Protiviti is honored by Microsoft for a second consecutive year for achieving outstanding sales achievement and innovation. 

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 12, 2026 /CNW/ — Protiviti, a global consulting firm, has been selected for the Microsoft AI Business Solutions 2026-2027 Inner Circle membership. This is Protiviti’s second consecutive year of being selected into Inner Circle. Participation within Inner Circle is based on sales achievements that rank Protiviti in the top echelon of Microsoft’s AI Business Solutions global network of partners. It’s widely acknowledged that Inner Circle members perform at a high level by delivering valuable and innovative solutions that help organizations excel.

Inner Circle members are invited to the Inner Circle Summit in Spring 2027, as well as virtual meetings between September 2026 and June 2027, where they will have a unique opportunity to discuss strategy with Microsoft executives and fellow Inner Circle partners, while learning more about the Microsoft’s road maps and future plans, establish strong executive connections, and collaborate on best practices.

“Inner Circle partners represent our top selling partners worldwide. But it is more than a sales recognition; it’s a community of industry leaders who work closely with Microsoft to accelerate innovation, share experience and shape the future of AI-powered business transformation. The collaboration and commitment to customer success demonstrated by this community helps us advance the entire AI Business Solutions partner ecosystem around the world to deliver transformative business outcomes at scale.” said Niels Jensen, Microsoft AI Business Solutions ERP Lead in Enterprise Partner Solutions.

“Being recognized within Microsoft’s AI Business Solutions Inner Circle for a second year reflects the strength of our global capabilities and our shared commitment to client success,” Tom Andreesen, Global Microsoft Solutions Lead, Protiviti, said. “In collaboration with Microsoft, we are helping organizations worldwide harness Microsoft Dynamics 365, Copilot and AI solutions to modernize operations, accelerate innovation and deliver sustainable business value.”  

Protiviti provides AI-enabled solutions that help customers achieve a competitive advantage by identifying and transforming key processes that improve business outcomes. By collaborating with the teams at Microsoft, Protiviti maintains a strong expertise of the Microsoft platform to provide innovative solutions, strong services and unparalleled business value to their customers.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that helps clients transform and protect their businesses, and respond to planned and unexpected events. Through a network of more than 90 offices in over 25 countries, Protiviti and its independent and locally owned member firms deliver deep expertise and tailored capabilities across technology, artificial intelligence, data, operations, finance, legal, compliance, HR, marketing, digital, risk, and internal audit — enabling organizations to accelerate innovation, navigate risks and safeguard what matters most.

Named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list since 2015, Protiviti Inc. has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with government agencies and smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public. Protiviti Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI).

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SOURCE Protiviti

NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Software Experts has recognized Melio as the top solution for flexible vendor payments, making it one of the best accounts payable software for small businesses. The review examined how the platform handles invoice capture, payment approvals, vendor transactions, accounting synchronization, and cash flow management.

Best Accounts Payable Software for Small Business

Melio – an accounts payable software platform designed to help U.S. businesses capture bills, route approvals, pay domestic and international vendors, and synchronize payment records with supported accounting systems.

The recognition reflects Melio’s ability to connect the main stages of accounts payable within an approachable platform. Businesses can capture invoices, establish approval controls, schedule payments, and record completed transactions without relying on separate spreadsheets, banking portals, and manual reconciliation.

AP Automation Reduces Manual Payment Work

Accounts payable automation replaces repetitive invoice entry, approval follow-ups, and payment recording with a connected digital workflow. The process gives businesses clearer visibility into due dates, approvers, vendors, and transaction status from the moment an invoice arrives through final payment.

Melio uses optical character recognition to capture information from uploaded invoices. Bills can also be sent to a dedicated inbox. Vendor details, line items, amounts, and due dates are entered automatically for review. Authorized users can check the information and make corrections before approving payment.

This process may reduce errors associated with manual entry, including duplicate payments, incorrect amounts, and missed due dates. Digital records also create a clearer audit trail and provide a more current view of outstanding obligations.

Automation may become more valuable as invoice volume increases. A connected AP system allows an existing finance team to process more bills without adding another manual workflow. Melio reports that customers save more than 15 hours per month on average, based on internal data, company records, and user surveys.

