Please estimate the percentage of all transactions within certain dollar ranges currently paid by the payment methods specified below. If you are unsure about the breakdown for each payment method and a

reasonable estimate cannot be made, please continue with the next question. Otherwise, each column

should sum to 100%.

Payment Method

Percentage

of All

Transactions

$2,500 or

Less

Paid by…

Percentage

of All

Transactions

$2,501 to

$10,000

Paid by…

Percentage

of All

Transactions

$10,001 to

$100,000

Paid by…

Percentage

of All

Transactions

$100,001 to

$1 million

Paid by…

Electronic accounts payable __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

Other types of card accounts

(e.g., p-cards, travel, prepaid, fleet) __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

Paper checks __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

“Same day” automated clearing house

(ACH) transfers __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

Standard automated clearing house

(ACH) transfers __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

Wire transfers __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

Other method __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ % __ __ __ %

TOTAL (should sum to 100%) 100% 100% 100% 100%

28. How often does your organization examine its payment activity to identify areas of opportunity for

increased EAP spending?

Monthly Quarterly Semi-annually Annually

N/A—My organization does not conduct this type of analysis

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29. Between EAP, checks, and ACH, please choose the payment method that best meets your organization’s

criteria listed below.

Select the payment method

that best meets the criteria

Criteria for Payment Method EAP Checks ACH

Security and Control

Security of payment

Ability to control spending

Supplier Issues

Acceptance of payment method in the U.S. and Canada

Global acceptance of payment method

Ease of “setting up” supplier to accept payment

Supplier preference for payment method

Minimization of activities to support extension of credit by supplier

Ability to resolve disputes about payment

Ease with which refunds/returns can be processed

Cost and Incentives

Technology investment required

Training requirements

Per-transaction charges

Bank fees (other than per-transaction costs)

Incentives/rebates for use

Ability to control timing of settlement

Information and Data Integration

Ability to cost-effectively transmit remittance information to supplier

Ability to integrate payment information into accounting/ERP software

Ability to track supplier receipt of payment

Ease of payment reconciliation

Quality and Cycle Time

Minimized likelihood of errors, corrections, or rework to complete

payment

Quickest method to transmit payment

Frequency of Purchase

Ability to support low volume purchase activity with supplier

Ability to support high volume purchase activity with supplier

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© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 16

SECTION 5: EAP Purchase Activity and Impact on Other Payment Methods

30. In an earlier response, you indicated that your monthly EAP spending is $[Q9]. Please breakdown that spending among each of the good and service categories listed below, based on an average month. If you

do not typically conduct spending in a given category, please leave the row blank.

Please note: The column total will automatically sum for you, and should equal $[Q9].

Category of Purchases

Of Your Average Monthly

EAP Spending, How Much

Was Within This Category?

(Note: Your answers in the

column should sum to your

total reported monthly

spending of $[Q9])

Catering/cafeteria/food service $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Computer/mobile hardware, software, and peripherals $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Capital assets

(depreciable asset purchases other than office equipment, computers, software,

construction materials, or infrastructure) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Contractual repair and maintenance

(e.g., contractor services) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Education and training $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Construction materials and infrastructure

(e.g., buildings, roads, bridges, pipelines, etc.) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Insurance $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Inventory $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Lease and rental payments $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Mail delivery $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Media and advertising $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Office equipment and supplies

(e.g., desks, stationary, toner, etc.) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Operating goods and supplies

(e.g., general maintenance, industrial, lab, or shop supplies, uniforms, fuel, tools,

and other goods) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Printing and duplication $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Professional services

(e.g., engineering, architectural, legal, accounting, medical, consulting) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Telecommunication services $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Temporary help $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Transportation (delivery of goods) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Travel and travel-related expenses

(e.g., lodging, airfare, auto rental, etc.) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas) $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Other goods (please describe): _______________________________________ $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

Other services (please describe): ______________________________________ $__, __ __ __, __ __ __.00

TOTAL $[Q9]

31. Has your organization stopped or significantly decreased its use of EAP to pay for

any good or service category in the past year? Yes No

If “Yes,” please answer Question 31(a). Otherwise, go to Question 32.

