Accounts Payable Automation for Australian Local Government

Accounts Payable in local government isn’t about speed alone. It’s about accuracy, transparency, and defensibility. Errors aren’t just operational issues, they become audit findings, reputational risks, and governance concerns.
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Accounts Payable Automation
Australian councils process tens of thousands of invoices each year under intense governance, audit, and public accountability requirements.
 
RapidAP provides councils with a complete accounts payable solution, combining invoice capture, validation, fraud prevention, and exception handling in a single governed process, while integrating with core council systems.

Why Accounts Payable is a governance function in councils

Local government finance teams operate in a fundamentally different environment to commercial organisations.

The realities of accounts payable in Australian councils:

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High invoice volumes across diverse suppliers
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Strict governance and audit requirements
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Public accountability and transparency obligations
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Limited tolerance for manual error
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Ongoing resource and budget pressure
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Conservative system change expectations
In this environment, fragmented tools, manual handling, and inconsistent controls introduce unacceptable risk. Councils need a single, governed accounts payable process that reinforces policy, audit, and accountability.

Built for council finance and governance teams

Rapid is designed specifically for the way Australian councils operate. It supports council finance leaders by:
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Capturing and processing invoices in a controlled environment.

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Enforcing consistent invoice validation and approval rules.

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Preventing duplicate invoices and payment errors.

Seamless Data Transfer

Managing exceptions in a structured and auditable way.

transparency

Providing clear audit trails and transaction history.

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Supporting governance and internal control frameworks.

The result is stronger compliance and improved efficiency without undermining established policies or delegations.
Workflow RapidAP

Designed for TechnologyOne, Civica Authority, and council finance systems

Many Australian councils operate on TechnologyOne or Civica Authority, alongside other specialist systems used across local government.
Dashboard Reporting

A complete accounts payable layer, not just capture

While some finance platforms include basic scanning capability, councils still require strong controls once an invoice enters the process. Rapid provides a complete accounts payable layer by:
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Capturing invoices directly into a governed workflow.
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Applying validation and controls consistently.
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Managing approvals, exceptions, and audit evidence.
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Integrating clean, validated outcomes back into core council systems.
This approach ensures invoice capture, validation, and governance operate together, rather than relying on disconnected tools.
Procure-to-pay solutions
RapidP2P Suite integrates with EFTsure

Fraud prevention and supplier bank verification with EFTsure

Councils are increasingly targeted by payment redirection fraud and supplier impersonation.
Rapid integrates with EFTsure to ensure supplier bank verification and compliance checks are applied early and throughout the accounts payable process, not just immediately before payment. This includes:

Independent supplier bank account verification

Independent supplier bank account verification confirms supplier payment details through secure and trusted validation processes, helping ensure payments are sent to legitimate accounts and reducing the risk of fraud or errors.

Validation of bank detail changes over time

Validation of bank detail changes over time ensures that any updates to supplier banking information are properly reviewed and authenticated, helping maintain accurate records while protecting organisations from unauthorised or suspicious changes.

Early detection of impersonation and fraud attempts

Early detection of impersonation and fraud attempts identifies suspicious behaviour, unusual requests, or inconsistencies in supplier communications before payments are processed, helping organisations prevent financial loss.

Reduced reliance on manual or email based verification

Reduced reliance on manual or email based verification improves efficiency by removing time consuming checks and unsecured communication methods, while strengthening payment security through automated verification processes.

By embedding EFTsure verification into normal invoice processing, councils reduce fraud exposure before risk escalates.

Streamlining Administrative Processes

Local government councils often struggle with cumbersome administrative processes that consume valuable time and resources. Our solutions automate and streamline these processes, allowing council staff to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine administrative tasks. This leads to a more efficient use of resources and improved service delivery to the community.

Enhancing Compliance + Risk Management

Compliance with regulatory requirements is critical for local government councils. Our solutions ensure that all financial processes adhere to local and international standards, reducing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties. By automating compliance checks and providing real-time visibility into financial operations, we help councils manage risk more effectively.

Improving Financial Accuracy + Transparency

Accurate financial data is essential for informed decision-making. Our solutions minimise manual data entry and human error, ensuring that financial information is accurate and up-to-date. Real-time tracking and reporting provide councils with the transparency they need to monitor financial performance, manage budgets effectively, and make data-driven decisions.

Facilitating Supplier Management + Relationships

Managing a diverse range of suppliers can be challenging for local government councils. Our vendor management solutions simplify the onboarding process, improve communication, and foster stronger relationships with suppliers. By providing a centralised platform for vendor information and real-time tracking of payments and invoices, we enhance the efficiency and transparency of supplier interactions.