Flexible Payment Options Support Different Vendor Requirements

Vendor payment preferences are rarely consistent. One supplier may accept ACH, another may request a check, and an overseas contractor may require payment in a local currency. Melio brings these options into one platform while separating how a business funds a transaction from how the vendor receives the money.

Available payment methods include ACH bank transfers, credit and debit cards, wire transfers, and paper checks. Faster options include same-day bank transfers, instant transfers, fast checks, overnight checks, and same-day wires. Fees vary according to the funding method and delivery speed.

Card-funded payments may help a business manage the timing of cash leaving a bank account. Card use may also earn rewards, depending on the card program. However, Melio lists a standard 2.9% fee for card-funded domestic payments, subject to the receiving method and other terms. Potential rewards or payment timing benefits should be considered alongside transaction fees and possible card interest.

International payments can be sent in U.S. dollars or supported local currencies. Melio states that payments can be delivered to eligible vendors in more than 80 countries. This provides a centralized option for businesses working with overseas suppliers, contractors, and freelancers.

Bill Capture, Approvals, and Accounting Sync Work Together

Every disconnected step creates another opportunity for an invoice to be delayed, entered twice, or recorded incorrectly. A connected AP workflow reduces those handoffs by keeping invoice capture, approval history, payment status, and accounting records within the same process.

Custom approval workflows can be based on vendor, payment amount, employee role, or other business rules. Multi-level approvals allow higher-value or sensitive transactions to receive added review. Team members can be assigned specific permissions, helping businesses separate viewing, approval, and administrative responsibilities.

Approved bills can be paid individually, scheduled in advance, set as recurring payments, or processed in batches. Melio’s mobile application also allows authorized users to review, approve, decline, and send payments away from a desktop computer.

Contractor management tools support W-9 collection and taxpayer information validation. Melio can connect with Tax1099 for 1099 e-filing, although a separate Tax1099 account and related fees may apply.

The platform also includes Agent Mel, an AI assistant designed to answer questions about bills, vendors, and payments. The feature supports routine information requests, while the main workflow keeps payment records connected to the corresponding invoice and approval history.

Pricing and Integrations Depend on the Selected Plan

Subscription price is only one part of the cost of accounts payable software. Payment volume, accounting integrations, user access, delivery speed, and transaction methods can all affect the appropriate plan. Melio offers several tiers designed around those different operational requirements.

Melio’s five plans scale with transaction volume and integration needs rather than bundling features evenly across tiers.

Go, the free plan, supports one user and includes five free ACH payments per month, AI bill capture, a dedicated bills inbox, international payments, and the option to pay by card, wire, or check.

Core runs $25 per month and raises the free ACH allowance to 20. It adds QuickBooks Online and Xero synchronization, batch payments, custom approval workflows, W-9 collection, and 1099 automation, making it a fit for small businesses that need accounting sync and more structured AP controls.

Boost, at $55 per month, extends the ACH allowance to 50 and introduces advanced user roles, QuickBooks Desktop synchronization, and premium phone support. Unlimited, at $80 per month, removes ACH and seat limits entirely and adds NetSuite synchronization. Annual billing lowers the monthly cost on paid tiers, and a custom-priced Platinum plan is available for high-volume businesses.

Once a plan’s included ACH payments are used, additional ACH transactions cost $0.50 each. Card payments, checks, wires, expedited delivery, and international payments carry separate fees depending on the plan.

Melio is built for U.S. small and midsize businesses that want AP automation without the overhead of an enterprise system. Its bill capture, approval controls, flexible vendor payment options, and tiered accounting integrations were cited in Melio’s recognition from Software Experts.

For the full review, visit Software Experts.

About Melio

Melio serves US SMBs and accounting firms with accounts payable, receivable and cash flow management solutions. Headquartered in New York with offices in Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded in 2018, Melio has scaled rapidly to serve over 80,000 customers. Melio’s leading platform integrates with and maintains partnerships with financial institutions, allowing businesses to sync payments data and avoid manual entry. Melio also acts as a technology service provider for vertical SaaS platforms and financial institutions including Capital One and Shopify, and distribution partners including Fiserv through a syndication model. This enables Melio to potentially reach millions of small businesses to provide embedded accounts payable products.