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31(a). What good or service category is no longer paid with EAP or has had EAP payments significantly

reduced? Why were EAP payments stopped or significantly reduced?

________________________________________________________________________________

32. How has spending on each of the following payment methods changed since your organization’s adoption

of EAP?

Other Payment Method

Change in Other Payment Method

Spending Since the Adoption of EAP

Plastic purchasing cards Increased No impact Decreased Do not use

Plastic travel cards Increased No impact Decreased Do not use

Ghost or lodged card accounts Increased No impact Decreased Do not use

Other plastic cards (e.g., fleet, meeting) Increased No impact Decreased Do not use

Checks Increased No impact Decreased Do not use

ACH Increased No impact Decreased Do not use

33(a). Does EAP support travel bookings and payments made through a travel agency

(internal or external) or Travel Management Company (TMC)? Yes No

33(b). What challenges has your organization experienced when using EAP to pay for travel expenses?

(please select all that apply)

Processing refunds when travel plans are changed or cancelled

Communicating virtual card information in a secure manner

Reservation holds denied against the virtual card’s specific available credit

Lack of EAP acceptance from certain travel service providers

Additional steps (such as authorization forms) required to complete the transaction

Poor employee training for EAP acceptance by travel provider(s)

Processing of additional charges (e.g., hotel incidentals)

Other (please describe): ________________________________________________________

No challenges experienced—My organization does not use EAP for travel expenses

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SECTION 6: EAP Category Spending Capture

34. Please indicate (a) the percentage of total spending in each category that is currently being paid with EAP, and (b) whether your organization believes EAP spending will increase in each category over the next 3 years.

NOTE: Answers for each row are independent and the column should not sum to 100%. For example, 2015 survey respondents indicated 22% of total spending for computer purchases were paid with EAP. If no

spending in the category was paid by EAP, simply leave the row blank.

Category of Purchases

(A)

Percentage of Total

Spending in This

Category

Currently Paid by

EAP

(Note: each row is

independent and can

range from 0% to

100%)

(B)

Will EAP

Spending in

This Category

Increase in the

Next 3 Years?

Catering/cafeteria/food service __ __% Yes No

Computer/mobile hardware, software, and peripherals __ __% Yes No

Capital assets

(depreciable asset purchases other than office equipment, computers,

software, construction materials, or infrastructure) __ __% Yes No

Contractual repair and maintenance

(e.g., contractor services) __ __% Yes No

Education and training __ __% Yes No

Construction materials and infrastructure

(e.g., buildings, roads, bridges, pipelines, etc.) __ __% Yes No

Insurance __ __% Yes No

Inventory __ __% Yes No

Lease and rental payments __ __% Yes No

Mail delivery __ __% Yes No

Media and advertising __ __% Yes No

Office equipment and supplies

(e.g., desks, stationary, toner, etc.) __ __% Yes No

Operating goods and supplies (e.g., general maintenance, industrial, lab, or shop supplies, uniforms, fuel,

tools, and other goods) __ __% Yes No

Printing and duplication __ __% Yes No

Professional services

(e.g., engineering, architectural, legal, accounting, medical, consulting) __ __% Yes No

Telecommunication services __ __% Yes No

Temporary help __ __% Yes No

Transportation (delivery of goods) __ __% Yes No

Travel and travel-related expenses

(e.g., lodging, airfare, auto rental, etc.) __ __% Yes No

Utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas) __ __% Yes No

Other goods __ __% Yes No

Other services __ __% Yes No

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SECTION 7: Past Changes in EAP Spending

35. In comparison to your average monthly spending in the year 2015, overall EAP spending (all platforms) at

your organization has:

Increased

Stayed the same Decreased

N/A; my organization did not use EAP in 2015

For “Increased,” please answer Question 35(a) before proceeding to Question 36. For “Decreased,” please

answer Question 35(b) before proceeding to Question 36. For “Stayed the same” or “N/A,” go directly to

Question 36.

35(a). Please indicate (by one selection) the average annual growth rate in EAP spending at your organization

over the three-year period from 2015 to 2017.

