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DOKKAvsLightyear

DOKKA vs Lightyear: A Lightyear Alternative for Growing Finance Teams

Lightyear, part of The Access Group, is an AP, purchase order and expense tool for SMEs, with strong price checking and inventory features for multi-site businesses like hospitality. DOKKA is built for mid-market finance teams: AI agents capture, code and match invoices, suggest approvers, and sync both ways with your ERP. It also extends into the month-end close.

  • AI coding and AI-suggested approvers
  • Native two-way sync with NetSuite, SAP Business One, Acumatica, Priority and more
  • Built for multi-entity, multi-currency AP
  • AP and close automation in one platform

Updated October 2026Based on public vendor documentationJump to the comparison

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The short answer

DOKKA vs Lightyear:
Which One Fits Your Team?

Both automate invoice capture and approvals. The difference is size and scope: Lightyear is an affordable, self-serve tool for small businesses, while DOKKA is built for mid-market teams that need deeper ERP sync, AI coding and the close on one platform.

Choose DOKKA if…

  • You run NetSuite, SAP Business One, Acumatica, Dynamics 365 or Priority
  • You want AI coding and approver suggestions that learn from your history
  • You manage AP across several entities and currencies
  • You want AP and the month-end close on one platform
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Lightyear may fit better if…

  • You're a small business on Xero, QuickBooks Online or MYOB
  • You want a self-serve tool with a free trial and a low monthly price
  • You need purchase orders, inventory and supplier price checks for a multi-site operation
At a glance

DOKKA vs Lightyear
Feature Comparison

FeatureDOKKALightyear
ApproachAI agents for AP and close, built for mid-market finance teamsAP, purchase order and expense software for SMEs, part of The Access Group
Invoice captureAI capture of headers and line items in any languageAI extraction of line items
GL codingAI coding that learns from your team's historyAutomated bookkeeping listed; AI coding not described
ApprovalsMulti-level routing with AI-suggested approvers, reminders and escalationsConfigurable approval workflows and mobile approvals
PO matchingTwo-way and three-way matching against the POs in your ERPLine-level three-way matching on the Standard plan and above
Purchase orders and inventoryMatches against the POs in your ERPBuilt-in PO module, goods received notes and inventory
ERP integrationsNative two-way sync with NetSuite, SAP Business One, Dynamics 365, Acumatica, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Priority, plus APIXero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Sage, NetSuite and Business Central; SAP Business One by CSV export
Close automationNative DOKKA Close on the same platformNot listed
Implementation2-4 weeks, with approval rules and coding mapped for youSelf-serve, with a free 30-day trial and an optional onboarding package
PricingFrom $650 per month, scaled by invoice volumeFrom $199 per month in the US, on credit-based plans

Strong / includedPartial or add-onNot offeredLightyear details are based on lightyear.cloud reviewed in October 2026. Features change often, so confirm with each vendor.

Key differences

Three Differences That
Matter Most

  1. 01

    Mid-market depth vs. SME simplicity

    DOKKA

    DOKKA is built for finance teams running multiple entities and currencies, with AI coding and approver suggestions that learn from your history.

    Lightyear

    Lightyear is designed for small and growing businesses, with a self-serve setup, a free trial and simple credit-based plans.

  2. 02

    Two-way ERP sync vs. accounting software connectors

    DOKKA

    DOKKA syncs vendors, GL accounts, dimensions and POs both ways with NetSuite, SAP Business One, Acumatica, Priority, Dynamics 365 and more.

    Lightyear

    Lightyear connects best with Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB and Sage. SAP Business One is supported by CSV export, and Priority isn't listed.

  3. 03

    AP plus close vs. AP plus purchasing

    DOKKA

    DOKKA pairs AP with native close automation, so coded invoice data flows straight into accruals and reconciliations.

    Lightyear

    Lightyear pairs AP with purchase orders, inventory, price checking and expenses, which suits multi-site operators like hospitality groups.

Why teams switch

Why Finance Teams
Choose DOKKA Over Lightyear

AI that learns your coding

DOKKA codes invoices the way your team does and gets more accurate every month, so there's less to correct.

Built for your ERP

Native two-way sync with NetSuite, SAP Business One, Acumatica, Priority and more, with one-click posting and no duplicate invoices.

