Primary Research
Overview
The Flow was designed to simplify how users raise and track payment approvals within the system. The objective was to reduce manual follow-ups, improve transparency, and ensure faster turnaround for financial transactions.
The Flow was designed to simplify how users raise and track payment approvals within the system. The objective was to reduce manual follow-ups, improve transparency, and ensure faster turnaround for financial transactions.
My Role
My Role
Design end-to-end solution, I collaborate with multiple stakeholders, business heads, to translate their pain points into solutions that enhance the overall user experience.
Design end-to-end solution, I collaborate with multiple stakeholders, business heads, to translate their pain points into solutions that enhance the overall user experience.
Timeline - 03 Weeks
Timeline - 03 Weeks
Impact created
Impact created
60% faster request creation (reduced from 15 mins to <6 mins.
60% faster request creation (reduced from 15 mins to <6 mins.
40% fewer errors in invoice allocations.
40% fewer errors in invoice allocations.
Improved visibility → all stakeholders track approvals in one system
Improved visibility → all stakeholders track approvals in one system
Supplier relationships improved → faster, transparent payments.
Supplier relationships improved → faster, transparent payments.
Impact created
Impact created
Problem Statement
Managing supplier payments is one of the most critical tasks in any organization. In mid-sized manufacturing and trading companies, the accounts team is responsible for raising payment requests against supplier invoices. organisation
Managing supplier payments is one of the most critical tasks in any organization. In mid-sized manufacturing and trading companies, the accounts team is responsible for raising payment requests against supplier invoices. organisation
However, the existing process was:
However, the existing process was:
• Manual & Error-Prone - Executives relied on spreadsheets to sort pending invoices and manually applied FIFO.
Manual & Error-Prone
Executives relied on spreadsheets to sort pending invoices and manually applied FIFO.
• Manual & Error-Prone - Executives relied on spreadsheets to sort
pending invoices and manually applied FIFO.
• Approval Delays - Approvals were scattered across emails and WhatsApp groups, creating bottlenecks.
Approval Delays
Approvals were scattered across emails and WhatsApp groups, creating bottlenecks.
• Approval Delays - Approvals were scattered across emails and
WhatsApp groups are creating bottlenecks.
• Lack of Transparency - Once a request was raised, it was hard to track whether it was pending, approved, or rejected.
Lack of Transparency
Once a request was raised, it was hard to track whether it was pending, approved, or rejected.
• Lack of Transparency - Once a request was raised, it was hard to track
whether it was pending, approved, or rejected.
This created financial inefficiencies, supplier dissatisfaction, and compliance risks.
This created financial inefficiencies, supplier dissatisfaction, and compliance risks.
It makes me think
"How might we enable accounts teams to generate payment requests easily, flexibly, and transparently while supporting compliance with FIFO and approval workflows?"
1.Stakeholder Interviews - Key Observations
Admin Team
• “I need to raise 10–15 payment requests in a week, but manually
Sorting invoices is exhausting.”
• “I need to raise 10–15 payment requests in a week, but manually sorting invoices is exhausting.”
• “If I make a mistake in invoice linking, approvals get rejected, and I start from scratch.”
Accounts Executives
• “I want visibility into pending supplier bills so I can approve faster.”
• “Without FIFO enforcement, cash flow gets mismanaged.”
Procurement Officers:
• “Delayed payments make suppliers unhappy. Some even stop supplies.”
• “I need multi-stage approvals for compliance, but also don’t want to
delay urgent supplier payments.”
“I need to call everytime inventory manager to ask about the current inventory for production.”
“I need to call everytime inventory manager to ask about the current inventory for production.”
2.Process Observation
2.Process Observation
I shadowed the accounts team for a week.
I shadowed the accounts team
for a week.
They collected supplier bills, entered details into Excel, and emailed managers.
They collected supplier bills, entered details into Excel, and emailed managers.
FIFO was applied manually by checking invoice dates.
FIFO was applied manually by checking invoice dates.
The status of payment requests was tracked via phone calls and email threads.
The status of payment requests was tracked via phone calls and email threads. The status
Secondary Research
Benchmarking
Benchmarking
I analysed ERP/payment platforms (SAP, Zoho Books, Let's Transzact).
I analysed ERP/payment platforms (SAP, Zoho Books, Let's Transzact).
• Strength: Invoice linking and ledger integration.
Strength:
Invoice linking and ledger integration.
