# Esker Accounts Payable Automation with SAP S/4HANA and ECC

> Source: https://netray.co/stack/esker-accounts-payable-automation-sap-s4hana
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: ERP Stack

## Short answer

Esker Accounts Payable Automation uses AI-driven capture, PO matching and approval workflow to process supplier invoices and post them into SAP. Esker holds an SAP Certified Integration with S/4HANA Cloud, is listed on the SAP Store, and offers pre-built connectors for ECC and on-premise S/4HANA.

## Erp

SAP S/4HANA (also ECC)

## Erp Key

sap-s4hana

## On Prem

true

## Product

Esker Accounts Payable Automation

## Vendor

Esker

## Category

AP automation

## Integration

**Method:** Pre-built Esker connectors for ECC and on-premise S/4HANA

**Detail:** The connector reads purchasing and master data from SAP (vendors, purchase orders, goods receipts, GL accounts, cost centers) and posts the validated invoice back as a supplier invoice. SAP-standard interfaces such as BAPIs and RFC calls are the usual mechanism for this kind of connector; confirm the exact calls and any required add-on in Esker's documentation for your release.

**Method:** SAP Certified Integration for S/4HANA Cloud

**Detail:** For S/4HANA Cloud, Esker announced SAP certification. That covers cloud editions, so an on-premise plant should use the ECC and on-premise connectors instead.

## Data Flows

**From:** Supplier invoice (email, PDF, EDI)

**To:** Esker

**Data:** Invoice image and extracted header and line data

**Trigger:** Invoice arrives in the capture mailbox or channel

**From:** SAP purchasing

**To:** Esker

**Data:** Open POs, goods receipts, vendor master, coding data

**Trigger:** Scheduled sync or on-demand lookup

**From:** Esker

**To:** Approvers

**Data:** Invoice with coding and match result

**Trigger:** Match exception or approval rule

**From:** Esker

**To:** SAP accounts payable

**Data:** Posted or parked supplier invoice

**Trigger:** Invoice approved

**From:** SAP

**To:** Esker

**Data:** Document number and payment status

**Trigger:** Posting and payment run

## Setup

### Choose the connector for your release

**Detail:** ECC, on-premise S/4HANA and S/4HANA Cloud use different connectors, so confirm which applies.

### Create the technical SAP user

**Detail:** Set up a dedicated user with authorizations limited to reading PO, receipt and vendor data and posting invoices.

### Sync master data

**Detail:** Load vendors, company codes, GL accounts, cost centers and tax codes into Esker and agree how often they refresh.

### Define matching rules

**Detail:** Set two-way or three-way match tolerances for price and quantity per company or vendor class.

### Build approval workflows

**Detail:** Model approvers by amount, cost center and exception type, matching your delegation of authority.

### Train capture on your suppliers

**Detail:** Run real invoices, correct extractions, and review accuracy per supplier before turning on straight-through posting.

### Decide park versus post

**Detail:** Start by parking invoices for review, then move trusted flows to automatic posting.

### Pilot with a company code

**Detail:** Go live on one entity, measure exceptions and then roll out.

## Pitfalls

- Vendor master duplicates in SAP, so the capture picks the wrong vendor record.
- Goods receipts not posted in time, which creates false three-way match exceptions.
- Tax code and withholding mapping differing by country and plant.
- Duplicate invoices when the same document arrives by email and by EDI.
- Blanket POs and service entry sheets that do not match line by line.
- Technical user with excessive authorizations, or a password that expires and stops posting.

## Ai Layer

### Match exception explanation

**Description:** A private assistant reading Esker and SAP can say why an invoice did not match (price above tolerance, receipt missing, PO closed) and who needs to act.

### Vendor data hygiene

**Description:** Find likely duplicate vendors and conflicting bank details across SAP and captured invoices and propose merges for review.

### Plain-language AP questions

**Description:** Ask which invoices over a threshold are waiting for approval for a given plant and get the list read-only from both systems.

### Accrual support

**Description:** Draft a list of received-not-invoiced items for the controller to review at close.

## Alternatives

- SAP Ariba Invoicing or SAP's own invoice capture tools, if you want to stay with SAP products.
- OpenText Vendor Invoice Management or Serrala, which are embedded in SAP and may suit heavy ABAP shops.
- Native SAP three-way match with manual entry, enough for low invoice volumes.

## Faq

### Does Esker work with ECC and on-premise S/4HANA?

**Answer:** Esker states it has pre-built connectors for ECC and on-premise S/4HANA, and an SAP Certified Integration with S/4HANA Cloud. Check Esker's documentation for supported releases and any prerequisites in your landscape.

### Where does the invoice data live?

**Answer:** Esker is a cloud solution, so invoice images and extracted data are processed on Esker's side while posting happens in SAP. If your plants restrict cloud data, review that with your security team before choosing it.

### Can it post without human review?

**Answer:** Rules can allow straight-through posting for invoices that match within tolerance. Most teams begin by parking invoices and widen automation as accuracy per supplier is proven.

## Source

https://www.esker.com/company/press-releases/eskers-accounts-payable-and-order-management-automation-solutions-achieve-sap

## Search terms

esker accounts payable sap s/4hana, esker sap integration, esker invoice automation ecc, sap ap automation, three-way match sap esker, esker sap certified

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