What is Straight-Through Processing (STP)?

What STP is

Straight-through processing is the automatic execution of a transaction from start to finish without manual intervention. STP originated in financial services and now applies to B2B commerce. In Autonomous Commerce, STP rates measure the share of orders, quotes, and claims executed end-to-end by AI agents without human review.

Straight-Through Processing in depth

By Go Autonomous · Last updated: April 28, 2026

Key terms

STP rate: Share of transactions that pass through end-to-end with no manual touch.
Autonomy rate: Synonym for STP rate in the Autonomous Commerce category.
First-time-right rate: Share of transactions correct on the first pass.
Exception: A transaction that breaks out of the straight-through path.
Latency: Wall-clock time from inbound event to fully posted transaction.

Proof points

60 percent throughput per employee gain on autonomous channels.
Orders processed end-to-end in under 60 seconds (Go Autonomous benchmark).
99 percent first-time-right rate on autonomous orders.
18 percent quote-to-order win rate uplift after deployment.

Frequently asked questions

Is STP the same as touchless processing?

STP and touchless processing describe the same outcome from different angles. STP emphasizes the linear flow without manual intervention. Touchless emphasizes the absence of human touch.

What STP rate is realistic for B2B orders?

Realistic STP for B2B with AI execution runs 75 to 90 percent depending on master data quality, contract complexity, and policy gates. Without AI, STP for unstructured channels runs below 30 percent.

How does STP affect cost per order?

STP cuts cost per order by 60 to 80 percent. Manual cost per order in manufacturing runs €4 to €15. STP brings marginal cost near zero, with capacity reallocated to growth work.