How AP Workflows Are Evolving in Film & TV

Once a purchase order is approved, the real work begins. Invoices roll in. Vendors need payment. And without a streamlined accounts payable workflow, the process can quickly get messy.

Accounts payable approval workflows are the backbone of production finance. They guide cash flow, protect budgets, and ensure funds are available when and where they’re needed most.

But when AP is run without automation or centralized oversight, it can do more harm than good. Errors creep in. Bottlenecks form. Transparency disappears. Time gets wasted.

For decades, the production industry accepted these inefficiencies as unavoidable. At Wrapbook, we believe it’s time to challenge that mindset.

In this article, we’ll examine where AP workflows commonly break down—and show how smart, digital tools can help you build a faster, more flexible workflow that works like a command center, purpose-built for production.

The problem: Inefficient AP processes hurt productivity and control

Most AP systems weren’t built for the speed of production. 

In the absence of purpose-built tools, accounting teams rely on outdated workarounds.

• Cumbersome invoice processing: Manually entering invoice data eats up valuable time and opens the door to errors, making it harder for teams to stay efficient and on schedule.
• Messy vendor management: Inconsistent tools and scattered vendor records lead to repetitive tasks and confusion, creating more work for already busy teams.
• ‍Approval bottlenecks: Without flexible, self-serve options, even small changes require manual intervention—causing unnecessary delays and holding up the entire process.

Together, these challenges create friction at every stage of the AP process, limiting visibility, slowing down operations, and putting financial control at risk.

AP workflows with Wrapbook

Wrapbook centralizes everything your team needs to run faster, cleaner AP workflows—all in one place. 

Think of it as your AP Command Center: a unified space where automation, control, and visibility work in sync to keep productions moving.

Here’s how it works.

1. Automate invoice intake

Upload or email your PDF invoices, and Wrapbook will extract the relevant data—quickly and accurately—so your team can focus on approvals, not keystrokes.

• OCR technology reads invoice files automatically.
• Eliminate rekeying and reduce human error.
• Invoices are automatically matched to vendors and ready for review.

2. Strengthen collaboration between production and accounting

By using a shared tool that links each purchase order detail directly to a single accounts payable entry, Wrapbook creates a common source of truth for both production and accounting teams.

• Real-time visibility into draft and approved POs gives accountants early insight into upcoming costs, improving forecasting and budget alignment.
• Approvals happen faster because production and accounting see exact matches across the PO and AP.
• One-to-one relationships between orders and payments help prevent reconciliation errors.
• Everyone is working from the same data, reducing confusion over PO line item splits or invoice discrepancies.
• Shared visibility ensures alignment on what was ordered, invoiced, and approved.

3. Centralize vendor management

Ditch the duplications and manual checks. Wrapbook gives you a company-wide vendor list that syncs across projects—reducing busywork and improving accuracy.

• Prevent duplicate vendor entries across shows.
• Maintain a single payment history per vendor.
• Automate 1099 tracking across productions.

4. Pay vendors instantly and securely

Once your film or TV production invoices are approved, Wrapbook helps you close the loop with fast, compliant payments.

• Integrated payments through CASHétPay
• Status tracking for every payment
• Optional NACHA file exports for in-bank processing

5. Track everything in real time

No more guessing where an invoice is in the process. Your team gets instant visibility into every AP step.

• Use the AP drawer to look up invoice or transaction status on the fly.
• Get automated alerts when an invoice needs review.
• Full audit trails keep you compliance-ready.

The result: Faster approvals, fewer errors, better visibility

With Wrapbook, you don’t just move faster—you gain control.

• Finance teams reduce manual workload and approvals go out on time.
• Vendors get paid faster, keeping relationships strong.
• Audits become easier with clean, traceable data.
• Executives get real-time oversight on spend.

Wrapping up

Wrapbook brings structure, speed, and confidence to every part of your AP workflow. Discover how much smoother accounts payable can be by exploring all that our AP Command Center can do.