ROI on Working Capital Solutions: Using AR Software for Cash Flow Management

Accounts receivable (AR) software is wearing a new badge – cash flow management hero. Sure, the technology has been the go-to for streamlining manual finance work for years. But now? Forward-leaning CFOs turn to it more as working capital solutions. Leaders are increasingly leaning on this AI intelligence to navigate everything from shifting buyer behaviors to market swings and financial resilience. But here’s the real question: What kind of bottom-line impact do investors actually see? Are these solutions or just shelf-ware?

Billtrust teamed up with different independent research firms to find out. After surveying hundreds of finance decision-makers and crunching real-world data across four different research studies, the same story keeps popping up like a golden thread:

Study after study shows the return on investment (ROI) is not only undeniably strong but consistent across cash acceleration, efficiency, risk control, and frictionless transactions.

Here’s what the data says about the real returns on working capital solutions and where the payouts are the highest.

ROI is Undeniable with Working Capital Solutions

Since AR automation software has been infused with generative AI, agentic AI, and predictive analytics, the benefits for financial organizations have become undeniable. New research brought a new level of validation to investments:

• 93% of respondents confirmed that their AR automation software delivered the ROI they expected¹
• 95% say AR software delivers greater ROI when compared to native ERP tools for AR²
• Clients report a 384% ROI, on average, with a breakeven in just 9 months³

Other market data reinforces this financial impact. Firms using working capital solutions report average bottom-line benefits equating to 3.6% of their revenue. That’s according to the working capital index from Visa and PYMNTS Intelligence.

But, what’s behind these strong returns?

AI Gives an Extra Bump to ROI

While standard automation delivers solid returns, AI acts as a performance multiplier. The most telling metric? Satisfaction. 58% of finance leaders who have fully adopted AI are completely satisfied with their AR software, compared to only 41% of those who haven’t¹.

Data points to this conclusion: AR organizations that embrace AI can consistently increase their results (see image below). Organizations that went beyond basic levels of automation to high automation saw average Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) reductions of 41% compared to 29% for those with low automation levels¹.

AI Adoption and Enthusiasm are Sky High

Nearly all (98%) are confident in AI’s ability to manage AR processes effectively². Moreover, 90% of finance leaders now believe that without AI, their company’s AR process will struggle to scale and deliver the financial results they need⁴. And companies don’t just wait for this to happen: 94% of companies are now using AI in their AR processes⁴.

The Appeal? A Defensive Layer for Finance

What’s driving this surge in investment? Roughly 83% of finance leaders report that AI has positively influenced their approach to managing financial risk⁴. Rather than viewing automation as a simple productivity hack, CFOs are deploying it as a defensive layer. This becomes apparent when you look at the broad range of top use cases for AI in finance⁴:

• 55% are using it for financial forecasting and scenario planning
• 49% are deploying automated risk analysis and fraud detection
• 47% are utilizing AI-driven cost optimization strategies

The biggest returns, however, are in the areas of cash acceleration, efficiency, risk control, and frictionless transactions. Let’s take a closer look at each.

What ROI Looks Like for AR Operations

Cash Acceleration: Put Velocity Behind Your Cash Flow

A study from Wakefield Research shows 99% of AR teams that are using AI reduced their average DSO. Nearly every single respondent saw faster B2B payments! The study also found that 75% recognized DSO reductions of 6 days or more, and 14% reduced their DSO by more than 11 days⁴. Another study shows strong metrics on the Days to Pay (DTP) side, where companies realized a 44% reduction¹.

Here’s what that looks like in the real world.

If your average Days to Pay is 45 days and you’re processing $500M annually, a 44% DTP reduction means you’re getting invoices paid 20 days sooner. With an average daily receivables flow of $1.4M, that means +$27M more in available cash for operations.

So, what are CFOs doing with more working capital? According to Visa and PYMNTS Intelligence, companies aren’t just sitting on their loot. They’re funding product innovation (62%) and accelerating payments to strategic suppliers (57%). Working capital solutions helped them power that growth.

Efficiency: Deliver a Workforce Multiplier

With 80% of finance professionals saying they are being asked to do more with existing resources⁴, the ability to sustainably scale becomes paramount. Here’s what the data says about scalability and productivity gains:

• 98% believe that purpose-built AR software saves their finance teams considerable time on AR processes each week²
• 95% report that automating AR processes has increased their team’s efficiency¹
• 100% of AI users reported improved scalability without adding headcount⁴

IDC performed a study of Billtrust’s customers, which details the specific types of operational efficiency improvements:

• AR professionals now handle 52% more transactions
• New employee onboarding efficiency improved 20-25%
• AR teams achieved 34% more efficiency overall

See more ways working capital solutions deliver tangible efficiency.

Predictive Risk Control: Mitigate Financial Threats

One of the most critical findings in the Economic Headwinds study was the heightened focus on risk amid market uncertainty and today’s trends shifting rapidly. But here’s the relief: 92% of finance professionals agreed that AR software helped them effectively mitigate financial and compliance risks¹. Studies from Wakefield Research and Vanson Bourne spotlight how AI-powered software controls a variety of risks:

• Reliable revenue: 43% saw more predictable cash flow
• Stronger management: 62% have more time to focus on risk management
• Lower costs: 42% optimized their payment processing fees

But how does a working capital solution actually improve decision-making, shifting from traditional process automation to predictive intelligence and machine decisioning? It helps to look at how modern solutions work.

How modern AR software gets in front of risk:

• Payment risk: Actively monitoring data to flag unusual payment behaviors or trends (e.g., a sudden spike in disputes, a drop in match rates, or changing payment types). This early warning system is capable of preventing bad debt.
• Collections risk: Software segments debtors based on several risk factors including historical payment behavior. This allows you to intelligently prioritize collections outreach instead of following up based on fixed intervals and arbitrary dates.
• Credit risk: Moving from periodic credit reviews to continuous optimization. For example, credit agents analyze credit scores and payment history automatically to recommend credit limit adjustments.

Frictionless Transactions: Tap into Customer Experience Advantages

Here’s a payout that may surprise many finance leaders: 96% of finance leaders agree that AR automation is critical for improving customer experience², and 92% reported that AR software automation actually enhanced their buyer experience¹. This demonstrates automation’s role in strengthening relationships and loyalty. Here’s how that happens:

• Customer support teams see 32% efficiency gains, thanks to fewer inbound calls and faster issue resolution³
• 56% enhanced their buyers’ payment experiences through digital and self-service tools²
• Organizations that fully adopted AI were more likely to strongly agree that AR software enhanced customer experience (54% versus 28% for those without AI adoption)¹

Want more? This article explores the automation features capable of delivering superior customer experiences.

Prioritizing Working Capital Solutions as Tools for Cash Resilience

Investment in AI-driven AR automation has remained resilient. Rather than pulling back amid unstable economies, many organizations are prioritizing these tools as a way to protect cash flow and maintain operational flexibility. The Economic Headwinds study shows that 67% of decision-makers are allocating more than 10% of their budgets to AI and automation, with 18% dedicating over a quarter of total spend. This sustained investment suggests that working capital solutions are increasingly viewed not as discretionary upgrades, but as foundational infrastructure for financial stability and performance in uncertain markets.

Ready to explore working capital solutions? Ask for a personalized Billtrust demo.