About Software Experts: Software Experts delivers in-depth news on the digital tools shaping today’s consumer experience. As an affiliate, Software Experts may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

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SOURCE SoftwareExperts.org

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KuCoin, a leading global crypto platform built on trust, today unveiled KuCoin 5.0, a comprehensive platform upgrade designed to make trust tangible across the way users trade, manage assets and interact with the platform.

KuCoin 5.0 is the product expression of the global brand initiative “Trust, Built-in.” Introduced under KuCoin’s enduring “Trust First. Trade Next.” proposition, the upgrade spans six areas—Compliance, Technology, Assets, Experience, AI and Wealth Management—bringing them together around a more unified, efficient and user-centered platform experience rather than centering on a single feature.

Among the most visible changes in KuCoin 5.0 are a redesigned experience that creates clearer paths for different types of users; an AI service layer that extends across the platform; and more flexible ways to trade, manage and put assets to work. Underneath these user-facing changes, KuCoin is also strengthening the technology, compliance and asset foundations that support the platform as it continues to evolve.

A Clearer, More Inclusive Experience

KuCoin 5.0 makes everyday use of the platform clearer and more flexible. Profile Center 2.0 introduces a cleaner visual design and a card-based layout that makes information and frequently used functions easier to find. The upgraded sub-account system streamlines account creation, strengthens security controls and improves sub-account management. Enhanced K-line charts offer more practical tools and real-time data, with settings that sync across devices to help users follow the market more efficiently.

KuCoin 5.0 also introduces a color vision accessibility mode, making charts and other visual information easier to distinguish for users with different color vision needs. An estimated 360 million people worldwide experience some degree of difficulty distinguishing colors. By offering a clearer visual experience, KuCoin aims to make the platform more accessible to more users. The Lite and Pro experiences offer paths suited to different levels of familiarity and trading needs.

For users with more advanced trading needs, KuCoin 5.0 introduces the Unified Trading Account (UTA), now available to eligible KuCoin users at VIP1 and above. UTA brings spot, margin and futures trading into a shared framework for funds, margin and risk management. This reduces the need to transfer funds between separate accounts and supports more efficient use of capital across eligible products.

AI That Extends Across the User Journey

KuCoin 5.0 introduces a major upgrade to AI Assistant 5.0, creating a unified AI entry point that brings together conversations, Q&A and task completion across the platform. Spanning market insights, Earn, trading, customer support and campaigns, the assistant uses page context and user actions to better understand what users need, recommend relevant services and help them complete tasks.

Making Assets Work More Efficiently

KuCoin 5.0 connects earning and trading more closely through exclusive wealth management products and benefits for VIP users, Earn access through sub-accounts, and support for selected wealth assets within the Unified Trading Account framework. Main accounts and sub-accounts can participate in Earn while managing funds separately, while KCUSD can be used as margin within the Unified Trading Account, reducing the need to move funds repeatedly between earning and trading activities.

These user-facing changes are supported by continued development across KuCoin’s Compliance, Technology and Assets foundations. Together, the six upgrade areas form a platform designed to remain straightforward where possible and provide greater control where needed.

“Trust should be something users can experience in every interaction—not only in how their assets are protected, but in how clearly, reliably and efficiently the platform works,” said BC Wong, CEO of KuCoin. “KuCoin 5.0 is an important step in translating our long-term commitment to trust into the product itself. By bringing our core capabilities into a more connected, intuitive and intelligent platform, we are giving users greater confidence and control today while building the foundation for the next stage of digital finance.”

KuCoin 5.0 establishes the foundation for the platform’s next phase of development. By connecting trading, asset management and intelligent services through a clearer experience, KuCoin is building a platform designed for how users participate today and how digital finance will continue to evolve.

About KuCoin

Founded in 2017, KuCoin is a leading global crypto platform built on trust and security, serving over 45 million users across 200+ countries and regions. Known for its reliability and user-first approach, the platform builds trust into every layer of the user experience, combining advanced technology, deep liquidity, and strong security safeguards to deliver a seamless trading experience. KuCoin provides access to 1,000+ digital assets through a broad product suite and remains committed to building a compliant and user-centric ecosystem for the future of finance, backed by SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27701:2019, ISO 22301:2019 and ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certifications. In recent years, KuCoin has continued to strengthen its global compliance foundation, marked by key milestones including AUSTRAC registration in Australia, a MiCA license in Europe, and regulatory progress in other markets.

Learn more at www.kucoin.com.

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