As Estevez Markets expanded to 10 grocery stores, their accounts payable process couldn’t keep up. Using Bill.com resulted in hours of manual data entry, errors, and costly outsourced help. After switching to Ottimate, they automated over 7,000 invoices a month, reduced AP processing time by 80%, eliminated outsourcing, and gained total visibility across all locations.

The challenge

Today, Estevez Markets processes 6,000–7,000 invoices per month to keep its grocery stores running and its shelves stocked.

Before adopting Ottimate, the team relied on Bill.com to manage accounts payable. While it offered a digital alternative to paper, it quickly became clear that it wasn’t built to scale. As invoice volume increased, so did the inefficiencies.

Robin Estevez and his AP team were frustrated by the lack of automation. Invoices often had hundreds of line items or were poorly legible.

“Some invoices come in nice and clear. Some are handwritten, and some look like the dog ate them,” said Robin.

Because Bill.com couldn’t handle detailed line-item processing or reliably map GL codes, the team was stuck doing most of it manually.

“We had to do a lot of data entry. It didn’t remember all the details—we had to re-enter things like invoice numbers and dates,” Robin shared.

These inefficiencies didn’t just waste time—they introduced errors. A simple typo, like entering “Ppesi” instead of “Pepsi,” could create a duplicate vendor record. The team spent countless hours checking and correcting invoices.

“Bill.com took a lot of effort, and we would catch a lot more mistakes. The challenge was with accuracy, and we were frustrated having to go back and fix things,” said Robin.

Ultimately, this lack of accuracy made it challenging to ensure payments were correct and that financial records were reliable. Robin knew they needed a better, smarter way forward—and that’s when they discovered Ottimate.

The solution

The turning point for Estevez Markets came through a recommendation from a trusted source: another supermarket owner and friend of Robin’s, who had already signed up with Ottimate. Hearing about their positive experience piqued Robin’s interest and led him to explore Ottimate as a better alternative.

The decision to switch was driven by several key priorities: automation, accuracy, and ease of use. While cost was a consideration, the advanced capabilities of Ottimate—and a strong referral—made the choice clear.

What Made Ottimate Stand Out:

• AI-Powered Automation: Ottimate’s innovative technology could handle invoice processing with minimal manual work, eliminating repetitive data entry and freeing the AP team to focus on higher-value tasks.
  
• Line-Item Processing & GL Mapping: Ottimate could automatically map GL codes and process complex invoices with hundreds of line items—something their previous solution couldn’t handle. It also retained purchase history, boosting visibility and accuracy.
  
• User-Friendly & Searchable Interface:

“Ottimate is more streamlined, easier to use, very easy to search,” said Robin. The intuitive design was a major win for team adoption.

Ottimate to the Rescue: A New Automated Process

Today, Estevez Markets has integrated Ottimate into its daily accounts payable process, resulting in notable improvements in efficiency and accuracy. Their new workflow is streamlined, automated, and requires minimal manual intervention:

1. Scan Invoices at Store Locations: Each of the 10 Estevez Markets locations scans incoming invoices on-site.
   
2. Leverage Zapier for Integration: Zapier connects their Google Workspace invoice folder to Ottimate. As new invoices are added, Zapier automatically sends them to Ottimate.
   
3. Process Invoices in Ottimate: Ottimate’s AI analyzes and processes each invoice. Any that require additional attention are flagged and routed for manual review.
   
4. Approve Invoices: Robin and another team member review and approve flagged invoices using predefined workflows.
   
5. Pay via QuickBooks Online: Estevez Markets continues to process payments through QuickBooks. In the future, they’re considering Ottimate’s built-in payment portal to further streamline the process.

Results

The transition to Ottimate brought immediate improvements across the board—delivering measurable time savings, improved accuracy, and reduced costs. Robin noted they saw value “fairly quickly, within maybe a week.”

With Ottimate in place, invoice processing that once took hours and multiple rounds of verification now takes just about an hour per day across all stores. The AI handles the bulk of the work, minimizing the need for manual input.

“It’s saving time, effort, and improving the accuracy—that little friction, the frustration of something put in wrong—it doesn’t happen as much as it used to,” said Robin.

Perhaps most impactful, Ottimate allowed Robin to eliminate the need for outsourced help altogether:

“Back in the day with Bill.com, I had an outsourced team that did this manual process, and I don’t need them anymore. So it’s saving money too.”

Even beyond cost, Robin emphasized the confidence Ottimate delivers:

“What it does is provide confidence in the accuracy of the invoices going in. Even more than a financial thing, I don’t have to waste time to verify 2, 3, 5 times to get it done right.”

Additional Wins for Estevez Markets:

• Time & Effort Savings: Invoice handling reduced to ~1 hour/day across 10 locations
  
• Improved Accuracy: Fewer manual errors, typos, and duplicated vendors
  
• Cost Savings: Outsourced AP support entirely eliminated
  
• Better Visibility: Custom reports by GL and store-level COGS
  
• Increased Control: One central platform for managing, approving, and tracking invoices
  
• Trusted Support: “I love Ottimate’s support team.” — Robin Estevez

Conclusion

For Estevez Markets, the decision to partner with Ottimate has proven to be an excellent step towards a more efficient, accurate, and modernized accounts payable process. By automating manual tasks, reducing errors, and saving valuable time and effort, Ottimate has addressed key pain points experienced with their previous system. 

Robin highlighted the stark contrast with their previous system: “It’s basically night and day from Ottimate to Bill.com,” said Robin.

“Improved accuracy ensures we’re paying the right amount, getting the right pricing, and such. It’s all accuracy,” he noted. Now, the team has confidence that they are paying the correct amounts and maintaining accurate financial records. 

The detailed reporting insights also help Estevez Markets better track spend and manage the business overall. Robin highly values the automation, accuracy, and user-friendliness that Ottimate provides, making it a valuable tool for navigating the complexities of its accounts payable.

To learn about the amazing story behind Estevez Markets, check out Robin Estevez’s book on Amazon, Lessons from Behind the Counter: The Principles a Business Family Uses to Empower Future Generations.