Average Annual Increase in Electronic Accounts Payable Spending

over the 3 Year Period from 2015 to 2017

Less than 1% per year 7% to 8% per year 16% to 20% per year 41% to 50% per year

1% to 2% per year 9% to 10% per year 21% to 25% per year 51% to 75% per year

3% to 4% per year 11% to 12% per year 26% to 30% per year 76% to 100% per year*

5% to 6% per year 13% to 15% per year 31% to 40% per year More than 100% per year

* For example, a 100% increase indicates that spending has doubled that of the previous year.

Please continue the survey with Question 36.

35(b). Please indicate (by one selection) the average annual rate of decline in EAP spending at your organization

over the three-year period from 2015 to 2017.

Average Annual Decrease in Electronic Accounts Payable Spending

over the 3 Year Period from 2015 to 2017

Less than 1% per year 7% to 8% per year 16% to 20% per year 41% to 50% per year#

1% to 2% per year 9% to 10% per year 21% to 25% per year More than 50% per year

3% to 4% per year 11% to 12% per year 26% to 30% per year

5% to 6% per year 13% to 15% per year 31% to 40% per year

# For example, a 50% decrease indicates that spending was one-half the level of the previous year.

Please continue the survey with Question 36.

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SECTION 8: Expected Changes in EAP Spending

36. Please identify the expected change in overall EAP spending at your organization over the next five years

(2018 through 2022):

Increase Stay the same Decrease

For “Increase,” please answer Questions 36(a) and 36(b), followed by Question 37. For “Decrease,” please

answer Questions 36(c) and 36(d), followed by Question 37. Otherwise, go directly to Question 37.

36(a). Please identify the three most important reasons for expecting an increase in overall EAP spending at your

organization over the next five years.

My organization expects increased spending due to:

an increase in overall company revenue (or budget)

efforts to target commodities for EAP payment

additional good and service categories that can be paid with EAP (please specify): ______________

efforts to target high-dollar transactions greater acceptance of EAP by suppliers

changes in organizational incentives for EAP use

enactment or improved enforcement of policies requiring EAP payment other (please describe): __________________________________________________________

36(b). Please indicate (by one selection) the expected average percentage increase per year in overall EAP

spending over the next five years (ending December 2022).

Expected Average Increase per Year in EAP Spending

for the Next 5 Years (Ending December 2022)

(select one)

Less than 1% per year 7% to 8% per year 16% to 20% per year 41% to 50% per year

1% to 2% per year 9% to 10% per year 21% to 25% per year 51% to 75% per year

3% to 4% per year 11% to 12% per year 26% to 30% per year 76% to 100% per year*

5% to 6% per year 13% to 15% per year 31% to 40% per year More than 100% per year

* For example, a 100% increase indicates that spending is expected to double the previous year’s spending

each year.

Please continue the survey with Question 37.

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36(c). Please identify the primary rationale for expecting a decrease in your organization’s overall EAP spending over the next five years.

My organization expects decreased spending due to:

a decrease in overall company revenue (or budget)

reduced supplier acceptance of EAP

surcharges added to goods and services by suppliers for EAP payment greater use of another payment method (please identify): ______________________________

dissatisfaction with the EAP program

other (please describe): __________________________________________________________

36(d). Please indicate (by one selection) the expected average percentage decrease per year in overall EAP

spending over the next five years (ending December 2022)

Expected Average Decrease per Year in EAP Spending

for the Next 5 Years (Ending December 2022)

(select one)

Less than 1% per year 7% to 8% per year 16% to 20% per year 41% to 50% per year#

1% to 2% per year 9% to 10% per year 21% to 25% per year More than 50% per year

3% to 4% per year 11% to 12% per year 26% to 30% per year

5% to 6% per year 13% to 15% per year 31% to 40% per year

# For example, a 50% decrease indicates that spending is expected to be one-half of the previous year’s spending.

37. Please indicate the expected changes in spending across the different EAP platforms used by your

organization.

Type of EAP Platform Expected Change in Spending over the Next 5 Years

Virtual account maintained by supplier Increase No change Decrease Do not use

Virtual account maintained by buyer Increase No change Decrease Do not use

Single-use or rotating pool of accounts Increase No change Decrease Do not use

Buyer-initiated payments or straight-

through processing Increase No change Decrease Do not use

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SECTION 9: Value and Benefits of EAP

38. Assume a “transaction cost” to pay an invoice includes the administrative (and labor) cost of activities including: (a) inputting data into accounting records, (b) creating payment instructions, (c) filing

documents, (d) generating and transmitting payment, and (e) reconciling transaction with bank and

accounting records.

