3-Way Matching: The Secret to Stopping Duplicate Payments and Fraud

Duplicate payments and fraudulent invoices remain persistent problems in accounts payable (AP), especially in mid-market businesses that rely on manual processing. A single duplicate payment can cost a company thousands of dollars, while invoice fraud—whether internal or external—poses a significant financial risk.

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For companies using ERP systems like NetSuite or Sage Intacct, built-in controls for purchase order (PO) matching often fall short, leaving finance teams to rely on manual oversight. This is where AI-powered 3-way PO matching makes a real impact—eliminating duplicate payments, ensuring supplier invoices match what was actually received, and reducing the time spent on invoice approvals.

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The Real Cost of Weak PO Matching Controls

The risks of manual PO matching or insufficient automation include:

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Duplicate Payments: In a 2023 survey of mid-market finance leaders, 21% admitted they had issued duplicate payments in the past year due to manual AP workflows.
Invoice Fraud: AP fraud accounts for 5-10% of business losses annually, often due to invoice manipulation or duplicate billing.
Delayed Approvals: Manually matching invoices, POs, and receipts extends invoice processing cycles, delaying payments and potentially incurring late fees.

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How 3-Way PO Matching Works

Traditional PO matching follows either a 2-way match (matching invoices to purchase orders) or a 3-way match (matching invoices to POs and receipts). 3-way matching is the gold standard for preventing financial loss in AP because it ensures companies only pay for what was ordered and received.

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Step 1: Invoice Identification & PO Matching

When an invoice is uploaded to Centime’s AP system, AI automatically:

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Extracts the PO number from the invoice.
Cross-references it against open POs in NetSuite or Sage Intacct.
Links the invoice to the corresponding PO lines.

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Step 2: Automated Line Matching

Instead of manually checking invoice line items against POs, Centime’s AI-powered matching engine:

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Identifies exact line matches based on rate, quantity, and description.
Flags mismatches (discrepancies in rate, quantity, or unapproved charges).
Accounts for partial deliveries by comparing invoices to both POs and goods received notes.

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Step 3: Discrepancy Resolution & Approval Routing

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Perfect matches are auto-approved and sent for processing.
Mismatches (such as pricing discrepancies or overbilled quantities) are flagged for review.
Dispute resolution tools allow AP teams to route flagged invoices to procurement or finance managers within Centime, ensuring accurate approvals before payment.

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The Advantage of AI-Powered 3-Way Matching

1. Stops Duplicate Payments Before They Happen

AI detects and flags invoices that match already-paid POs, preventing double payments—one of the most common AP errors.

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2. Reduces Manual AP Work by 70%

Centime’s intelligent line linking eliminates the need for finance teams to manually cross-check invoice and PO data. The system continuously improves accuracy as it learns from historical transactions.

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3. Faster Invoice Processing & Approval Cycles

Traditional AP workflows rely on email approvals, which slow down invoice payments. Automated approval routing ensures invoices with no discrepancies are processed instantly, while flagged invoices go directly to the appropriate team for resolution.

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4. Strengthens Compliance & Audit Trails

All PO, invoice, and receipt matching is logged within Centime, providing a full audit trail. This ensures compliance with internal controls and external audit requirements.

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Why NetSuite & Sage Intacct Users Need a Better PO Matching Solution

While NetSuite and Sage Intacct offer built-in PO matching, their capabilities are limited:

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Static Rules – Basic 2-way matching without dynamic discrepancy thresholds.
No AI-Driven Matching – Does not improve over time or reduce manual interventions.
Separate Workflows – Matching is siloed from invoice approvals, creating inefficiencies.

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By integrating Centime’s AI-powered PO Matching, finance teams get real-time visibility, automated processing, and fraud prevention without changing their ERP system.

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How to Get Started with AI-Driven PO Matching

Companies that switch from manual PO matching to automated 3-way matching see immediate results:

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✅ Up to 70% reduction in invoice processing time
✅ Elimination of duplicate payments
✅ Stronger fraud detection and compliance

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If your AP team still manually verifies POs and invoices, it’s time to automate. Learn how Centime’s AI-powered PO matching can stop financial loss and improve efficiency—Book a Demo Today.

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*Centime is not a bank and is not authorized by any federal or state agency to engage directly in core banking activities.
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*All banking products and services available through Centime are provided by FNBO and are governed by the applicable agreements and related disclosures provided to you by FNBO. Member FDIC.
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‍*While Centime facilitates traditional banking activities (such as the acceptance of deposits or extensions of credit), these services are actually provided by our banking partner, FNBO.
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*Centime may provide support services to FNBO, as permitted by applicable law, to facilitate the delivery of its bank products and services.

**Deposit placement through ICS is subject to the terms, conditions, and disclosures in the applicable agreements. Although deposits are placed in increments that do not exceed the FDIC standard maximum deposit insurance amount (“SMDIA”) at any one destination bank, a depositor’s balances at the institution that places deposits may exceed the SMDIA (e.g., before settlement for deposits or after settlement for withdrawals) or be uninsured (if the placing institution is not an insured bank). The depositor must make any necessary arrangements to protect such balances consistent with applicable law and must determine whether placement through ICS satisfies any restrictions on its deposits. A list identifying IntraFi network bank

3-Way Matching: The Secret to Stopping Duplicate Payments and Fraud

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