Case Study: San Antonio Zoo achieves reliable on-time vendor payments and stronger vendor relationships with AvidXchange

San Antonio Zoo Betters Its Vendor Relationships Using AvidXchange AP Automation System

San Antonio Zoo struggled with a manual, paper-based accounts payable process that required invoices to be stored in boxes and physically passed across its 56-acre campus for approvals. Finance manager Dana Nelson described the system as chaotic and ill-suited to a nontraditional workplace that cares for hundreds of species and serves more than 1 million annual guests, making timely vendor payments critical.

By implementing AvidXchange’s AvidInvoice and AvidPay, the zoo shifted to automated, remote AP processing during COVID-19 with no interruption to payments or animal care. The solution eliminated paper and postage, cut staff time (Nelson estimates about 10 hours saved weekly), and enabled faster vendor inquiries—strengthening vendor relationships and removing room for payment errors.

San Antonio Zoo

Dana Nelson

Finance Manager