RedTeam covers basic invoice tracking and approval workflows but lacks OCR, three-way matching, and automated GL coding natively. Platforms like Vergo address this gap by layering full AP automation on top of RedTeam, with job-cost coding and ERP sync built in.
RedTeam (now part of the Procore platform ecosystem) is a construction project management and ERP tool that includes accounts payable functionality at a foundational level. It can track vendor invoices, route approvals, and associate costs with jobs. However, there is a meaningful distinction between AP management and AP automation.
AP management means you can enter invoices, assign them to cost codes, and move them through an approval chain. AP automation goes further: it captures invoice data from PDFs or emails using OCR, matches invoices against purchase orders and subcontracts, flags exceptions automatically, and pushes approved invoices into your general ledger without manual data entry.
RedTeam handles the first category. For the second, most contractors using RedTeam supplement it with a standalone AP automation platform that integrates via API or file exchange.
Construction AP is fundamentally different from AP in other industries. Invoices must be coded to specific jobs, cost codes, phases, and sometimes retention schedules. A single subcontractor invoice might split across three cost codes on two jobs. Without automation purpose-built for this complexity, controllers face significant manual burden.
The confusion around whether RedTeam "handles" AP is common because the platform does touch invoices—but touching invoices and automating them are different things. Here is what falls through the gaps when a contractor relies solely on RedTeam's native AP features:
For a controller managing 500+ invoices per month across 15 active jobs, these gaps translate into 40–60 hours of avoidable manual work each month. For a project manager, it means delayed cost visibility—committed costs may not appear on job cost reports until invoices clear a sluggish manual queue.
When AP automation is absent or misunderstood, the downstream effect is serious: duplicate payments to vendors, missed early-pay discounts, inaccurate work-in-progress reports, and audit findings tied to weak internal controls.
Before: Manual AP with RedTeam OnlyA mid-size GC running $40M in annual revenue uses RedTeam for project management and basic accounting. Their AP clerk receives 80 invoices per week via email. Each invoice is opened, printed, manually coded to a job and cost code, then entered into RedTeam. A superintendent must physically approve each one. Average processing time is 14 days from receipt to posting. The controller discovers a $12,000 duplicate payment to a concrete supplier during quarterly reconciliation.
After: RedTeam + Dedicated AP AutomationThe same GC layers an AP automation tool on top of RedTeam. Invoices emailed to a dedicated inbox are auto-captured via OCR. The system reads the vendor name, matches it against the subcontract in RedTeam, splits line items across cost codes 03-100 (concrete) and 03-200 (reinforcing), and routes the invoice to the correct project manager for digital approval. Processing time drops to 3 days. Duplicates are flagged automatically before payment.
Retention ScenarioA subcontractor submits a $95,000 progress billing on a hospital project. The AP automation platform recognizes the 10% retention clause in the subcontract, automatically holds $9,500, and posts $85,500 as the payable amount—without the controller manually calculating and adjusting every line.
Many contractors solve this gap by pairing their project management ERP with a construction-specific AP automation platform. These tools sit between the inbox and the general ledger, handling capture, coding, matching, and approval before syncing clean data back to the ERP.
Vergo is one such platform built specifically for construction AP workflows. It connects to RedTeam and other major construction ERPs—including Sage 100/300, Viewpoint Vista/Spectrum, Procore, Foundation, QuickBooks, Acumatica, CMiC, COINS, Epicor, Jonas, and Deltek—with native integrations. Vergo automates invoice capture, job-cost coding, three-way matching against subcontracts and POs, and conditional approval routing based on cost code and budget thresholds. More detail is available at Vergo AP Invoices.
Vergo is a card-agnostic expense management platform built for construction. Connect any corporate or project credit card and get full visibility and control over field spending.
RedTeam requires manual entry for most invoice data. It does not include OCR or automated data capture from PDFs or emailed invoices. To eliminate manual keying, contractors typically add a dedicated AP automation tool that extracts invoice data and pushes it into RedTeam automatically via integration.
Three-way matching compares a vendor invoice against the original purchase order and the delivery receipt or subcontract billing schedule. In construction, this prevents overpayment on materials and ensures subcontractor billings align with contracted amounts. Without automation, this comparison is manual and error-prone at scale.
If your team manually keys invoice data, processes more than 100 invoices monthly, or regularly encounters duplicate payments and coding errors, you likely need a standalone AP automation layer. The threshold is lower for firms with complex job-cost structures requiring split coding across multiple cost codes and phases.
No. AP automation platforms are designed to integrate with your existing ERP, not replace it. They sit upstream of your accounting system, handling invoice capture and approval, then syncing approved data into your general ledger. This preserves your current workflows while eliminating manual bottlenecks.
Implementation timelines vary by ERP complexity and invoice volume, but most construction-focused AP automation platforms can be configured in two to six weeks. Key steps include mapping cost code structures, configuring approval workflows by job or division, and testing the integration with your ERP's chart of accounts.