In this digital era, where time is more precious than ever and competition knows no bounds, groundbreaking automation solutions are replacing antiquated manual approaches to managing accounts receivable. Although there have been concerns surrounding the impact of automation on the job security of AR teams, your company should embrace automation to boost its odds of success.
AR departments across the globe grapple with a common challenge – the scarcity of time. This invaluable resource always seems to be in short supply. Research estimates that CFOs and their teams spend 90% of their time dealing with financial processes. Engaging in manual tasks, such as rectifying billing errors and mailing invoices, leaves these professionals with limited time to devise better workflow strategies and analyze data.
And there’s more. The drawbacks of manual processing extend beyond time constraints. Finance professionals frequently need help with compliance violations, diminished productivity, and misplaced documents.
Moreover, investing time in repetitive processes does not guarantee positive outcomes. Irrespective of the industry, your organization may need help to secure payments. The era of relying solely on manual AR management is ending. Fortunately, there’s a glimmer of hope through AR automation. Throughout this article, you’ll learn AR automation and how to implement it in your company.
What’s AR Automation?
Transitioning from a manual to an automated AR process requires a collaborative approach. The journey towards successful accounts receivable automation involves intricately interwoven components, and it’s not just about converting your manual process into a digital format resembling an ERP.
While investing in a state-of-the-art ERP may appear alluring, actual efficiency gains stem from incorporating an automation component into the system. Mere digitalization may not unlock the full potential of automation.
To achieve remarkable results, you must reorient your payment processing method, streamline your operations, and enhance efficiency. This transformation requires cohesive efforts from your IT department, AR and management team, and third-party vendors. Each should contribute their expertise to the endeavor.
Here are three crucial steps that will make your AR automation implementation a resounding success:
- Identify Pain Points And Set Clear Objectives
Begin by pinpointing the specific pain points in your existing AR process. Analyze the bottlenecks, delays, and errors that hinder your team’s efficiency. Once this is done, set clear objectives for the automation initiative that outline your desired outcomes.
- Select The Right Automation Tools
Choosing the appropriate automation tools is pivotal to your success. Research and explore different solutions in the market, considering factors like scalability, integration capabilities, and user-friendliness—partner with reliable vendors who understand your unique requirements and can tailor their offerings accordingly.
- Empower And Train Your Team
Automation is most effective when your team is well-prepared to leverage its capabilities. Invest in comprehensive training programs to familiarize your AR team with the new tools and processes. Encourage a culture of adaptability and continuous improvement, ensuring your team stays updated with the latest advancements in AR automation.
Why Is It Vital To Automate Accounts Receivable?
The decision to automate accounts receivable transcends digital payment options and timely client payments. An effective AR automation solution goes beyond the surface. It aims to curtail costs, unleash working capital, decrease DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) time, and deliver invaluable data-driven insights.
Furthermore, AR automation should create a flexible and seamless customer experience. The more effortless it becomes for customers to settle invoices, the faster their AP (Accounts Payable) department will expedite the payment process.
The best AR automation software can also minimize the time spent on financial tasks and enable your team to focus on more critical initiatives. A B2B payment research revealed that companies implementing AR automation successfully shave off 20 days from their DSO. Through automation, AR teams can accelerate the processing of functions and improve their efficiency.
Achieving optimal outcomes from your AR automation journey may require you to integrate data security with your existing systems seamlessly. Seek AR automation solutions that offer secure data management and compliance with industry regulations. Also, prioritize data security and privacy to safeguard sensitive financial information.
What Are The Steps For Setting An Accounts Receivable System?
Setting up an efficient and automated accounts receivable process requires a strategic approach that begins with mapping out your existing workflow, identifying key objectives, and pinpointing critical bottlenecks. You need to go through these steps to comprehend the specific features and functionalities required from an accounts receivable automation software.
Understanding which manual processes to automate and which not to automate will help you tailor your strategy to suit your unique business interests. When setting up an accounts receivable system, start with a clear and defined goal in mind. Do you want to simplify complex processes, gain valuable insights through enhanced analytics, or automate tedious tasks? A well-defined objective will set the tone for your subsequent steps.
Collaborate with your staff when creating workflows or walking through the current processes. This way, you’ll achieve your accounts receivable automation within no time.
Some goals you should consider when developing an AR automation system include:
1. Minimizing Inefficiency: Streamline your AR processes to reduce manual interventions and expedite operations.
2. Reducing Transaction Charges: Identify opportunities to minimize transaction fees associated with payment processing and optimize your financial operations.
3. Eliminating Doubtful Accounts: Enhance risk assessment and credit management practices to reduce the risk of doubtful accounts and potential bad debts.
4. Accelerating Payment Processing: Expedite payment collection by offering convenient digital payment options and optimizing invoicing procedures.
5. Enhancing Customer Satisfaction: Foster a customer-centric approach with a smooth and user-friendly payment experience. This will ultimately enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
6. Maintaining Healthy Cash Flow: Implement attainable payment terms and strategically manage cash flow to ensure your organization’s financial stability and growth.
7. Enhancing Visibility: Establish transparent and real-time visibility into your AR processes to facilitate better decision-making and operational control.
8. Linking with vital systems: Integrate your accounts receivable automation with other essential business systems like ERP and CRM to streamline data flow and enhance efficiency.
Selecting The Best AR Automation Software
Regarding accounts receivable automation, the right software can work wonders. It will reduce invoice processing costs by 80% and accelerate payment cycles. Businesses that invest in this automation solution witness faster payment receipts and thrive in the financial landscape.
Your efforts to automate AR will yield substantial returns and help your business increase operational efficiency. Are you ready to leap into the future of finance? Book a complimentary demo with a seasoned expert today and elevate your financial prowess.