Ramp AP Automation: How It Works and Why You Need It

Tom Zehentner
Growth & Product

Ramp excels at expense reports, AP, and corporate cards. But what about prepaid expenses? If your business uses Ramp and QuickBooks Online, you know manual prepaid expense accounting can be a real headache. This article explores how integrating Ramp and Accruer simplifies prepaid expense processing with Ramp AP automation, saving you time and increasing accuracy. We'll cover Ramp's core features and benefits, Accruer's "for the period" solution, and how this powerful combination transforms your financial operations.

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Key Takeaways

  • Simplify prepaid expenses with a simple phrase: Using "for the period" in Ramp descriptions triggers Accruer to automate prepaid expense accounting, eliminating manual work and improving accuracy.
  • Gain real-time insights into your finances: The Ramp and Accruer integration ensures accurate expense allocation, providing a clear and current view of your financial position.
  • Focus on strategy, not spreadsheets: Automating prepaid expense accounting frees your team to focus on analysis and decision-making, driving better business outcomes.

Automate Your Accounts Payable: Why It Matters

For businesses using Ramp and QuickBooks Online, managing prepaid expenses often feels like a complex juggling act. While Ramp excels at expense management, AP, and corporate cards, the manual work of tracking and accounting for prepaid expenses can still bog down your accounting team. And on top of that, finding the right QuickBooks accounts payable automation solution can be challenging. Most systems require complex setup processes and significant changes to your existing workflow. However, the integration between Ramp and Accruer delivers automated prepaid expense processing while doing AP in Ramp with just three magic words: "for the period."

Ramp AP Automation: A Deep Dive

Ramp has quickly become a popular choice for businesses looking to streamline their accounts payable processes. But what exactly makes it so effective? Let's take a closer look at the core features and benefits that set Ramp apart.

Core Features of Ramp for AP Automation

AI-Powered Automation

Ramp uses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate many tedious AP tasks. Think data entry with optical character recognition (OCR), coding, approvals, and even payments. This frees up your team to focus on more strategic financial work. Ramp claims their AI can handle 10x the invoices with the same headcount, a significant increase in efficiency.

Customizable Workflows and Payment Options

Ramp allows you to build approval workflows that match your company's specific needs. You can set alerts for errors or potential overbilling and define user roles for increased security. It also supports a variety of payment methods, including checks, cards, ACH, and international wires, making it adaptable for domestic and global vendor payments. This flexibility is key for businesses working with diverse suppliers.

Enhanced Security

Security is paramount when it comes to financial processes. Ramp offers features like two-way and three-way matching to prevent overbilling and ensures separation of duties to minimize the risk of fraud. These safeguards protect your business and maintain accurate financial records.

ERP Integrations

Ramp integrates with various enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. This real-time syncing of bills, vendor information, and purchase orders eliminates manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors. This seamless integration streamlines your financial operations and ensures data consistency across platforms.

Recurring Bill Management and Cash Back

Recurring bills and batch payments are easily automated with Ramp. The platform also identifies vendors who accept card payments, helping you maximize cash back potential. This not only saves time but can also contribute to your bottom line.

Easy Setup

Ramp boasts a quick setup process, claiming you can get started in under five minutes. This rapid deployment minimizes disruption to your workflow and allows you to start realizing the benefits of AP automation quickly.

Benefits Beyond Prepaid Expenses

Beyond the core features, Ramp offers a range of benefits that improve overall financial health.

Improved Accuracy and Vendor Relationships

Automation reduces manual errors, leading to more accurate financial records. This, in turn, strengthens vendor relationships by ensuring timely and accurate payments. Happy vendors are essential for a smooth-running business.

Better Cash Flow Visibility

Automated invoice processing provides a clearer picture of your cash flow. By streamlining the AP process, you gain better control over your finances and can make more informed decisions.

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Goldman Sachs estimates that AP automation can save businesses 70–80% of their time. Ramp helps you achieve these efficiencies, allowing your team to focus on higher-value tasks. For companies looking to further optimize their financial operations, consider exploring FinOptimal's managed accounting services for expert guidance and support.

Cost Savings

Ramp's cost per invoice is typically $1-$5, significantly lower than the $10-$15 average cost of manual processing. These savings can add up quickly, especially for businesses with high invoice volumes.

Scalability

As your business grows, Ramp scales with you. It can handle large volumes of invoices efficiently, ensuring your AP processes remain streamlined regardless of size.

Streamlined Invoice Tracking

Ramp simplifies invoice tracking, making it easy to monitor the status of invoices and payments. This improved visibility helps you stay organized and avoid late payment penalties.