Please estimate the transaction cost at your organization to pay invoices by:

(a). traditional paper check $__ __ __.00 per transaction

(b). EAP payment $__ __ __.00 per transaction

(c). ACH payment $__ __ __.00 per transaction

39. Please select the answer that best completes the sentence:

A bill from my EAP provider for EAP charges arrives every…

1 day 15 days 30 days Other (please describe):

__________________ 7 days 20 days 45 days

40. Payment to your EAP provider for EAP charges is due ____ after the close of the billing cycle (i.e.,

the grace period)

1 day 10 days 20 days Other (please describe):

__________________ 7 days 15 days 30 days

41. Has your organization received a rebate (or revenue share) from your

provider for EAP spending in the past year? Yes No

For “Yes,” please answer Questions 41(a) through 41(c). Otherwise, skip to Question 42.

41(a). As a percentage of EAP spending, please identify the level of rebate nearest to that received by your

organization in the past year.

0.10% or less 0.81% to 0.90% 1.61% to 1.70%

0.11% to 0.20% 0.91% to 1.00% 1.71% to 1.80%

0.21% to 0.30% 1.01% to 1.10% 1.81% to 1.90%

0.31% to 0.40% 1.11% to 1.20% 1.91% to 2.00%

0.41% to 0.50% 1.21% to 1.30% Greater than 2.00%

0.51% to 0.60% 1.31% to 1.40% (please specify): _____%

0.61% to 0.70% 1.41% to 1.50% Not sure

0.71% to 0.80% 1.51% to 1.60%

41(b). Does your organization pay its EAP provider early (by shortening or

minimizing the grace period) in order to receive a larger rebate? Yes No

41(c). If your organization no longer received a rebate for EAP spending, how likely is it that your

organization would continue to use and maintain its EAP program?

Very likely

Likely

Neutral Unlikely

Very unlikely

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42. What is the most common “due date” from your suppliers for invoices received?

upon receipt of invoice 45 days from invoice date

15 days from invoice date 60 days from invoice date

30 days from invoice date other (please describe): ___________________

43. How soon after receipt of an invoice do you usually pay suppliers with EAP?

immediately upon receipt 31 to 45 days

1 to 10 days on the invoice’s due date

11 to 15 days other (please describe):

16 to 30 days _________________________

44. Does your organization capture all discounts made available by its suppliers? Yes No

45. Please select the answer that best completes the sentence:

By paying with EAP, the dollar amount of early payment discounts my organization has been

able to capture from suppliers has…

increased

not changed

decreased

N/A; my organization is not typically offered early payment discounts

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SECTION 10: Integration

46. What percentage of your EAP transactions are manually reconciled by your organization?

0% (all EAP transactions are automatically reconciled)

1% to 10%

11% to 20%

21% to 30%

31% to 40%

41% to 50%

More than 50% (please specify): ___%

For “0%,” please skip to Question 47. Otherwise, please answer Questions 46(a) and 46(b).

46(a). What is the major reason that EAP transactions are not automatically reconciled by your

organization? (select one)

Supplier-initiated post-purchase transactions (e.g., refunds to the card number, charges for

shipping unknown at time of purchase, charges that were not initially authorized such as hotel incidentals)

Limitation inherent in our ERP/accounting software

Audit or verification restrictions

Other (please describe): ____________________________________________

46(b). Please rate the degree to which reconciliation of EAP spending is a problem.

Not a problem Minor Moderate Major

Other (please describe): __________________________________________________

47. What type of Accounts Payable software does your organization utilize?

Standalone accounting package (e.g., Sage, QuickBooks, M&D)

An Enterprise Resource Planning package (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) that integrates key business areas such as planning, purchasing, inventory, sales, marketing, finance, and human

resources

An in-house constructed system

Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________

48. Please complete the following statement with the best answer:

My organization’s EAP spending is ___ integrated with our accounting information/ERP system.

