Invoice Automation AI: When to Pay Starter, When to Consulte AP

Pay vs Consulte for invoice automation AI: when Starter $2,500 fits one AP lane, when /contact/ is safer for ERP/tax scope, and Discovery $99 maps the exception queue — no invented straight-through rates.

Discovery $99 Consulting $499 Starter $2,500 Growth $8,000/mo Response within 24h

Map it with Discovery — $99 Pay on /plans/ Consulte

What this page is (and is not)

This is a fit guide for one invoice lane (vendor set, currency, or entity). It is not a case study and it does not invent a savings percentage, SLA letter grade, or certified outcome. Published commercial prices live on /plans/. The diagnostic is Discovery $99. Human-scoped work starts at /contact/.

Related hub: AI consulting services.

The unit of work

Process

one invoice lane (vendor set, currency, or entity)

Systems

inbox or portal, ERP/AP, and the human who posts or rejects

Operating signal

exception count or time-to-post on that lane — not a company-wide STP rate we invent

Stop rule

Do not let the model approve payment or vendor changes without a named acceptor.

Pay vs Consulte

Pay (Starter $2,500 · ZG06)

One lane, known ERP access, and “done” is extract + draft + human post. No unsupervised payment.

Pay Starter $2,500 USD · menu on /plans/.

Consulte (/contact/)

Multi-entity tax, custom ERP, or three-way match across systems. Consulte writes the SOW.

Start Consulte — SOW first, Pay later if the slice is clear.

If you cannot name the process, the systems, and the acceptor for “done,” do not Pay yet. Use Discovery $99 for a written map (Pay, Consulte, or stop). Deeper SKU comparison: Discovery $99 vs Starter $2,500.

What Discovery $99 writes

Owners and systems for this slice — not a company-wide transformation plan.
A recommendation: Pay Starter, Consulte a SOW, Growth/retainer, or stop.
The stop rule above, in writing, so kickoff cannot smuggle a second project.

Discovery is not implementation. Implementation is Starter or a scoped SOW. Ongoing coverage is Growth after the model is clear.

Good after kickoff (no fake math)

The process sentence still matches day 10.
Access landed or a named blocker with an owner.
Definition of done is operational — a live path, map, or control — not “we explored AI.”
Exception queue exists. Humans know what the automation must not decide alone.

If access is still pending or success was redefined to “demo,” stop and re-scope. That is Consulte, not a silent expand of Pay.

Map it with Discovery — $99 Plans Consulte

FAQs

Can I skip Discovery and Pay Starter?

Yes — if one invoice lane (vendor set, currency, or entity) is already named, inbox or portal, ERP/AP, and the human who posts or rejects are reachable, and someone will accept “done.” If kickoff would still debate the job, map first: Discovery $99.

Is Consulte a free consultation?

No. Consulte is a human-scoped conversation via /contact/ when the SKU is unclear. Discovery is the $99 written diagnostic. There is no free consultation SKU.

Do you publish ROI or savings percentages for this work?

No. This guide uses fit patterns only. Use an operating signal you already measure. Board language without fake math starts from the Discovery map.

Where do Consulting $499 and Growth fit?

Consulting $499 sits between Discovery and Starter when you need RACI or roadmap without a pilot yet. Growth $8,000/mo is ongoing coverage after the model is clear. Ladder: /plans/.