Design the invoice exception queue before automating the normal path. It is where uncertain information, disputed matches and unauthorised changes become visible to the right person.
An approval workflow is a record of authority as well as a sequence of steps. Design who may decide, what they must see and what happens when nobody can act.
An automation quote should price an agreed outcome and its operating requirements. The number of workflows matters, but integration difficulty, data quality, approval logic, testing and ongoing ownership can change the effort substantially.
Use rules for explicit, repeatable decisions. Use AI assistance where interpretation is useful, then validate its output and retain human authority where consequences matter. Many dependable workflows combine all three.
Start with a repeatable, well-understood process that has an accountable owner, accessible inputs and a recoverable failure path. Frequent frustration is a reason to investigate a workflow, not proof that it is ready to automate.