0% (EAP transactions are not at all integrated with the accounting/ERP system)

1% to 20%

21% to 40%

41% to 60%

61% to 80%

81% to 99%

100%

49. Overall, how satisfied is your organization with its ability to integrate EAP spending data into its

organizational accounting/ERP system?

Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

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SECTION 11: Program Management

Note: For this survey, the term “administrator” is used to describe personnel who have primary responsibility for oversight and management of the EAP program. Please report information about EAP administrative time

commitment on a “full time equivalent” (FTE) basis where, for example, two half-time workers equal one FTE

worker or three half-time workers equal 1.5 FTE.

50. The current amount of administrator time dedicated to running the EAP program at my organization is:

Less than 0.25 FTE 1.25 FTE

0.25 FTE (quarter-time) 1.50 FTE 0.50 FTE (half-time) 1.75 FTE

0.75 FTE (three-quarter-time) 2 FTE

1 FTE (one full-time person) More than 2 FTE (please specify): _______

51. Does your organization…

support program administrator attendance at “user conferences” to identify new ways to

improve use of the EAP program? Yes No

have an ongoing method of communicating information about the EAP program to the

organization (e.g., information sessions, newsletters)? Yes No

use a metric (e.g., spending or rebates received) to evaluate the performance of the EAP

program? Yes No

compare its EAP program spending to spending of similar organizations? Yes No

have top management that fully support the use of EAP? Yes No

have a policy mandating EAP use for certain purchases? Yes No

internally audit and review the EAP spending approval process at least annually? Yes No

have insurance from your EAP provider related to fraudulent EAP spending? Yes No

52. How does your organization’s management team currently rate the EAP program’s performance?

Needs improvement Meets expectations Exceeds expectations

Unknown; management has not evaluated the EAP program’s performance

If you answered “Meets” or “Exceeds,” please answer Question 52(a). Otherwise, skip to Question 53.

52(a). Please identify your organization’s most important “best practices” that contribute to its above-

average level of EAP performance.

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

53. Other than supplier acceptance, what is the most significant barrier limiting EAP use at your

organization?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

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SECTION 12: Mobile Technology, Blockchain, and E-Procurement

54. Does your organization transmit EAP (virtual card) numbers to mobile devices

to authorize and make purchases? Yes No

If you answered “No,” please answer Question 54(a). Otherwise, skip to Question 55.

54(a). If the functionality was available, would your organization transmit

EAP numbers to mobile devices to support employee purchases in the future? Yes No

55. Does your organization use blockchain technology in any of its business-to-business

transactions?*

* Note: A blockchain is a shared database that is managed by a global network of computers.

Information held in the database is distributed and continually reconciled by the computers in

the network. The computers are often referred to as nodes, miners, or peers. The computers create and maintain their blockchain by validating and transmitting entries. Entries are the

data that is published by the users of the network. Common blockchain applications are smart

contracts, asset registration, and cybercurrencies.

Yes

No

For “Yes,” go to Question 55(a), then proceed to Question 56. For “No,” answer Question 55(b), then

proceed with Question 56.

55(a). Please provide us with an example of your organization’s use of blockchain applications?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Please continue the survey with Question 56.

55(b). Does your organization plan to use blockchain technology in any business-to-

business transactions in the next three years?

Yes No

Not Sure

56. Does your organization use EAP to pay for purchases made via e-procurement software?*

* Note: e-procurement software is defined as any web-based software application that enables

employees to purchase goods from approved electronic catalogs in accordance with agreed

upon prices and company buying rules, while capturing necessary purchasing data in the process. The employee’s selection of a good for purchase from a supplier catalog is

automatically routed through the necessary approval processes and protocols.

Yes No

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SECTION 13: Global EAP Payments

57. Do units of your organization inside the U.S. and Canada pay suppliers outside of the U.S. and Canada

with EAP?

Yes No N/A; my organization does not have U.S. or Canadian business units

For “Yes,” please answer Questions 57(a) and 57(b). Otherwise, skip to Question 58.

