GEP SMART vs. Tipalti

GEP SMART is well suited to equip procurement professionals to manage multiple RFx's at one point in time and help provide structure to the process. If an organization has an existing ERP and they want to acquire GEP SMART as a bolt-on, then integration is key. If there is any customization then it is more difficult to take advantage of the latest upgrades.

Incentivized

The invoice processing element is far, far easier than manually inputting invoices are we were doing previously. The OCR is not perfect, but having it scanned in and ready for review saves a lot of time. The approvals process is fast and effective, and approvers can approve directly from the email without having even to log into the system. The audit trail function allows the finance team to see exactly who has done what to each invoice, and when. Payments, however, are where we see the most benefit. Vendor bank details are stored securely and controls can be put in place to ensure that any changes to vendor data must be approved. Once fully approved, invoices can be scheduled for payment either on a particular date or on the invoice due date, which ensures vendors are paid on a 'Just In Time' basis. All invoices and payments sync seamlessly to our ERP each day.

• The customer service level is incomparable to any other software providers I work with. The GEP Technical Team is very supportive and flexible.
• The GEP Team takes enhancement requests seriously and always tries to further develop/enhance the tool, especially with small requests from users.

Incentivized

• Support is phenomenal! Incredibly responsive, always have the answers, super knowledgeable and will assist in bringing resolution to various concerns, as well, providing not just support, but education as well!
• System is almost always working efficiently, very few incidents that slow me down.
• System is incredibly user friendly. I was able to learn it pretty quickly.

• Our organization has yet to take advantage of upgrading to the latest version of GEP SMART. The version that we are on does not make use of the full screen for the different internal windows and pop-up windows. I find it cumbersome to scroll left-right and up-down on the smaller windows when there is much real-estate on the screen that could optimize the user interface.
• GEP SMART provides technical support but our vendors seem to have some difficulty logging in to their profiles and updating their information. Occasionally, the salesperson delegates to another internal member so we'll have to set up the new member with their log in.
• The digital signature process requires that the signers of the agreement be defined before the agreement is routed for approval. Sometimes our vendors have a pool of signers that could sign the agreements and it can become a small challenge to change the signers after it has already been defined in GEP SMART.

Incentivized

• In the PO matching queue, there is some clunkiness surrounding updating PO lines. For example, if you need to delete PO lines picked up from the invoice, you currently have to delete each line individually, instead of being able to select multiple and delete.
• Sometimes PO numbers do not properly pick up from the OCR system. For example, the OCR might pick up "PO 18535" instead of "18535". This causes the AP team to have to manually link the PO, creating an extra step.
• For PO-backed Invoices that require you to manually type in the PO amount, there is no option to save your inputs. If there are any changes to the match details (i.e. linking another PO, or unlinking a PO) all inputs are reset to blank.
• If there are non PO line items for an invoice that is in the PO matching queue, there is no option to select a separate department code for that line item.

Incentivized

The tool is fantastic, but we are investigating a broader spend management solution at the moment which may mean we look in a different direction for this capability, most likely internally developed.

Incentivized

Solid system performance. Suits our needs and solution provider very inclined to accept feedback and involve users in developing the solution to serve both the provider and the ultimate user. Tipalti has streamlined our process that was previously very manual and prone to error. Now there is transparency of information and role.

Incentivized

The application is highly usable, but there are some parts of the design that could be improved such as the layout and scaling on the pages, the amount of unused white space within the interface, and the consistency of the interface between modules.

Incentivized

The system is incredibly easy to use, with most tasks being completed in a small number of clicks. The user interface is very user intuitive and can be navigated very easily. Multiple payments can be made instantaneously and as the vendors manage their payable account we are able to ensure that payments are being sent to the right account. The advanced functionality for duplicate invoices ensures that we are not processing bills twice and we have found that in 100% of cases it has identified a duplicate bill.

Incentivized

Tipalti has always been responsive to our questions and concerns.

The performance of the GEP SMART platform overall has been excellent. We do not hear complaints about system performance and have not experienced any slowdowns in adjacent systems due to the GEP implementation. Of all the (largely self-inflicted) change management challenges we've dealt with, system performance and platform reliability have not been on the list of concerns.

Incentivized

No issues here. Generally has been pretty fast.

The support team is responsive, smart, and knowledgeable about their product and about our business needs. They are also flexible to respond to questions and find solutions to our requirements.

Incentivized

Since I also work in customer support, I often have to contact Tipalti's team with questions from our users. Tipalti's support team has always been exceptionally helpful and it was a pleasure to communicate with them. I have always received prompt responses to any inquiries and they are excellent at solving our customers' issues within a short time

Incentivized

Tipalti provides great How to online guide

Although we had encountered many bugs, GEP was able to address them quickly, and sent a technical person to sit in our hands-on training sessions to address bugs efficiently

Incentivized

Implementation went smooth as we used and tested everything in the sandbox first

We selected GEP SMART for its ability to offer a full end-to-end integrated source-to-pay solution, pricing, and ease of use. There was an implementation series offered by GEP, as well as flexibility, customization, account management team dedication, and the overall service and support.

Incentivized

Both of these products have treated us well and have their pros and cons. We do a lot of acquisitions though and they are just not friendly the more and more you go. Tipalti has been very helpful with the more we grow. Its a key part in integrating finances

Incentivized

We were given the option of only one integration.

• GEP SMART has improved our spend analytics speed by allowing analysis to be completed in minutes compared to days when we previously used Excel spreadsheets.
• The SMART Sourcing (RFX) solution has greatly improved the consistency of our supplier quoting and information gathering process.

Incentivized

• in my Corporate Controller capacity, I have total visibility of all invoices within the organization
• total staff time spent on the AP process will decrease easily 75% or more
• I have a small staff. Even during PTO of my staff member, I can do necessary AP items, start to finish, in minutes, 100% remotely

Incentivized