AI inspires innovation for ASU Business and Finance
ASU Business and Finance departments are incorporating artificial intelligence into their work to streamline daily operations, transform routine processes, uncover new efficiencies and deliver measurable results.
Parking and Transportation Services and Financial Services are currently leading the AI charge. Financial Services has integrated the AI-powered Auditoria Accounts Payable Assistant to manage high volumes of routine email inquiries. The tool now handles more than 90% of inquiries related to invoice status, payments and missing documents with real-time, conversational responses.
Auditoria SmartBots also extract supplier invoices and submit them directly into Workday, creating draft invoices. The drafts are then routed to each Accounts Payable specialist's Workday based on the first letter of the supplier's name.
“The (AI) assistant reduced our invoice processing times by timely distribution of emailed invoices to the appropriate Accounts Payable team member,” said Edalia Kousari, executive director of ASU Workday.
The improvements don’t stop there. Lily Tram, assistant vice president of Financial Services, notes that the technology has transformed how the team handles their workloads. “It has eliminated the need for assistance from other areas and less overtime during the high-volume periods."
As Financial Services continues to utilize this AI tool, Tram hopes it will bring an even more streamlined approach in the near future. “We are looking forward to moving invoice submission to autonomous mode and aim to automate the remaining processes within a year,” Tram added.
With staff gaining confidence in using AI, Business and Finance departments are now exploring innovative applications tailored to their unique needs.
In February, Parking and Transportation Services launched its first AI chatbot, Parky, to handle frequently asked questions about ASU permits and parking and transportation. Parky has managed more than 300 customer interactions since July, making the team's busy season more manageable.
“With only 14% of Parky’s customer interactions requiring a staff follow-up, the chatbot has allowed our team to focus on more complex customer needs,” said JC Porter, director of Parking and Transportation Services.
The innovation has drawn attention outside ASU as well. A private California university recently requested a meeting to learn more about Parky’s technology and application, underscoring the chatbot’s impact.
According to Alex Brown, system support specialist for Parking and Transportation Services, there is more to come with AI, including Salesforce-based reporting to analyze detailed customer inquiries.
“We plan on continuously reviewing the data and making iterative improvements to continue to assist our customer base as best as possible,” Brown said.
While AI use across Business and Finance departments will continue to develop, so far AI applications have streamlined operational services, allowing staff to focus on higher-value work and delivering better customer experiences for the ASU community.