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Starting and Growing a Career in Web Design
The hidden burden of manual AR management
If you're like many business owners, you probably didn't start your company because you were passionate about chasing payments. Yet here you might be, spending hours each week sending invoices, following up on unpaid bills, reconciling payments, and trying to forecast your cash flow.
This manual accounts receivable (AR) work isn't just tedious, it's expensive. Every hour spent on AR administration is an hour not spent on growing your business or serving your clients.
However, much of this work can be automated, freeing you to focus on what matters most. Let's explore five automated solutions that can dramatically reduce your AR workload.
Read more - “How to Better Manage Accounts Receivable” →
1. Automated invoicing systems
What it does: Automatically generates and sends invoices based on completion of work, time tracked, or recurring billing cycles.
Benefits:
Eliminates manual invoice creation
Reduces errors in invoice details
Ensures timely invoice delivery
Creates a consistent professional appearance
Implementation tip: Look for systems that integrate with your project management or time tracking tools to automate the entire workflow from work completion to invoice generation.
2. Payment reminder automation
What it does: Automatically sends reminders to clients before and after payment due dates without requiring manual intervention.
Benefits:
Ensures consistent follow-up
Removes the discomfort of manually chasing payments
Reduces the average time to payment
Frees up staff time for more valuable activities
Implementation tip: Use graduated reminders that increase in urgency but remain professional and allow you to send reminders before the due date. A gentle nudge before the due date often prevents the need for more serious follow-ups later.
3. Online payment portals
What it does: Provides clients with a self-service way to view and pay invoices electronically.
Benefits:
Makes payment easier for clients
Reduces check processing time
Improves payment accuracy
Provides automatic payment confirmation
Implementation tip: Ensure your portal accepts multiple payment methods (credit cards, ACH, digital wallets) to accommodate client preferences.
4. AR analytics and dashboards
What it does: Automatically tracks key metrics like DSO, aging accounts, and payment patterns.
Benefits:
Provides early warning of payment issues
Identifies problematic clients or invoice types
Shows trends to inform better payment policies
Helps forecast cash flow more accurately
Implementation tip: Set up automated alerts for concerning metrics, such as when a client's average payment time starts trending longer.
5. Payment integration and reconciliation
What it does: Automatically matches incoming payments with outstanding invoices and updates your accounting system.
Benefits:
Eliminates manual reconciliation
Reduces errors in payment application
Provides up-to-date AR status
Simplifies month-end closing
Implementation tip: Look for solutions that can handle partial payments and payments covering multiple invoices, as these are often the most time-consuming to reconcile manually.
The compound effect of automation
While each of these solutions offers significant benefits on its own, the real magic happens when they work together as an integrated system. A fully automated AR workflow might look like this:
Work is completed → Invoice automatically generated and sent
Client receives invoice → Pays through online portal
Payment automatically reconciled → Books updated
If payment doesn't arrive → Automatic reminders sent
Management receives → Real-time visibility into AR metrics
With this workflow, your involvement is minimal unless there's an exceptional situation requiring personal attention.
How Cheque can help
Cheque provides a comprehensive solution that addresses all five automation areas:
Streamlined invoicing that integrates with your existing systems
Intelligent payment reminders that adapt to client behavior
A user-friendly payment portal that makes it easy for clients to pay
Insightful analytics that highlight trends and potential issues
Seamless reconciliation that keeps your books up-to-date automatically
Most importantly, Cheque doesn't require you to overhaul your existing accounting setup. You can implement it alongside your current system and gradually transition as you see the benefits.
Every hour your team spends on manual AR tasks is an opportunity cost for your business. By implementing these automated solutions, you can redirect that time toward activities that directly contribute to growth and client satisfaction.
Ready to see how much time and effort you could save? Let's chat about how Cheque can automate your AR process.