Driving Cost Savings + Efficiency

Cost control is a major concern for local government councils. Our solutions help councils reduce costs by automating labour-intensive processes, eliminating paper-based workflows, and improving overall operational efficiency. These cost savings can then be redirected to other critical areas, such as community services and infrastructure development.

Supporting Sustainable Practices

We recognise the importance of sustainability in local government operations. By reducing reliance on paper and promoting electronic workflows, our solutions contribute to more environmentally friendly practices. This not only helps councils meet their sustainability goals but also sets a positive example for the community.

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Trusted by organisations around the world.

Procure to Pay - RapidP2P Suite

Solutions for Local Government Councils

RapidP2P is a comprehensive (Procure-to-Pay) P2P automation software and an end-to-end procure-to-pay system designed to streamline your procurement process from start to finish.

From accounts payable automation to simplified onboarding and improved vendor management, RapidP2P is the all-in-one solution designed to streamline processes, ensure compliance, and foster transparency in local government council operations.

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Accounts Payable Automation

A powerful accounts payable automation module that saves time, cuts costs, and boosts efficiency.

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Digitised invoicing processing for faster and more secure payments with the add-on powered by PEPPOL.

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Request and approve purchase orders with ease keeping the procurement process simple.
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Rapid VO
Simplified onboarding and improved communication for new vendors.
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Simplified and improved vendor management module.
Accounts Payable Automation

Preventing duplicate invoices and payment errors

Duplicate invoices and incorrect payments remain a persistent risk in local government. RapidAP helps councils with early validation and exception control at scale. This strengthens both financial accuracy and audit confidence.

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Detect and prevent duplicate invoices before approval

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Identify anomalies across high invoice volumes

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Manage exceptions in a structured and auditable manner

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Reduce rework and downstream remediation

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Improving efficiency under resourcing pressure

Council finance teams are under constant pressure to deliver more with limited resources.

Efficiency through control, not shortcuts

RapidAP improves efficiency by:

Efficiency gains come from better controls and clarity, not bypassing governance.

Audit ready

Audit-ready by design

Audit readiness is essential in local government.

Transparency and defensibility built in

RapidAP provides:

This supports stronger audit outcomes and reduces remediation effort.

Proven outcomes

Proven outcomes for Australian councils

Australian councils using RapidAP have achieved measurable improvements in control, accuracy, and efficiency.

Council success stories

Moorabool Shire Council
Reduced invoice processing time by a full day once RapidAP was deployed, improving turnaround without compromising governance.

Albury City Council
Over a 14-month period, identified:

  • 866 cases of invalid bank details totalling $9.4 million
  • 2,432 duplicate invoices totalling $21.07 million

“I cannot stress how much I appreciate the support I have received.”

Latrobe City Council
Now processes approximately 80% of all invoices through RapidAP, creating a highly efficient and consistent accounts payable operation.

A better way to manage accounts payable in local government

Rapid is built for Australian councils that need strong governance, clear audit trails, fraud prevention, and reliable processing at scale.

If your council is looking to reduce payment risk, strengthen compliance, and improve efficiency while operating within TechnologyOne, Civica Authority, or other council finance environments, Rapid provides a proven and practical solution.

Account Payable Automation
Our procure-to-pay automation pricing is designed to scale with your business. As your needs grow, you can easily upgrade to advanced features, with no disruption, no hassle.

Free Accounts Payable Calculator: Get Your Estimate.

Interested to find out how much you could save? Compare manual invoicing costs with automated invoicing costs by using our free online calculator.

Customer Success Stories

Success Stories

St John Ambulance

“Accounts Payable job’s done and all they have to do is just look at the invoice, make sure that it is actually correct. A quick visual check and it’s ready to pay.”

ScotPac

“The thing that got us with Efficiency Leaders was that it had that direct integration between our TechOne and the underlying Rapid solution.”

Case Studies

Moorabool Shire
Moorabool Shire Council implemented RapidAP from the RapidP2P suite. The solution integrated directly with TechnologyOne, automating invoice scanning, data extraction, validation, and posting.

Videos

Lipman
Lipman implemented the RapidP2P Suite by Efficiency Leaders with the rollout focused on automating key areas across procurement and finance, fully integrated with their existing Jobpac ERP and Eftsure.

Explore Integrations

Our automation suite integrates with more than 98% of the ERPs available in the market. Our team works with you to ensure our RapidP2P modules are integrated with your ERP seamlessly and quickly.

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Whatever it is, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help, and we’re just a call or click away.
Procure to Pay - RapidP2P Suite
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