McElroy Metal

Why AP Express

When evaluating AP automation vendors, McElroy Metal prioritized Nivo1’s:

• JD Edwards expertise: The primary deciding factor was that AP Express is designed specifically to integrate with JD Edwards (JDE), enabling a faster, more seamless deployment. The promise of faster implementation due to JDE specialization was crucial for a company needing immediate operational improvements.
• Process-focused approach Nivo1 focused on functionality and process improvement. The company wanted a process that would remove busy work and enable a reduced number of FTEs to get more done with fewer issues.
• User-centric implementation: Nivo1 emphasized clear, transparent communication and hands-on guidance.

“I’ve gone through similar implementations, and this was the most efficient, smoothest one I’ve ever been a part of. Honestly, I’ve never had an implementation go so quickly.

“We had perfect instructions as far as what was expected from us and exactly what we needed to set up … There just weren’t a lot of question marks; Kristina always being accessible, that was the best thing. … We were able to work through issues very, very easily. … I hate to say it was so simple, but it was all very clear.” – Amanda Morton, Business Process Manager, McElroy Metal

“Looking back on it, I’ve never participated less in an engagement. … I’m usually pretty knee deep in these implementations, and it was a pleasure to watch from afar as the whole implementation happened.” Howell Hicks, CIO McElroy Metal

Deliverables

The AP Express implementation included several key components designed to streamline McElroy Metal’s accounts payable operations:

End-to-End Invoice Automation

• Seamless integration with existing JD Edwards infrastructure
• Automated invoice processing workflows
• Custom approval queues for different invoice types and locations

Phased Rollout Strategy

• Structured, milestone-driven onboarding led by Nivo1’s team
• Initial deployment at larger plants with administrative staff and gradual expansion to retail locations
• Systematic vendor onboarding to centralized processing

Training and Support

• Comprehensive implementation support with dedicated project management
• Weekly meetings with clear benchmarks and expectations
• Thorough testing phase before full deployment
• Ongoing, responsive support and user feedback loops for system optimization and feature requests that led directly to product improvements

Remote Access Capabilities

• Cloud-based system enabling remote work capabilities
• Flexible access for key personnel during emergencies or time off
• Mobile-friendly interface and role-based dashboards for approval workflows, improved tracking, and oversight

“I think the expectations we had for Nivo1—what you guys said you could do and what it would look like—were accurate. And I think that it’s a big deal, because that is not necessarily always true. I certainly appreciated the transparency and accuracy. What you guys said you were going to give us [was] exactly what we got.” – Amanda Morton

Results

The AP Express implementation delivered transformative results across multiple operational areas:

Dramatic Efficiency Gains

• Reduced manual invoice processing from 91% to 15%, limited mainly to exceptions like customer refunds and employee reimbursements that inherently require manual handling
• Despite being down one AP team member both before and after implementation, the team now handles all processing requirements effectively, proving the system’s scalability.

Operational Resilience

• Improved business continuity with remote invoice processing capabilities
• Greater agility in responding to disruptions like weather-related office closures

Financial Control

• Improved payment timeliness, maintaining 99% of AP balances current compared to its historical 97-100% range. This improvement occurred while processing the same volume with fewer staff members.
• Tightened up previously missed payments and reduced overdue transactions

Flexibility & Visibility

The system provides crucial business continuity capabilities:

• Remote access allows key personnel to work from anywhere during emergencies
• Custom queues allow for dynamic approval workflows tailored to non-standard vendors or customer payments.
• Managers can easily shift workload across the team, minimizing delays due to absences.

Ongoing Innovation

• McElroy’s enhancement suggestions were rapidly incorporated into AP Express updates, signaling a strong customer feedback loop. “I’ve made a number of wish list requests, little minor things, and quite a few of them have actually been in various updates.”
• With routine processing automated, the AP team can now focus on value-added activities. “We’re able to spend more time on other non-invoice related tasks, to have more accounting compliance functions handled to date, or deal with issues more proactively,” said Amy Malone.
• With 80% of vendors now routing invoices through the centralized system, McElroy Metal continues to migrate remaining vendors, pushing automation levels even higher.

“It does seem like [Nivo1] is spending time, paying attention, making things better, working on improving. I think that’s great. Some could be just like, ‘This is what it is,’ and leave it at that. But [you’re] definitely listening to what we’re talking about.”-Amy Malone

Conclusion

McElroy Metal’s AP Express implementation demonstrates how specialized software solutions can transform complex, multi-location operations. By focusing on process improvement and by leveraging deep JD Edwards expertise, Nivo1 delivered a solution that not only solved immediate operational challenges but positioned McElroy Metal for continued growth and efficiency gains.

With AP Express in place, their AP team has the bandwidth to focus on higher-value activities like resolving issues proactively, reconciling aged items, and improving financial accuracy. The partnership with Nivo1 not only has transformed their AP operations but also set the stage for long-term scalability and digital agility.

The success of this implementation serves as a model for other manufacturing and distribution companies facing similar accounts payable challenges in today’s evolving business environment.