Updated 8/15/25
The cloud is changing the way businesses operate, and one of the areas where its impact is most visible is in accounts payable (AP).
Cloud-based AP automation is quickly becoming the standard for organizations looking to reduce costs, increase efficiency, improve security, and enable remote access to financial processes.
A perfect example is West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative, which transitioned from cumbersome legacy systems and paper-based processes to a fully cloud-based DocStar AP automation solution. Serving 32,000+ members across multiple service territories, their move to the cloud transformed invoice management, delivering both operational flexibility and measurable ROI.
What is Cloud-Based AP Automation?
Cloud-based AP automation uses secure, cloud-hosted software to manage accounts payable workflows.
Many organizations now prefer cloud-based solutions over on-premises systems because they offer advantages like lower costs, streamlined data processing, improved security, built-in backups, and anywhere-access for hybrid work models.
West Kentucky Rural Electric made the switch to DocStar to replace a legacy, paper-based process that was slowing operations, requiring manual data entry, and limiting collaboration. Their new system centralized AP management across service territories, enabling efficiency gains without adding headcount.
Types of Cloud-Based AP Systems
- Public Cloud – Accessible to any user via the internet, hosted by a third-party provider.
- Private/Hosted Cloud – Dedicated to one organization, managed internally or by a provider.
- Hybrid Cloud – Combines public and private environments for flexibility in data and application placement.
The Benefits of Cloud-Based AP Automation
1. Lower Costs with Measurable ROI
Cloud-based AP solutions are paperless, more eco-friendly, and user-friendly than traditional systems. As businesses shift to remote and hybrid models, modern AP automation, which extends beyond paperless workflows to include intelligent, cloud-native capabilities, has become a necessity in 2025.
Learn more about why this kind of forward-ready automation is essential in our deep dive on “Why Modern AP Automation Is Essential in 2025: From Paperless to Intelligent, Cloud-Based Workflows”.
This kind of forward-ready automation is exactly what powered West Kentucky Rural Electric’s transformation. By moving to a cloud-based DocStar system, they achieved $100,000 in annual savings, reduced manual data entry by 85%, saved 1,000 hours annually, and cut invoice processing time from 10 days to just 4.
Try our ROI calculator to see how much your business could save.
2. Heightened Security and Disaster Recovery
Cloud-hosted AP systems store data in secure, remote environments with advanced security measures like multi-factor authentication, access controls, and encryption.
West Kentucky previously relied on physical file cabinets, vulnerable to natural disasters and physical damage. With DocStar, they eliminated that risk entirely. Their invoices and supporting documents are now safely stored in the cloud, ensuring availability even if their main office is inaccessible.
3. Remote Access that Keeps Work Moving
One of the most valuable benefits for West Kentucky came from solving its remote access challenge. In their old system, staff absences created bottlenecks. Now, with cloud-based DocStar, approvals and processing can continue seamlessly from anywhere, ensuring operations keep running smoothly across multiple territories.
4. Better Visibility into KPIs
Cloud-based AP solutions often include built-in analytics to track KPIs like invoice cycle times and cost per invoice, without requiring additional software.
West Kentucky’s accounting team uses DocStar’s reporting tools to monitor trends, identify bottlenecks, and continuously refine their workflows.
5. Scalability Without Adding Headcount
Cloud systems scale with your business. West Kentucky demonstrated this perfectly when an accounting team member retired; they maintained service quality and invoice turnaround times without replacing the role, thanks to the automation and efficiency gains from DocStar.
Why Cloud-Based AP Automation is Becoming the New Normal
The advantages are clear: lower costs, enhanced security, remote access, improved visibility, and scalability.
West Kentucky Rural Electric’s journey from paper files and manual processes to centralized, cloud-based efficiency illustrates exactly why cloud AP automation is here to stay. For them, it was not just a technology upgrade; it was a strategic move that saved time, cut costs, and empowered their team to work smarter.
If your AP department is still tied to paper and on-premises software, now is the time to make the shift. The results, like 85% less manual entry, faster invoice turnaround, and six-figure annual savings, are simply too big to ignore.
Ready to go paperless and cloud-based? Contact Mosaic Corp to learn how we can help you implement a secure, scalable, and cost-effective AP automation solution.
