Redesigning Account Payables (A/P) for clarity and trust
Product area
B2B2B fintech
Role
Product Designer (IC) partnering with Lead Designer
When
2022
About company
One of the leading API-first fintech startups, Monite has raised $10M+ from top VCs including Tomahawk, P72, Signals, ThirdPrime and others. Based in Berlin, it operates on a B2B2B model.
Problem overview
Running a small business means dealing with administrative headaches, with bill management often leading the list. SMEs balance two key tasks: paying bills and invoicing contractors. I focused on simplifying the first—bill payments—creating a smoother, stress-free process. Our team called this workflow “accounts payable” and it needed a better flow.
Transparency
for all A/P colleagues
George D. January 4 2022, at 4:10 PM
Uploaded document
Jefrey Chan
Jenny Sabata
Use @all to mention all users in the workflow
Real insights
from target audience
“Between monthly reports, chasing AP and AR data, and justifying every number to the finance director, it's like trying to solve a puzzle while the pieces keep changing.”
AnnaAccountant
Late vendor payments are destroying SMEs’ supplier relationships and cash flow and put their business stability at risk
As-is mapping
Mapping the current flow
How a bill travels today — from the Clerk uploading an invoice, through the System and the Manager's approval, to the Accountant closing the books.
Pain points on the map
Overlaying the interview findings shows exactly where the flow breaks: statuses change silently, comments get lost and history can't be traced.
Competitor analysis
Chat
Tag teammates in comments to get their attention, and they'll get an email to keep in the loop.
- Miro
- Gmail
- Asana
Todo
Keep track of your tasks right on the dashboard, with filters that show you exactly what you need to work on based on the role.
- Moss
- Rydoo
History
See who changed what and discuss it right there - no more jumping between apps or losing track of important updates.
- Libeo
- Spendesk
Let's draw some insights
Confusion
- Manager doesn’t know whether a new bill has been submitted or not
- Clerk doesn’t notice status change
- Manager doesn’t know scope of the work
- Manager struggles to find a bill to pay
Miscommunication
- Colleagues don’t know about each other’s comments
- Clerk doesn’t know the reason why bill has been rejected
- Clerk doesn’t receive feedback about the bill’s status
Lack of details
- Accountant can’t trace what happened to a bill and where a mistake occurred
ConfusionClarity
Daily email summary
Brings Manager back to the tool with a digest of bills that need attention.
Hello, Miranda
We found several bills that need to be paid soon. Here's 5 bills sorted by nearest due dates:
Contractor
Due date
Amount
Dr. Florian Haagen
07.10.2021
125.00 €
Creditereform
10.10.2021
33.00 €
Mindspace Germany GmbH
15.10.2021
2000.00 €
Creditereform
16.10.2021
116.00 €
Mr. Viktor Merzlyakin
17.10.2021
153.00 €
Clare Clark submitted the bill
Hello, Miranda! Clare Clark submitted the below bill:
Contractor
Due date
Amount
Mindspace Germany GmbH
15.10.2021
2000.00 €
Role: Manager·Entry point: Email
ConfusionClarity
New widget in the dashboard
Signals about action items and shows scope of the work
Drag the handle to compare
Role: Manager·Entry point: Dashboard
ConfusionClarity
New filter
Lets the Manager and Clerk jump straight to work
Drag the handle to compare
Role: Manager·Entry point: To-do filter
MiscommunicationTransparency
Mentioning feature
Lets you notify colleagues and clear up uncertainties
Drag the handle to compare
Role: Clerk·Entry point: Web app / email
Lack of detailsCompleteness
History feature
Lets you quickly identify where a mistake occurred
Drag the handle to compare
Role: Accountant·Entry point: Web app
MiscommunicationTransparency
Status change emails
Status of the bill has changed to Approved
Hello, Catherine! Marie Dubois approved the bill below:
Contractor
Mindspace Germany
Due date
15.10.2021
Amount
2000.00 €
Status of the bill has changed to Rejected
Hello, Catherine! Marie Dubois rejected the bill below:
Contractor
Mindspace Germany
Due date
15.10.2021
Amount
2000.00 €
with a comment: “Please, check the amounts. We agreed on less.”
View billRole: Clerk·Entry point: Email
Closing thoughts
This project set a foundation for the Accounts Payables vertical. The designs went to the developers, and the clickable high-fidelity prototypes went to the sales managers, who demoed them on calls.
Handover to devs
Prepare documentation of the designs.
Demo
Create high-fidelity prototypes to support sales efforts.
Next case
One files page, two mental models
Let's connect over coffee
Always up for a chat about design or new opportunities.