57(a). Approximately what percentage of your organization’s EAP spending is paid to suppliers outside of the U.S. and Canada? Do not include spending conducted by units outside of

the U.S. and Canada __ __ __%

57(b). Please indicate whether your organization’s U.S. and Canadian units use EAP to pay any suppliers within

the regions listed.

Region

Do your U.S./Canadian Units Use EAP to

Pay Suppliers in this Geographic Region?

Africa Yes No

Asia and Asia Pacific Yes No

Australia Yes No

Europe Yes No

Mexico Yes No

Middle East Yes No

South and Central America, Caribbean Yes No

58. Does your organization have units located outside of the U.S. and Canada that use

EAP to pay for goods and services in their local currency? Yes No

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SECTION 14: EAP and Fraud

For purposes of this survey, fraud occurs when any unauthorized payment is made with EAP. Fraud can be broken down into two types:

External Fraud: Unauthorized payments made by either a third party (e.g., internet hacker) or an unscrupulous supplier, or

Internal Fraud: Payments made by an employee who is not authorized to use EAP.

59. Has your organization experienced any incident of fraudulent EAP use in the past year?

(Important note: for this question, an “incident” is defined as an event that resulted in an internal organizational record of what occurred)

Yes

No

If you answered “Yes,” please answer Question 59(a). If you answered “No,” skip to Question 60.

59(a). Please provide (1) the number of incidents of fraud that resulted in an internal record of the event, and

(2) the total dollar loss to your organization associated with those incidents.

Please exclude any monetary loss that was absorbed by your EAP provider.

Type of Fraudulent Spending

(1)

Number of Incidents

in Past Year That

Resulted in an

Internal Record

(2)

Total Dollar Loss to

the Organization

Associated with

Fraudulent Spending

Unauthorized payments made by either a third party

(e.g., internet hacker) or an unscrupulous supplier ________ $_______________.00

Payments by an employee not authorized to use EAP ________ $_______________.00

Other ________ $_______________.00

If you selected “Other” above, please provide a brief description:

__________________________________________________________________________________

60. Please complete the following statement by selecting the most appropriate response:

In comparison to other payment methods, EAP spending at my organization is associated with

a ______________ likelihood of fraudulent spending.

significantly lower

similar

significantly higher

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SECTION 15: EAP Provider Selection and Interaction

61. Please identify the top three reasons for your organization’s choice of EAP provider:

Rebates and other financial incentives

Competitive fee structure

Expansion of an existing banking relationship

Features/functionality of EAP technology

Experience/market leadership

The attractiveness of overall suite of Treasury payment products and technology

Supplier enablement support

Other (please describe): _____________________________________________________

62. How often does your organization communicate with your EAP provider’s account manager (via phone

call, site visit, email, etc.)?

Daily Monthly Semi-annually Other time frame (please specify):

Weekly Quarterly Annually _____________________

63. How satisfied is your organization with the performance of your EAP provider’s account manager?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

64. Would you recommend your current EAP provider to other organizations for

their EAP technology? Yes No

65. Is your organization currently considering switching its EAP provider? Yes No

For “Yes,” please answer Question 65(a). For “No,” skip to Question 66.

65(a). Briefly discuss the key reason(s) your organization is considering switching its EAP provider.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

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SECTION 16: Satisfaction with EAP Provider

66. Please rate the importance of and

satisfaction with the economic

elements associated with EAP.

Importance of

Economic Element

to Your Organization

Not Very

Important Important

Satisfaction with

Your EAP Provider

on Economic Element

Very Very

Dissatisfied Satisfied

Bank fees associated with EAP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Rebates/incentives tied to EAP spending 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Liability protection from fraudulent EAP

use 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Large-dollar transaction costs to suppliers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Late payment fees 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Foreign exchange fees 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Overall economic relationship with EAP

provider 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

67. Please rate the importance of and

satisfaction with the elements of

customer service and support

supplied to your organization by your

EAP provider.

