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AP touches every department, every business initiative, and every staff member and vendor. So, when the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly changed the way we do business, accounts payable rose to the challenge. You kept finance operations humming through the shift to remote work, supply chain bottlenecks, sudden dips and boosts in sales, and other business disruptions.

In a survey of 500 finance and IT leaders at small and midsized firms, nearly half (47%) said that the pandemic exposed their companies¡¯ inefficient business processes. AP professionals can help their organizations continue to transition to new ways of doing business by building better processes, fostering collaboration, and showing colleagues how you can help them work even smarter. ?

Start elevating your AP team¡¯s profile by keeping your skills sharp and showing leadership how you can contribute to the growth of the organization. Here are some resources to help.

Two ways to keep on learning

Whether you¡¯re just starting out or are a seasoned AP veteran, participating in learning opportunities, peer networks, and digital communities will help you grow as an AP professional and bring greater value to your organization. Connecting with industry leaders helps you learn best practices, growth strategies, and workflow efficiencies to make your team an all-star.

1. Peer-to-peer connections

With new challenges and technological innovations hitting your business daily, sometimes your coworkers are just as stumped as you are. For example: What¡¯s the best way to handle VAT recovery? How can you streamline workflows to get invoices and expenses processed faster? Rather than spending hours looking for answers online, pose your questions to the . Our peer-to-peer digital channel of 13,000+ users understand just what you¡¯re dealing with and can help steer you in the right direction. You may be able to answer some questions, too.

1. Industry events, webinars, and training opportunities to fit virtually every situation

Regardless of your business size, there are several industry in-person or online events, webinars, and training and networking opportunities to fit almost every situation.

The SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ Leadership Council is one way to get into the minds of leaders in different industries who help us ¨C and by extension, you ¨C keep up with trends, potential problems, and solutions. Leadership Council members also provide one-to-many mentorship and networking that can help advance your career.

In addition, business and virtual conferences can keep you informed about the latest developments in AP and the new technologies enabling business efficiency and resilience. We?offer?events to ensure you come away with insights from industry leaders, build a network of like-minded professionals, and bring you even more learning opportunities.

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Uncover problems no one knew were there

Problem-solving is a core part of your job. But how can you improve when you¡¯re not even aware that problems exist? SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ solutions are powerful, modern tools that help you gain visibility into potential issues and tackle them. But where to start looking? Try these resources.

• Start by pinpointing your pain points. Our Spend Impact Analyzer will help you discover key areas where your organization can gain more control over discretionary employee spend.
• What activities can AP undertake to help strengthen the overall resiliency of the organization? This checklist offers seven ideas about improving how you use your data.
• Want more? Take an assessment to learn how automation can help your organization simplify its AP processes.

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Finally, celebrate all things AP

AP teams are comprised of several essential professionals whose work is often unrecognized. But we see your work, and we want to let you know that you¡¯re appreciated.

Our AP Recognition Week is an annual event taking place each October that highlights the central role AP teams play in helping businesses grow and rise to the next level. It¡¯s a great learning opportunity for you to develop your skills, help you increase your influence over your company¡¯s resilience and growth, and improve your job satisfaction.

Visit our AP Recognition Week resource center to assess your current AP capabilities, identify the first steps to take to optimize your AP processes, continue your professional development, and much more.

And, don¡¯t forget to sign up for our free ?to learn?tips and tricks to help make your AP team become the most valued process in your organization ¨C all while earning a CPE credit.