Gap:
No clear Advance vs Settlement toggle, limited visibility into approval stages, and confusing FIFO handling.
• Strength: Invoice linking and ledger integration.
• Gap: No clear Advance vs Settlement toggle, limited visibility into approval stages, and confusing FIFO handling.
• Gap: No clear Advance vs Settlement toggle, limited visibility into approval stages, and
confusing FIFO handling.
What I Observed
What I Observed
Users don’t just want automation - they want flexibility (choose invoice or FIFO) and control (multi-stage approvals) with clear visibility into request progress.
Users don’t just want automation - they want flexibility (choose invoice or FIFO) and control (multi-stage approvals) with clear visibility into request progress.
Ideation
Created a User Journey for creating a payment request, whether it's an advance or a Settlement. Focused on making the user journey quicker & easier for Approva as well as Creater.
Created a User Journey for creating a payment request, whether it's an advance or a Settlement. Focused on making the user journey quicker & easier for Approva as well as Creater.
User Journey for Payment Request
Final Design
List Screen - Advance Payment Request
List Screen - Advance Payment Request
A collated list of all payment requests created by all users. They can check their current status & filter as well.
A collated list of all payment requests created by all users. They can check their current status & filter as well.
We have highlighted the due date when it comes under 7 days, which helps reduce delays in supplier payments.
We have highlighted the due date when it comes under 7 days, which helps reduce delays in supplier payments.
User can take multiple action clicking on three dots.
User can take multiple action clicking on three dots.
Details Screen - Advance Payment Request
Details Screen - Advance Payment Request
Quick navigation to see other payment request details.
Quick navigation to see other payment request details.
Prominent Approve CTA. Only visible to Approver who is assign to approve this task.
The Prominent Approve CTA. Only visible to the Approver who is assigned to approve this task.
Each Section is separated, making it clearer on the details of each request.
Each Section is separated, making it clearer on the details of each request.
Timeline view showing current status of payment request on approval stage.
Timeline view showing the current status of the payment request on the approval stage.
Creation Page - Advance Payment Request
Creation Page - Advance Payment Request
Select the supplier whom you wants to create payment request
Select the supplier whom you want to create a payment request for.
Just enter a few other details like PO Number & Request Amount, and the due date & Bank Account will auto fetch from the selected PO, in case of a single bank account added or mark primary any one in multiple bank accounts..
Just enter a few other details like PO Number & Request Amount, and the due date & Bank Account will auto fetch from the selected PO, in case of a single bank account added or mark primary any one in multiple bank accounts..
List Screen - Settlement Payment Request
List Screen - Settlement Payment Request
Details Screen - Settlement Payment Request
Details Screen - Settlement Payment Request
Creation Screen - Settlement Payment Request (FIFO/Manually)
Creation Screen - Settlement Payment Request (FIFO/Manually)
Select the supplier whom you wants to create payment request
Select the supplier whom you wants to create payment request
Users have the flexibility of making supplier payments either using the FIFO method or manually selecting the bill toggle on or off.
Users have the flexibility of making supplier payments either using the FIFO method or manually selecting the bill toggle on or off.
System auto-fetches the bank details of suppliers if a single bank account is added or marks default in case of multiple bank accounts.
System auto-fetches the bank details of suppliers if a single bank account is added or marks default in case of multiple bank accounts.
Prototype Link - Payment Request for (Advance & Settlement)
Key Learnings as a Designer
Balance of flexibility + compliance: Finance workflows need both user freedom and system-driven rules.
Balance of flexibility + compliance:
Finance workflows need both user freedom and system-driven rules.
Microcopy matters: Small tooltips like “FIFO = Oldest invoices cleared first” helped users trust automation.
Microcopy matters:
Small tooltips like “FIFO = Oldest invoices cleared first” helped users trust automation.
Progressive disclosure works: Showing only critical fields first reduced overwhelm.
Progressive disclosure works: Showing only critical fields first reduced overwhelm.
Always validate with real users: Iterative testing with accounts executives shaped the final flow.
Always validate with real users:
Iterative testing with account executives shaped the final flow.
Ideation
Created a User Journey for creating a payment request, whether it's an advance or a Settlement. Focused on making the user journey quicker & easier for Approva as well as Creater.
User Journey for Payment Request
Let's Connect
Available for work
Feel free to reach out for collaborations or just a friendly hello
Let's Connect
Available for work
Feel free to reach out for collaborations or just a friendly hello