Client Snapshot
Industry:
Housing Development, Affordable Housing & Property Management
Location:
Florida, USA
Portfolio:
60+ properties; 68,000 units across 3 East Coast cities
Service Scope:
Accounts payable transition, invoice processing, backlog clearance, quality control, process documentation, and monthly accounting support
Key Highlights
AP Migration:
Complete AP process transitioned within 1 month
Backlog Clearance:
Two-week invoice backlog cleared during transition
Invoice Volume:
350–400 invoices processed daily across ~60 properties
Accuracy:
96%+ accuracy in week 1; 98% by week 2; less than 1% rework by month-end
Client Background
The client is a Florida-headquartered housing development firm with projects across the East Coast of the United States. Its portfolio includes affordable housing, multifamily communities, public housing redevelopment, public-private affordable housing, high-rise residential, single-family residential, mixed-use, historic rehabilitation, LEED-certified, transit-oriented, low-income rental housing, and neighborhood transformation developments.
The client’s property accounting and accounts payable activities were previously managed by a local accounting company. To reduce cost and improve month-end timelines, the client decided to move to a hybrid model: a small in-house accounting team supported by a larger offshore accounting team.
Business Challenge
The client needed to transition high-volume AP processing within one month while clearing backlog, maintaining accuracy, and reducing late fees.
No Existing AP Process Documentation
The local accounting vendor held most of the process knowledge, and the client had limited documentation available internally.
Rapid Invoice Volume Ramp-Up
Daily invoice volume had to ramp from 50 invoices to 400 invoices within the first week, with full volume processing expected by week two.
Two-Week Invoice Backlog
A backlog of nearly two weeks of unprocessed invoices had accumulated during migration from the prior accounting vendor.
Accuracy and Vendor Payment Risk
Delayed processing of vendor and utility bills created unnecessary late fees and affected vendor relationships.
The transition required a fast but controlled operating model. OHI needed to design the AP process, document workflows, set up quality checks, clear backlog, and stabilize daily invoice throughput within a very short window.
OHI's Approach & Solution
AP Process Design and Documentation
- Worked with the client’s finance controller to map the complete AP process.
- Prepared operating manuals and process formats for consistent execution.
- Established quality control mechanisms from the beginning of the transition.
Dedicated Offshore AP Team
- Assigned two accountants to meet the initial processing requirement.
- Added Team Leader supervision for review, client coordination, and communication.
- Operated under the client finance controller’s oversight to retain process control.
Backlog Processing and Volume Ramp-Up
- Transitioned AP data from the previous local accounting vendor despite limited cooperation.
- Increased daily processing volume to 350–400 invoices across approximately 60 properties.
- Used daily target setting and monitoring to improve invoice throughput.
- Cleared a backlog of around 4,000 invoices within one month.
Quality Control and Process Stabilization
- Conducted complete Team Leader review of entered invoices during the first month.
- Shifted to selective quality control after stabilization using random work samples.
- Monitored errors and rework closely to improve accuracy within the first two weeks.
Results & Impact
| KPI | Before OHI | After OHI | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Migration | AP handled by local vendor with limited internal documentation | Complete AP process migrated to India within one month | Fast transition completed |
| Invoice Backlog | Two-week backlog of unprocessed invoices | Backlog cleared during transition | Backlog eliminated |
| Daily Processing Volume | Initial processing volume around 50 invoices per day | 350–400 invoices processed daily across ~60 properties | Rapid volume ramp-up |
| Invoice Accuracy | Accuracy risk during migration and backlog processing | 96%+ accuracy in week 1; 98% by week 2; less than 1% rework by month-end | Accuracy stabilized quickly |
| Vendor Relations | Late processing created unnecessary fees and vendor friction | Prompt invoice processing improved payment discipline | Improved vendor relations and terms |
| Scope Expansion | Initial AP transition scope | New AP activities and monthly finalization/reporting work transitioned to India | Broader accounting support |
OHI helped the client complete a high-pressure AP transition within one month while clearing a two-week backlog and stabilizing daily invoice processing. With structured process documentation, Team Leader review, and daily throughput monitoring, the client improved payment discipline, reduced late-fee risk, and later expanded additional accounting responsibilities to the India team.
“OHI helped us transition a high-volume AP process quickly and with strong control. The team cleared backlog, improved processing accuracy, and gave us confidence to move additional accounting work offshore.”
Finance Controller
Florida-Based Housing Development Firm
Transition high-volume AP without disrupting operations
Clear invoice backlogs, improve processing accuracy, and build a scalable offshore AP model with documented workflows and quality controls.
