CFOs are living in a whole new world. Today, they’re juggling cash flow through nonstop change: market swings, economic curveballs, and purchasing behaviors that evolve faster than a TikTok trend. So, it’s no surprise that more than 80% of CFOs say their job looks nothing like it did five years ago. At 95%, the vast majority feel more pressure to protect and grow cash flow today. On top of that? They’re expected to embrace technology that’s evolving at warp speed (and manage the tension it brings too).
There is relief: Accounts receivable (AR) automation software takes that pressure down a notch. A vast majority (94%) of CFOs see advanced AI (like agentic AI) as a game-changer for AR efficiency and cash flow management. Those who go all-in report a 40%+ drop in Days to Pay (DTP). That’s huge. But here’s the catch: Not all AR automation software is created equally. Choosing the right one? Critical.
That’s why we created this 2026 Buyer’s Guide to AR Automation Software. It’s a roadmap for making the smartest purchasing decision, covering the risks hiding in plain sight, the features that drive the biggest financial wins, tips to compare AI depth and trustworthiness, and what you should expect from a true partner. This guide answers the four key questions that separate “wannabe” AR automation tools from the real deal.
1. Can Your AR Solution Work with Your ERPs and Other Systems?
According to Vanson Bourne’s research, 75% of finance leaders say their ERP systems alone lack the automation that AR teams need, and 95% believe augmenting their ERP tools with purpose-built AR automation software can save their teams significant time each week while delivering stronger ROI. This explains why many finance leaders are compelled to purchase a dedicated AR solution.
This Buyer’s Guide provides a clear-cut checklist of exactly what’s missing and what leading AR automation software delivers so finance leaders can easily fill their identified gaps and collapse an ocean of fragmented data into one source of truth.
Here are key questions to think about:
- How many ERPs are you managing? Vanson Bourne’s research clocks it at three on average – that’s a lot of siloed data! ERP-agnostic solutions can connect to a plethora of ERP systems, making this a top decision-making factor for buyers.
- Are you anticipating an ERP system upgrade? The average ERP is 13 years old. That’s like using an iPhone 5 while everyone else is walking around with the latest version in their pocket. The best solutions work with legacy technology and help you avoid double migration – reintegrating after an ERP upgrade.
- Are your clients asking you to work with their AP portals? Compatibility with your clients’ accounts payable portals is essential, helping you automate the submission of invoices and track payment status automatically.
- Have you mapped out your financial ecosystem? Connectors to banks and financial institutions enable faster processing and reconciliation. Providers should offer out-of-the-box integrations and support any custom integrations.
Check out this story about how one company doubled their AR efficiency and cut their DSO nearly in half by transforming their ERP.
Predicting cash flow, strengthening credit decisions, reducing disputes…it all depends on an accurate and holistic data view, which breaks down the moment information is landlocked. Ensure your solutions consolidate an ocean of data and data sources – not create more friction points.
2. What is the Platform’s AI Built On?
Some platforms have real buyer and payment behavior baked in. Others don’t have nearly enough data to train an AI model that actually understands AR and how it operates.
The latter is where we see start-ups fail.
Their clients spend years training an empty AI model to understand AR at scale – essentially paying to build intelligence that should have existed from day one. And if that start-up goes under, those clients are usually forced into a costly reset.
Trustworthy AI intelligence should be built on big data: massive volumes of real AR data across many buyers, industries, and payment behaviors. Billtrust pre-trains our AI model on the payment behaviors of 13 million buyers and $1 trillion in annual transaction volume.
How to Evaluate the Provider’s AI Approach
- Transparent AI decisioning logic: Does their software include transparent AI logic (audit trails, explainable rationale that enables you to see how recommendations are made)?
- A progressive path to autonomy: Do they offer a gradual path from basic automation (ex: workflow-triggered alerts) to supervised, autonomous AR?
- Responsible AI: Do they support ethical AI practices, design principles, bias testing, and customer data privacy? Do your research, and don’t be afraid to ask hard-hitting questions.
Understand the difference between AI automation and agentic AI, and see why not all AI agents are the same. Read the article.
This Buyer’s Guide for AR automation software breaks down everything you need to know about AI data engineering and what trustworthy AI really means. There’s also a downloadable checklist that includes four specific AI features to look for in leading AR automation software.
3. What is the Platform’s Breadth of Capability?
Leading AR automation software should cover the fundamentals – invoicing, payments, cash application, collections, and credit management — as well as more advanced capabilities. It’s important to note that today’s “basics” look very different than they did even a few years ago, and some platforms haven’t kept up. If a platform struggles to handle modern table stakes, it’ll struggle to scale into anything more advanced.
The Buyer’s Guide explores the basic and advanced capabilities leading AR automation software should deliver. We even break them down to align with common AR goals, so you can prioritize the features that support your desired outcomes.
Evaluating Automation Capabilities Based on AR Goals
- Capabilities to improve efficiency and get paid faster. The basics help eliminate repetitive, manual work and keep invoices and payments moving. More advanced capabilities go further by surfacing bottlenecks in real-time, so teams can see exactly what’s slowing cash down and proactively fix it.
- Capabilities to enhance cash flow visibility and forecasting. At a minimum, AR teams need a single, accurate view of performance. But as organizations mature, behavioral analytics unlock true financial foresight. Forecasting breaks down when data is siloed, which is why the focus should be on connecting data across systems, reducing manual errors, improving visibility into disputes, and grounding forecasts in objective, multi-source data.
- Capabilities to deliver an exceptional buyer experience. The fundamentals reduce friction by making sure invoices land where buyers expect them and giving them flexible, convenient ways to pay. Advanced capabilities build on that foundation with self-service portals that let customers view invoices, make payments, manage disputes, and get answers on their own instead of playing the ask-and-wait game.
4. Is the Provider a True Partner?
Future-looking CFOs see AR as a strategic imperative and are prepared to invest in AR automation software accordingly. However, many are lacking the resources and guidance to get to their desired end state. That’s where having a true partner makes all the difference. It’s the strategic muscle needed.
Here’s what defines a true partner:
- An unwavering focus on transformation. Not just implementing software but having proven success with training, solution customization, integration support, and change management. (Did you know 90% of finance leaders believe they won’t fully capitalize on AI’s potential until their teams update their mindset about using it?)
- Proven, unmatched performance: The proof is in the pudding. Look for G2 software reviews, analyst rankings, and client ROI achievements verified by independent studies that paint a consistent picture of proven results and service excellence.
A Final Litmus Test
AR digitization and financial transformation are not simply technology initiatives. Buying software alone won’t unlock growth, efficiency, or resilience. What’s required is a fundamental reset in how accounts receivable is viewed: not as a back-office function to be optimized incrementally, but as a strategic lever that directly impacts cash flow, customer experience, and enterprise agility.
If you’re torn between two final last contenders, focus on the buying process. What has your experience been in working with the team? The purchasing process is often the best predictor of what your long-term partnership will look like. In moments of complexity or change, you’ll want a team that supports your mindset — not just your tech stack. In the end, AR transformation succeeds not because of the software you buy, but because of the vision you adopt and the partners you choose to help execute it.
Read the complete 2026 AR Software Buyers Guide here.
Have more questions? You should. We’re here to answer them with a consult or demo.
