Preventing Payment Fraud with AP Automation for Auto Dealerships
It may seem hard to believe, but incidents of business payment fraud have been on the rise in recent years, and the statistics are alarming: A2024...
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4 min read
January 27 2025
by
Chris Cosgrove
If your goal is to stay competitive as an auto dealership, operational efficiency will be an essential element of your business’s success in the future. And one area where your auto dealership can achieve significant improvements is in accounts payable, which has historically involved tedious, manual tasks that lead to inefficiencies, errors, and delays.
Here’s where CloudX® comes into play. Our integration with CDK Global’s DMS on the Fortellis Marketplace provides dealerships with a powerful and seamless way to automate accounts payable and improve operational efficiency.
In this blog, we will explain the benefits of the CloudX and CDK Global DMS integration, how it transforms AP management for auto dealerships, and why embracing automation is one of the keys to long-term success in your auto dealership.
In auto dealerships, like in all businesses, managing accounts payable can be an overwhelming task. Handling high volumes of invoices from various vendors—parts suppliers, service providers, and other partners—requires accuracy and timely processing. Manual entry of these invoices, along with lengthy payment approvals and vendor statement reconciliation, often lead to significant errors, delayed payments, and strained vendor relationships.
CloudX has tackled these challenges head-on with its suite of AP automation tools, including APSmart® and PAYSmart®, both of which integrate seamlessly with CDK Global’s DMS. By leveraging these tools, your auto dealerships can eliminate the time-consuming manual tasks associated with invoice handling and payment approval.
But what does automation mean, exactly? It means that invoices are processed quickly and workflows get sped up while the chance for errors is reduced. In essence, this integration allows auto dealerships to optimize their financial operations and unlock significant time and cost savings. The addition of the integration to the Fortellis Marketplace makes onboarding it even easier.
The CloudX-CDK Global integration offers auto dealerships a unified solution that combines advanced AP automation with a robust DMS. With it, dealerships are able to access CloudX’s AP automation tools directly within their DMS platform, creating a seamless experience for managing invoices, payments, and vendor relationships.
The ability to manage accounts payable directly within the DMS means fewer systems to manage and less time spent switching between platforms. As a result, this streamlined experience allows for more efficient use of time and resources to drive greater operational efficiency across the dealership.
Cost management is a critical concern for auto dealerships, especially in today’s higher-inflation environment. From operations management and payroll to inventory management and vendor payments, dealerships must consistently monitor expenses to remain profitable. CloudX’s AP automation software provides opportunities to reduce operational costs and increase profitability through streamlined invoice and payment management.
By automating key accounting functions such as vendor invoice processing, statement reconciliation, and payment workflows, dealerships can significantly reduce the manual labor involved in managing AP processes. This lowers the likelihood of human error, minimizes costly mistakes, and speeds up payment cycles—all vital functions which contribute to maintaining good relationships with vendors and securing favorable terms. Additionally, CloudX’s PAYSmart software helps dealerships gather monthly cash rebates on virtual card spend, providing an additional revenue stream to boost profitability.
One of the biggest challenges auto dealerships face is maintaining visibility into financial data. Without a clear view of accounts payable, it’s difficult for dealerships to make informed decisions about cash flow, budgeting, and spending. But with the CloudX-CDK Global’s DMS integration, dealerships gain enhanced financial visibility so that tracking expenses and managing cash flow becomes much easier.
CloudX’s automation tools also provide real-time data and reporting plus insights into payment status, outstanding invoices, and cash flow. Dealership financial leaders can use this data to make informed decisions about which payments to prioritize and when, helping them better manage their liquidity. Altogether, with accurate and up-to-date financial information at their fingertips, dealerships are empowered to make smarter financial decisions that drive long-term growth and success.
Manual AP processes—such as paper-based invoice approvals and checks—create vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited by fraudsters. If not managed correctly, these risks can lead to significant financial losses and damage to a dealership’s reputation.
CloudX’s AP automation software helps mitigate fraud risks by digitizing and securing the entire payment process. With its integration to CDK Global’s DMS, dealerships can ensure that all payments are processed electronically, reducing the risks associated with paper checks and manual approvals. CloudX’s system also includes audit trails for every transaction, adding an added layer of security and transparency.
Whether your dealership is a single-location operation or a multi-store franchise, CloudX’s AP automation software easily scales with your business, and its flexibility allows for customization to meet the specific needs of your dealership–regardless of size or complexity.
Additionally, CloudX automation is designed to grow alongside your business so you’re able to add new locations, integrate additional systems, and expand to new regions without disrupting existing processes. Having this scalability is a key benefit for any dealership looking for a long-term solution to support their growth.
As B2B transactions become increasingly reliant on digital solutions to enhance operations and improve profitability, AP automation will play a critical role in ensuring auto dealerships remain competitive. The CloudX-CDK Global’s DMS integration on the Fortellis Marketplace is a forward-thinking collaboration that helps dealerships reduce inefficiencies, cut costs, and boost profitability—all while improving financial accuracy and operational transparency.
Overall, by embracing accounts payable automation, your auto dealership can unlock new levels of efficiency, security, and profitability. And integrations like this represent the future of dealership management, providing the necessary tools to succeed in an increasingly digital world.
The availability of the CloudX-CDK Global integration on the Fortellis Marketplace is an exciting step forward for auto dealerships, who now have access to a powerful suite of AP automation tools that seamlessly integrate with their CDK Global DMS.
If you’re ready to streamline your accounts payable processes and improve your dealership’s financial operations, we invite you to learn more about our online integration today. Fill out this online form and we will connect you with soon.
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