5 Years of Predictability: A Look Back at How PredictAP Changed AP in CRE

Five years ago, PredictAP was nothing more than an idea, a response to one of the most persistent, costly, and overlooked problems in commercial real estate: manual invoice coding. Today, it’s a patented, AI-powered platform used by leading real estate organizations across the country. The journey from prototype to industry staple has been shaped by a simple but powerful goal: make accounts payable more predictable, more consistent, and less reliant on manual effort.

A Problem Everyone Faced, But No One Solved

In 2020, real estate accounting teams were drowning in inefficiency. Every invoice required someone to read it, understand it, and assign the correct GL code—a process that relied heavily on tribal knowledge and personal preference. There were tools for document ingestion, and there were teams dedicated to processing them. But no solution addressed the root problem: how to consistently and accurately code an invoice, at scale.

Invoice volumes were growing. Back-office teams were stretched thin. And when someone left the company, their institutional knowledge left with them. Automation solutions promised relief, but most fell short, unable to interpret the nuance behind how different invoices should be categorized across properties, vendors, and portfolios.

That’s where PredictAP came in.

A Market-Leading Platform Built for Real-World Complexity

Launched in the summer of 2020 by David Stifter and Russell Franks, PredictAP brought a new approach to AP automation: instead of building a tool and looking for a problem, they built a solution around a clearly defined one.

Five years later, that clarity has paid off. PredictAP is now the leading AI-powered invoice ingestion and coding solution built specifically for commercial real estate. Customers across asset classes—from senior living to industrial—use it to streamline invoice processing, reduce manual work, and improve accuracy and consistency across their portfolios.

What began as a tool to solve a single pain point has since evolved into a platform that helps finance teams regain control over their operations. PredictAP doesn’t just move invoices faster; it provides transparency into spending patterns, helps teams manage vendor relationships more effectively, and sets the foundation for smarter financial decisions.

AP Innovation Without the Noise

From day one, PredictAP’s product development has focused on building real solutions—not vaporware. In a space increasingly saturated with flashy AI claims, the team has remained grounded in results. That pragmatism has become a core part of the company’s identity.

In 2025, PredictAP was awarded a U.S. patent for its AI invoice coding process, a milestone that validated not just the technology itself, but the years of deep industry knowledge and engineering that went into it. It was one more sign that this wasn’t a trend-chasing startup; it was a long-term solution to a long-standing problem.

And that solution continues to expand. With the launch of PredictAP Data Insights, customers are now turning raw invoice data into meaningful analytics, surfacing trends, outliers, and hidden costs that would otherwise go unnoticed. The technology continues to evolve, but the focus remains the same: build tools that help people do their jobs better.

A Culture Built to Last

PredictAP was founded in the middle of the pandemic, and as a result, it launched as a fully remote company. That decision shaped not just how the company operates, but who it attracts. Today, PredictAP is a tight-knit, distributed team of 26 people. It’s small by design, but mighty in impact. The team prioritizes thoughtful growth, deliberate hiring, and a shared commitment to solving real problems for customers.

What Comes Next?

After five years of steady growth, PredictAP is hitting its stride. The platform has become the trusted AP automation partner for some of the largest real estate operators in the country. Sales cycles are accelerating, enterprise adoption is growing, and the technology continues to lead the market.

But the opportunity is just beginning. As real estate organizations continue to seek ways to streamline operations, reduce overhead, and unlock financial intelligence, PredictAP is expanding what its platform can deliver.

The next five years will bring more innovation, with the same unwavering focus. Because in an industry built on long-term investments, PredictAP is here to bring predictability where it’s needed most.