If your AR team still keys payment details in by hand, chases overdue invoices one email at a time and deposits paper checks, you already know where the hours go. Cash arrives later than it should. Collectors spend their day on data entry instead of talking to customers. Every check in the mail is a fraud exposure. Accounts receivable automation is how a growing number of B2B companies are taking that manual load off their finance teams. This market overview from EVO Payments explains what the technology is, why businesses are investing in it and what the software can actually do for your receivables.
Why B2B finance teams are adopting accounts receivable automation
The overview is written for finance leaders, controllers, AR managers and anyone who has to make the case for moving away from manual collections. It starts from a familiar reality: B2B organizations have historically been slow to adopt new technology. That caution has a price, and the report shows how it lands on your employees, your customers and the overall health of the business.
You'll see how manual AR work connects to problems that show up in your numbers, including rising operating costs, slow processes, costly errors and longer days sales outstanding (DSO). The report also explains a less obvious effect. When your team is buried in routine tasks, it has less time to engage customers before payments are due, so late payments become more likely.
The findings draw on published research from PYMNTS.com and American Express, the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) and Gartner. One useful hook: it groups the main AR problems companies report into eight categories, so you can compare your own pain points against what other businesses say is holding them back.
What AR automation software does, from electronic invoicing to cash application
If you're still sorting out what these tools cover, this section gives you a clear map. The report sorts AR automation software into four broad categories:
- Invoicing: electronic delivery, presentment and status tracking that goes beyond what your ERP does out of the box
- Payments: secure ways for customers to enter their own payment details
- Reconciliation: cash application that matches payments to bank statements and open invoices
- Collections: collections automation built around business rules for overdue accounts
For each category, you'll learn what the module handles, where it fits alongside your existing ERP or accounting system, and the kind of manual work it can reduce or remove. The report also describes how some tools add correspondence handling and CRM-style activity logs, and how payment information can flow back into the ERP so records stay current. That makes it easier to judge which capabilities matter most for your team before you talk to vendors.
Check fraud, customer expectations and the future of B2B payments
Two pressures outside the AR department get careful attention. The first is security. Paper checks remain one of the payment methods most exposed to fraud, and the report includes AFP data on how often organizations encounter check fraud and how much of the stolen money they manage to get back. The answer is sobering, and it gives you a concrete argument for shifting customers toward digital payments.
The second is your customers. B2B buyers now expect flexible payment options and an easy checkout, much like they get as consumers. The overview explains how meeting those expectations supports satisfaction and loyalty, and why falling short can send customers looking for another supplier.
It closes with a look at where B2B payments are heading, including a Gartner forecast on the share of B2B transactions expected to move to digital channels. For anyone weighing whether to act now or wait, that outlook frames the timing question well.
Download the AR Automation Market Overview to get the full research findings, the breakdown of reported AR problem areas, the data on DSO and check fraud, and a plain explanation of the four types of AR automation software. It's a short, practical read you can share with your finance team or use to start building your business case.