The verdict in three sentences
For a mid-sized company in Dublin processing 2,500 supplier invoices a month, an AI automation project (extraction, purchase order matching, accounting export) costs between EUR 15,000 and 35,000 excluding VAT, plus EUR 0.05 to 0.15 per invoice in usage costs. The cost of processing one invoice falls from about EUR 12 to EUR 3, close to EUR 22,500 in monthly savings at constant volume. The project also prepares the business for mandatory e-invoicing, which the EU ViDA package and national rollouts such as France's 2026 mandate are making the norm.
What the budget actually covers
A serious project goes well beyond character recognition. It chains capture (PDFs by email, structured e-invoices, Peppol or platform feeds), field extraction by an AI model, consistency checks (company number, VAT ID, IBAN), three-way matching with the purchase order and goods receipt, then export to the ERP or accounting software.
| Item | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and process mapping | 2,000 to 4,000 | 5 to 8 days, workshops with the AP team |
| Multichannel capture (email, PDF, e-invoice, Peppol) | 2,500 to 5,000 | Dedicated inbox, queue, deduplication |
| AI extraction and consistency checks | 4,000 to 9,000 | Company number, EU VAT ID, IBAN, totals |
| Purchase order and receipt matching | 3,000 to 8,000 | Configurable price and quantity tolerances |
| ERP or accounting connector (Sage, Business Central, SAP B1) | 2,500 to 6,000 | Journal entries, cost centres, attachments |
| Approval workflow and dashboard | 1,000 to 3,000 | Amount-based routing, alerts |
| Total project | 15,000 to 35,000 | Delivered in 8 to 14 weeks |
Usage costs (AI model calls, storage, EU hosting) range from EUR 0.05 to 0.15 per invoice. For 2,500 invoices, budget EUR 125 to 375 a month, plus EUR 150 to 300 of application maintenance.
Manual, off-the-shelf software or custom pipeline
Subscription AP software is quick to deploy, but it charges by volume and adapts poorly to the matching rules of an industrial mid-sized firm. Custom work requires a higher upfront investment, then costs less once volume exceeds 1,500 invoices a month.
| Criterion | Manual entry | Off-the-shelf SaaS | Custom AI pipeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per invoice | EUR 10 to 15 | EUR 0.80 to 2.50 subscription + EUR 3 to 4 processing | EUR 0.05 to 0.15 usage + EUR 2.50 to 3.50 processing |
| Upfront investment | EUR 0 | EUR 3,000 to 10,000 | EUR 15,000 to 35,000 |
| Touchless extraction rate | Not applicable | 75 to 85% | 85 to 93% after 3 months of learning |
| Three-way matching | Manual | Often a paid add-on | Included, custom rules |
| Average processing time | 8 to 12 days | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 days |
| Data and code ownership | In-house | Vendor | Client company |
One caveat: e-invoicing does not remove the need for matching. Invoices arrive structured, but they still have to be checked against orders, receipts and contracts. That is where most of the time savings lie.
Timeline and risks to anticipate
| Stage | Duration | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Audit of the last 3 months of invoices | 1 to 2 weeks | Incomplete supplier master data |
| Prototype on 200 real invoices | 2 to 3 weeks | Unusual formats (handwritten invoices, credit notes) |
| ERP integration and testing | 3 to 5 weeks | Poorly documented chart of accounts and cost centres |
| Gradual go-live | 2 to 4 weeks | Buy-in from the accounting team |
Mini case study
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Claire, CFO of a 400-employee industrial company, receives 2,500 invoices a month. Her team of 4 accountants spends most of its time on them, at a fully loaded cost estimated at EUR 12 per invoice, or EUR 30,000 a month. After automation, the cost drops to EUR 3 per invoice, or EUR 7,500, plus EUR 250 of usage and EUR 250 of maintenance: EUR 8,000 a month. Savings reach EUR 22,000 a month. With a EUR 28,000 project, payback comes in under 6 weeks after full go-live. Claire moved two accountants to management control and customer collections.
FAQ
How much does accounts payable automation cost for a mid-sized company in Dublin?
Budget EUR 15,000 to 35,000 excluding VAT for the project, plus EUR 0.05 to 0.15 per invoice in usage. For 2,500 invoices a month, running costs stay below EUR 700 a month, maintenance included.
Does mandatory e-invoicing make AI unnecessary?
No. E-invoices arrive structured, but 20 to 40% of small or non-EU suppliers will keep sending PDFs in 2026 and 2027. Matching against orders also still needs to be automated.
What automation rate is realistic?
A touchless rate of 85 to 93% is realistic after 3 months. The remaining 7 to 15% are price or quantity discrepancies that deserve a human check.
Where is the data hosted?
We host the pipeline in the European Union and use AI models configured with zero data retention. Invoices remain archived for the legally required period, 6 years in Ireland.
How long does it take to get started?
The full project takes 8 to 14 weeks. A prototype on 200 real invoices is delivered in 3 weeks to measure the extraction rate before committing to the rest.
Let's scope your project. Send us your monthly invoice volume, your ERP and your matching rules: we will price a scope between EUR 15,000 and 35,000 with an 8 to 14 week timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