Built for multi-entity AP

Capture invoices in any language and currency, and run approvals per entity, vendor or cost type.

Approvers anywhere

Approvers sign off in DOKKA's web or mobile app or by email, with AI-suggested approvers and reminders.

A visual workspace

Invoice previews and sticky-note collaboration, so AP feels like working at a desk, not in a spreadsheet.

Close automation when you need it

Add DOKKA Close for reconciliations, journals, flux analysis and consolidation on the same platform.

Your AI AP team

Agents Do the AP Work.
You Stay in Control.

Four specialized agents handle capture, approvals, matching and documents, and nothing reaches your ERP without the controls you set.

Invoice Processing Agent

Captures, extracts and validates header and line-item data from any invoice, in any language, and prepares it for ERP posting.

  • Line-item extraction
  • Learns your coding over time
  • Flags missing or inconsistent data

Approval Agent

Routes every invoice through the approval rules you define, or suggests approvers based on historical patterns.

  • AI-suggested approvers
  • Smart reminders and escalations
  • Multi-level, rule-based routing

PO Matching Agent

Matches invoices against purchase orders and receipts in real time and surfaces only the exceptions.

  • Two-way and three-way matching
  • Price and quantity discrepancy checks
  • Exceptions routed for review

Document Agent

Keeps every invoice, receipt, supporting file and approval record together in one searchable workspace.

  • Duplicate invoice detection
  • Instant search across documents
  • Complete audit trail

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Results

What Finance Teams
Get With DOKKA

80%Faster accounts payable
90%Less time spent on invoice processing
2-4 weeksTo go live
“DOKKA is incredibly fast, and it works seamlessly. The speed at which I can verify and publish documents is excellent, and the system is extremely easy to use.”
“We really like the visual workspace. You can see previews of each invoice — it feels like having them spread out on your desk. While other solutions focus on tabular views, we really prefer the visual layout.”
ERP integration

Native Two-Way ERP Sync

DOKKA connects natively to NetSuite, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Acumatica, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage and Priority. Vendors, GL accounts, dimensions and POs sync both ways, and approved invoices post with one click.

See all integrations
Security & compliance
  • ISO 27001 certified
  • SOC 2® Type II examined
  • Role-based access & audit trails
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Switching from Lightyear

How Moving to DOKKA Works

  1. 1

    Connect your ERP

    DOKKA syncs vendors, GL accounts, POs and dimensions from your ERP. Nothing in your ERP setup changes.

  2. 2

    Configure workflows

    We map your approval rules and coding, and DOKKA starts learning from your real invoices.

  3. 3

    Go live in 2-4 weeks

    Run DOKKA next to your current process until you're confident, then switch over.

FAQ

DOKKA vs Lightyear: Common Questions

What is the main difference between DOKKA and Lightyear?

Lightyear is an AP, purchase order and expense tool for small and growing businesses, with self-serve setup and low-cost plans. DOKKA is built for mid-market finance teams, with AI agents for capture, coding, approvals and PO matching, native two-way ERP sync, and month-end close automation on the same platform.

Is Lightyear cheaper than DOKKA?

Lightyear's published plans start lower, from $199 per month in the US, priced by document credits. DOKKA starts at $650 per month and scales with invoice volume, with AI coding, two-way ERP sync and an optional close module. The right choice depends on your volume and how much manual work you need to remove.

Who owns Lightyear?

Lightyear is based in Belfast and has been part of The Access Group since 2024.

Is DOKKA a good Lightyear alternative for SAP Business One?

Yes. DOKKA syncs both ways with SAP Business One, including vendors, GL accounts, dimensions and POs, with one-click posting. Lightyear supports SAP Business One through CSV export as of October 2026. See AP automation for SAP Business One.

How long does it take to switch to DOKKA?

Most teams go live in 2-4 weeks without an implementation partner. We connect your ERP, map your approval rules and coding, and DOKKA starts learning from your real invoices.

Does DOKKA also automate the financial close?

Yes. DOKKA Close runs on the same platform, with agents that prepare reconciliations, journals, flux analysis and consolidation. Lightyear does not list close automation on its website as of October 2026.

More comparisons

Compare DOKKA With Other AP Tools

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