At Basware, we use a proven model called the Integration Pyramid: a structured, five-level framework designed to help you avoid costly customization, keep your ERP clean, and unlock full Invoice Lifecycle Management (ILM).
Integrating AP automation into S/4HANA helps finance teams move faster, stay compliant, and reduce manual work from day one. Done right, it becomes the foundation for next-level automation. At Basware, we call this Invoice Lifecycle Management (ILM).
Whether you’re transitioning from ECC or starting fresh with a clean-core S/4HANA, the way you approach AP integration will determine how quickly you see value.
Our structured Pyramid approach helps avoid the usual customization headaches while reducing cost and complexity in your ERP program. Keep AP close. Keep ERP clean. That’s how you scale.
Think of integration like building a pyramid: solid layers in the right sequence. Skip a step, and the structure won’t hold. But when built correctly, the foundation supports growth, stability, and scalability. The five levels (No shortcuts. Proven results.)
Each layer of the Integration Pyramid enables ILM to go beyond standard AP automation—unlocking touchless processing, real-time visibility, and built-in compliance across your ERP landscape. Let’s explore:
Always start here.
SAP-certified connectors are the backbone of AP processes that scale and deliver ROI. Basware’s ERP Connector and Any ERP adapter frameworks are pre-built, stress-tested, and certified. They reduce risk, speed up deployment, and cut down on complexity.
Reality check: Custom integrations look great on slides but often break with updates—taking your finance processes down with them.
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Standard patterns exist because they work—whether it’s data flows, exception handling, or security. KION validated this in their multi-ERP rollout: “We’ve tested the integration across different ERP systems, including S/4HANA. It works.”
Takeaway: Proven patterns deliver across the entire invoice lifecycle.
Every S/4HANA migration is unique. Integration is always on the critical path.
“Wait and see” doesn’t cut it. ILM delivers from day one if integration is planned early. Heidelberg Materials saw integration as an enabler. As Anand Singh noted: “Our focus was on usability, adoption, user experience, and minimizing custom code. Basware stood out.”
Bottom line: Treat integration planning as a design principle, not an afterthought.
If you can’t see it, you can’t fix it.
Robust monitoring of invoice errors and data mismatches keeps processes stable and teams informed. It safeguards data integrity and boosts automation rates. ILM brings transparency that turns noise into actionable insight.
And with Basware AI trained on 2.3 billion invoices, customers like Nexans reached 92% reliability in just 7 weeks.
The result: Invoice errors become opportunities to automate and optimize.
This is AP’s chance to help finance lead the future.
Each layer of the pyramid builds toward business-wide value. ILM gives finance teams complete control of invoices, strengthens compliance, and accelerates the S/4HANA journey.
Certified assets, proven patterns, proactive planning, and transparent monitoring don’t just prevent problems—they unlock scalable value.
Get the Integration Checklist—your step-by-step guide to applying the Pyramid approach, avoiding costly customizations, and unlocking true AP automation in S/4HANA.