Importance of

Service and Support Element

to Your Organization

Not Very

Important Important

Satisfaction with

Your EAP Provider

on Service and Support Element

Very Very

Dissatisfied Satisfied

Training materials and support 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Knowledge of the organization's

purchasing/payables software and

business process 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Friendliness and respect shown by EAP

provider support personnel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Assistance identifying best applications

for EAP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Service and support in EAP

implementation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Quality of help from help desk 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hours of help desk availability 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Average time elapsed for help desk to

resolve a problem 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Handling of disputed transactions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sponsorship of EAP "user conferences" or

other training programs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Support in development of EAP spending

reports 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Overall customer service and support 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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68. Please rate the importance of and

satisfaction with the elements of

supplier enablement and support

provided to your organization’s

suppliers by your EAP provider.

Importance of

Supplier Enablement and

Support Element to Your

Organization

Not Very

Important Important

Satisfaction with

Your EAP Provider on

Supplier Enablement and

Support Element

Very Very

Dissatisfied Satisfied

Assistance in on-boarding suppliers to

accept EAP payment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Training materials and support for

suppliers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Assistance in monitoring and maintaining

supplier acceptance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Work with suppliers to lower cost of

transactions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Help desk support for suppliers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Overall supplier enablement and support 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

69. Please rate the importance of and

satisfaction with the reporting

elements associated with EAP.

Importance of

Reporting Element

to Your Organization

Not Very

Important Important

Satisfaction with

Your EAP Provider

on Reporting Element

Very Very

Dissatisfied Satisfied

Ability to reconcile EAP spending to

internal spending records 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ability to access account reports on mobile

or tablet devices 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Overall EAP reporting package 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

70. Please rate the importance of and

satisfaction with the integration

elements associated with EAP.

Importance of

Integration Element

to Your Organization

Not Very

Important Important

Satisfaction with

Your EAP Provider

on Integration Element

Very Very

Dissatisfied Satisfied

Ability to integrate EAP data into resource

planning, general ledger, Accounts Payable,

or other internal information systems 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ability to consolidate EAP spending from

multiple U.S. and Canadian sites into one

single report 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ability to consolidate EAP spending from

multiple global sites into one single report 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Overall integration of EAP data with

organizational information systems 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Additional Comments

71. What improvement(s) would you recommend to your EAP provider to increase your organization’s

satisfaction with and use of EAP?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

72. What aspect of your EAP provider’s product or service has been particularly appreciated or valued by

your organization?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The End!!

Thank you for your participation! An electronic version of the 2015 Electronic Accounts Payable

Benchmark Survey Results will be emailed to you within 3 business days of receipt of this survey. A

complete analysis of this 2018 survey, including benchmark data, will be sent to you by late summer 2018.

Page 33: 2018 ELECTRONIC ACCOUNTS PAYABLE BENCHMARK SURVEY · Welcome to the 2018 Electronic Accounts Payable Benchmark Survey. The survey is designed to understand and advance the successful

© 2018, Richard Palmer and Mahendra Gupta 33

SECTION 17: About the Authors

Richard J. Palmer, Ph.D., C.P.A., C.M.A.

is a Professor of Accounting and Copper Dome Faculty Fellow in the Harrison College of Business at Southeast

Missouri State University. Previously, he held positions at Washington University in St. Louis, Eastern Illinois

University, and the University of Tennessee, he held management positions in both public accounting and the

banking industry. Richard is a frequent speaker at commercial card conferences and is the author of over 60

professional and academic publications, including award-winning articles about industry use of e-procurement

tools and bank commercial cards. His e-commerce and commercial card insights have been quoted in U.S. Senate

hearings, the Wall Street Journal, ABC News Good Morning America, CNN Money, CBS News MarketWatch,

American Banker, Business Finance, Purchasing, CFO, Cost Management, Treasury and Risk Management,

Financial Executive, Credit Card News, Cards International, Credit Card Management, Federal Times, Journal of

Payments Strategy and Systems, Government Procurement, and Business Integration.

Mahendra Gupta, Ph.D.

is a Virgil Professor of Accounting and Management at the Olin School of Business at Washington University in

St. Louis. He received his Ph.D. from Stanford University and M.S. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Mahendra has been a consultant to various financial service and manufacturing firms, as well as government

agencies. His writings have appeared in top accounting and management journals. Professor Gupta also served

on the editorial board of several top journals in the accounting profession and currently serves on the board of

several organizations. He has written extensively and speaks frequently on e-commerce, performance

measurement, and commercial card products.