---
title: When to Use Custom Reports vs. AP Hub
description: AP Hub vs Customer Reports
---

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# When to Use Custom Reports vs. AP Hub

## One of the most common questions we receive is: “Should I be working in Custom Reports or the AP Hub?”

**The short answer:**

> **AP Hub is your daily workflow.  
> Custom Reports is for analysis, spot-checking, and one-off investigations.**

Understanding the difference is key to getting the most value out of WickedFile.

### The AP Hub: Your Daily Command Center

The AP Hub was built to mirror a proper Accounts Payable process. It is where almost all of your “doing” should take place.

#### Use the AP Hub When You Are:

- Working invoices daily
- Coding invoices to their final state
- Reviewing exceptions like:
  
    - Uncategorized Spend
    - Bought for RO Not Sold
- Verifying vendor statements
- Ensuring all parts are accounted for before paying
- Closing out the month

The AP Hub is **invoice-first**. That matters.

Instead of jumping between reports and spreadsheets, everything you need is in one streamlined workspace:

- Invoices
- Statements
- Transactions
- Document Issues

The goal is simple:

> Work your invoices throughout the month.  
> Code them properly.  
> Verify statements.  
> Close with confidence.

If you are back office, accounting, AP, or involved with part reconciliation — this should be your primary home in WickedFile.

### Custom Reports: Investigation & Analysis

Custom Reports is not meant to replace the AP Hub workflow.

It is a powerful data slicing tool used for:

- Investigating patterns (deleted ROs, ROs with no shop supply fee charged, etc.)
- Running targeted searches
- Spot-checking for risk
- Building enterprise-level reports
- Organizing items into folders
- Creating WickedTrackers (email alerts)

Think of Custom Reports as your analytics engine. 

### What NOT to Do

Do not try to run your daily AP process inside Custom Reports.

Before the AP Hub existed, that was necessary. Now, it creates unnecessary jumping between views and reduces efficiency.

Custom Reports is not meant to be your workflow.

AP Hub is.

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