Conexiom launches AI-native Relay for order automation

Conexiom has launched Conexiom Relay, an AI-native product for order and invoice automation aimed at distributors and manufacturers.

The launch expands Conexiom's existing document automation business for requests for quotations, orders, shipping notices and invoices. Relay is designed to process unstructured inputs such as email threads, spreadsheets, handwritten notes, images and text messages, rather than relying only on cleaner document formats.

That focus reflects a common problem in distribution and manufacturing back offices, where customer service teams often still re-enter order information manually from a mix of files and messages. Relay is intended to move that work out of retyping queues so staff can focus on exceptions such as urgent requests, disputed prices and repeat-order discussions with customers.

The new product also introduces what Conexiom calls an Intelligence Console, intended to give users more visibility into how automated decisions are made. Conexiom says the console has been trained on 15 years of order and invoice transaction data and lets teams teach the system, control which rules are applied and check whether automation performed as expected.

Transparency focus

Businesses adopting AI for operational work have faced growing scrutiny over systems that produce outputs without a clear trail for users to review. Conexiom is positioning Relay around that concern, particularly in environments where mistakes in order acceptance, pricing or invoice handling can affect revenue, customer relationships and internal controls.

Michel Feaster, Chief Executive Officer of Conexiom, said the product is meant to address staffing pressure and technology change in the sector.

"Distributors and manufacturers face a perfect storm - a silver tsunami of retirement, pressure to incorporate AI, and risk from ERP modernization," said Michel Feaster, Chief Executive Officer of Conexiom. "Conexiom Relay addresses these problems. It incorporates a team's tribal knowledge, is AI-native and purpose-built for order and invoice automation, and it does not require changing ERP systems. Conexiom Relay delivers a reliable, consistent buying experience, helping vendors grow revenue and strengthen loyalty with customers. We are the silver bullet that solves their problems and makes them more profitable."

Relay is compatible with 40 enterprise resource planning systems. Its software classifies incoming documents, extracts and validates data, corrects mismatches and prepares information for ERP workflows.

The Intelligence Console includes several features Conexiom describes as central to the product. One, called Conexiom Assist, is an interface that receives requests, flags exceptions and executes processes. Another, called Playbook, turns customer service teams' working knowledge into rule sets for automated workflows and captures corrections made by users. Conexiom also includes Automation Analytics, which measures how much processing is automated, and Revenue Signals, which analyses historical and current data patterns to recommend actions tied to upselling, cross-selling, churn risk and vendor cost savings.

Market pressure

The launch comes as manufacturers and distributors weigh how to deploy AI in administrative processes while replacing or upgrading core software. The operational risk is particularly acute in order management because many businesses still depend on experienced staff to interpret customer formats, spot anomalies and apply informal rules built up over years.

Feaster argued that not all AI systems offer the same degree of visibility for users and managers.

"AI is not created equal. Transparency is key," said Feaster.

Industry analyst Bryan DeGraw said the ability to see and amend rules is becoming an important dividing line in the market.

"Manufacturers and distributors can't trust AI they cannot see," said Bryan DeGraw, Principal at The Hackett Group. "Conexiom Relay provides transparency into order acceptance and modifications that are historical blind spots. Making rules visible and editable is the difference between automation that a company can defend and automation that it accepts on faith. Conexiom is delivering the former."

Conexiom has operated in order and invoice automation for more than 15 years and says it processes more than 1.5 billion line items annually for more than 600 customers. The company says that history gives it a large body of transactional data on which to train and refine its systems.

Feaster pointed to that data set as a competitive factor for the business.

"Our longevity is what makes our AI better based on the historical data volume we've accrued, an asset that is unmatched by other providers," said Feaster. "Our data richness produces greater value and reliability for our customers, enabling them to build trusted customer-vendor relationships. We help our customers transition from a cost to value center. We turn transactions into trust."