Enhanced Fraud Prevention and Compliance

Ramp's security features help prevent fraud and ensure compliance with financial regulations. This protects your business from financial losses and legal issues. For a deeper understanding of financial automation and best practices, explore FinOptimal's resources.

Understanding "For the Period" Expenses

What if you could transform your entire accounts payable automation process by simply adding three words to your Ramp descriptions? That's exactly what Accruer enables. When processing bills or expenses in Ramp, adding the phrase "for the period" along with the relevant dates triggers Accruer to automatically handle all the complex accounting work behind the scenes.

How "For the Period" Works

The process is beautifully simple:

  1. Log into Ramp as you normally would
  2. Enter your bill or expense information
  3. Include "for the period" and the dates in the description
  4. Complete your usual Ramp categorization

That's it. From there, Accruer takes over, automatically:

  • Determining whether it's an asset or liability
  • Calculating the appropriate monthly allocations
  • Creating and posting all necessary journal entries
  • Generating audit-ready documentation

AP Automation: Get Real-Time Financial Visibility

When Ramp syncs with QuickBooks Online, Accruer immediately goes to work. As one of the best accounts payable automation software options available, the system automatically straight-lines your expenses across the specified period, ensuring your P&L reflects the correct monthly expense allocation. For example, a $24,000 annual subscription is automatically broken down into $2,000 monthly expenses, with the prepaid balance properly reflected on your balance sheet.

Effortless Documentation with AP Automation

Beyond the calculations and journal entries, Accruer creates comprehensive backup documentation. The system generates traditional roll-forward schedules showing:

  • Beginning balances
  • New additions
  • Recognized amounts
  • Ending balances

This automatic documentation saves hours of manual work while ensuring your books are always audit-ready.

How AP Automation Benefits Your Business

The integration between Ramp and Accruer transforms your accounting workflow by:

  1. Eliminating Manual Data Entry: No more spreadsheets or manual journal entries for prepaid expenses
  2. Reducing Errors: Automated calculations ensure accurate expense allocation
  3. Saving Time: What once took hours now requires just three words
  4. Maintaining Compliance: Ensure GAAP compliance with consistent treatment of prepaid expenses
  5. Supporting Growth: Scale your accounting processes without adding headcount

Start Automating Your Accounts Payable Today

Ready to streamline your prepaid expense management and accounts payable process? The setup process is straightforward:

  1. Sign up for Accruer
  2. Connect it with your QuickBooks Online account
  3. Start using "for the period" in your Ramp descriptions

There's no complicated implementation process or extensive training required. Your team can continue using Ramp exactly as they do now, with the simple addition of three words to unlock powerful automation capabilities.

What's Next in Accounting Automation?

The seamless integration between Ramp and Accruer represents the future of accounts payable automation – where complex accounting processes are handled automatically while maintaining accuracy and compliance. This allows your accounting team to focus on strategic analysis and decision-making rather than manual data entry and calculations.

Transform Your Expense Management with AP Automation

Don't let manual accounts payable management slow down your accounting processes. With Ramp and Accruer working together, you can automate this crucial aspect of your financial operations with just three words: "for the period."

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Frequently Asked Questions

What if my team isn't comfortable with new technology? Accruer works behind the scenes, integrating seamlessly with your existing Ramp and QuickBooks Online workflow. The only change is adding "for the period" and the relevant dates to your Ramp descriptions. This simplicity makes adoption easy, even for team members hesitant about new software. Plus, FinOptimal offers support and resources to help with the transition.

How does Accruer handle different prepaid expense types? Accruer automatically categorizes prepaid expenses as either assets or liabilities based on the information provided in Ramp and QuickBooks Online. Whether it's a prepaid subscription, insurance, or any other type of prepaid expense, Accruer handles the accounting correctly. This eliminates the need for manual categorization and ensures consistent treatment across all your prepaid items.

Is Accruer secure? Absolutely. Security is a top priority. Accruer connects directly to your existing Ramp and QuickBooks Online accounts using their secure APIs. No sensitive financial data is stored on Accruer's servers. This ensures your financial information remains protected and confidential.

What happens if I need to make changes to a prepaid expense after it's been processed in Ramp? Simply update the corresponding entry in Ramp, and Accruer will automatically adjust the associated journal entries and schedules in QuickBooks Online. This real-time synchronization ensures your financial records always reflect the most up-to-date information.

What if I have questions or need help with Accruer? FinOptimal provides comprehensive support and resources to help you get the most out of Accruer. You can access helpful documentation, tutorials, and contact their support team directly through their website. They're committed to ensuring you have a smooth and successful experience with their software.

Tom Zehentner
Growth & Product

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