"We are working on it" — or if I am in the southwest "we are fixing it" — is the expression I often hear about a best practice I discuss during an accounts payable workshop. We laugh and move on to the next subject. Fortunately in several organizations, I sometimes hear "we are doing that today," which is a way of identifying where a best practice has already been implemented.

The positive side of "We are working on it" is that most AP organizations have identified the need to implement specific best practices within their process, but may have resource, funding or priority issues.

The important first step is to identify and prioritize what you should be "working on" and have a business case detailing the overall benefits, particularly to the clients you support.

Tom Nichols, president of Process Management Improvement, Inc., provides research, AP process improvement consulting, training and seminars to large companies and financial associations. Email Tom Nichols