Confluence 2026

Confluence 2026 brought together AP and finance leaders for two days of learning, collaboration, and innovation focused on the future of Accounts Payable. Attendees shared experiences, explored emerging trends, and exchanged practical strategies for driving greater value from their AP operations.

The event centered on three shared goals: Better AP, Better Relationships, and Better Together, reinforcing the power of strong processes, trusted partnerships, and a community committed to continuous improvement.

Throughout the event, discussions focused on the evolving AP landscape, including the rise of AI, increasing fraud risks, growing expectations for automation, and the importance of balancing innovation with governance and trust. A key theme emerged: the greatest opportunities for AP teams come not from automation alone, but from continuously improving processes, technology, and people to create measurable business value.

Attendees also received a look at DataServ’s product vision and roadmap, including recent innovations such as the AutoVouch Tuning Dashboard, External APIs, In-App Notifications, and Out of Office enhancements. Future-focused sessions highlighted upcoming capabilities including Intelligent Routing, Embedded Analytics, Productivity Insights, Intelligent Coding, and additional SAFE AI-powered solutions designed to deliver transparent, trustworthy automation.

A highlight of the conference was the AP Metrics That Matter keynote from industry analyst Andrew Bartolini of Ardent Partners. His research underscored the growing strategic role of AP, the importance of analytics and supplier enablement, and the operational practices that distinguish Best-in-Class organizations.

Beyond the presentations, attendees connected during networking events, user group discussions, and the Solution Showcase, where they explored new approaches to analytics, vendor onboarding, e-invoicing, APIs, intelligent routing, and organization management. These conversations generated valuable ideas for increasing efficiency, strengthening controls, and improving visibility across the AP process.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in and contributed to the success of Confluence 2026. We look forward to continuing the conversations, sharing best practices, and helping organizations unlock even greater value from their AP operations in the year ahead.