GUIDES & REPORTS
Ardent Partners' Accounts Payable Metrics that Matter in 2026
Accounts payable keeps evolving, and if you're not measuring the right things, you're basically flying blind. Medius is proud to sponsor Ardent Partners' latest research, “Accounts Payable Metrics that Matter in 2026,” a comprehensive look at where the industry stands today.
Based on surveys with nearly 200 AP, finance, and P2P leaders, this report gives you real benchmarks to compare yourself against, on cost, speed, exception rates, AI adoption, and what Best-in-Class teams are doing differently. Whether you're trying to make the case for investment or just want to know how your team stacks up, this is the data you need.
Top 3 findings from the 2026 report
AI Is moving from pilot-phase to practice
58% of AP organizations are now using or piloting AI, primarily for invoice capture, exception management, and fraud detection. Most teams are starting small, but the direction is clear.
The cost gap is wide
The average cost to process a single invoice is $9.90, but Best-in-Class organizations do it for $2.67. That's a substantial gap. For context, at 50,000 invoices a year, that's nearly half a million dollars.
Nearly 1 in 5 invoices hits an exception
The industry average invoice exception rate is 19.9%, and each exception requires someone to stop what they're doing and fix it. Best-in-Class teams hold that number to 11.8%.
What's driving AP's transformation in 2026?
The pressure on AP teams isn't just about processing faster. Leaders are being asked to do more — better visibility, stronger controls, strategic value beyond the invoice queue. AI is beginning to change what's possible, but most organizations are still working through how to use it well.
This year's report shows that 66% of organizations now rate AP as very or exceptionally valuable. The function sits at the intersection of invoices, payments, suppliers, and cash — a position that matters more than ever to finance leadership.
But there's a gap. The teams pulling ahead aren't just adopting new technology — they're enforcing cleaner processes, clearer ownership, and higher standards across the whole invoice lifecycle.
Why AP teams should be paying attention to benchmarks
You can't improve what you don't measure. This report gives AP leaders a qualified peer group to compare performance against on the metrics that actually matter:
- Cost to process a single invoice
- Invoice cycle time
- Straight-through processing rate
- Exception rate
- Supplier enablement rate
- PO linkage rate
- Staff time lost to supplier inquiries
With Best-in-Class benchmarks alongside industry averages, you get two data points: where the industry is and where the leaders already are.
How Medius helps AP teams excel in 2026
Medius goes beyond basic AP automation. Our AI-driven solution does the work so your team doesn't have to. Invoices get confirmed, coded, and paid, and your business can trust its budgets and forecasts.
With Medius, AP teams can:
Automate invoice capture and processing to cut cycle times significantly.
Reduce exception rates with AI that flags issues before they become real problems.
Give suppliers real-time visibility, meaning fewer status calls for your AP team.
Unlock the controls and transparency finance leadership actually needs.