If you’ve decided that you want to move ahead with accounts receivable software, you might want to consider looking into an A/R software provider with a client payment portal. It’ll help you provide your customers the best payment experience possible while saving both costs, time and reducing errors. But not all client portals are equal, and it’s important to understand what needs each client portal addresses and how it helps achieve the goals of the overall A/R software.
What is a Payment Portal in Accounts Receivable Software?
A payment portal in accounts receivables software enables customers to pay their invoices directly 24-7, on the Internet. Since the payer doesn’t need to depend on the availability of their supplier and the supplier doesn’t have to wait for the payment to appear in the bank, a payment portal facilitates faster payments and payment processing. Payment portals are also the most secure way to make a payment. In addition, they are often customizable according to a customer’s specific needs.
While payment portal software is a general term that can be used in B2C and B2B contexts, customer payment portal software is a B2C solution mostly for small business owners. But client payment portal software, is intended for B2B customers.
Key Features of the Payment Portal
Payment portals for B2B businesses help automate a complex payment process that traditionally involves manual steps. This helps eliminate errors and facilitates faster payments and reconciliation. When looking for an accounts receivable software provider with a client payment portal, you’ll want to ensure it offers specific features.
These features should include:
- Integration with your financial and other business systems. This should include your ERP, accounting software, payment processors, payment gateways, CRMs, and multiple banks. The more financial systems it can connect with, the potential for more accurate financial records in real time.
- Multiple types and methods of payments. Customers should be able to pay invoices using ACH, local bank transfer, wire transfer, credit cards, and electronic funds transfer (EFT). Flexible payment methods enhance the customer experience.
- Automation of the payment approval process. Automate approval notifications, payment routings, and the reporting of status approvals while improving accuracy and reducing costs. Payments that are flagged for a discrepancy can be rooted through another process.
- Delivery of real-time status of payments. Since the payment approval process is automated and allows customers to pay invoices 24-7 across different time zones, it facilitates faster payments.
Enhancing the Payment Experience through Client Payment Portals
Incorporating a client payment portal within accounts receivable software applications significantly enhances the payment experience for both businesses and their clients. Such portals provide a secure, self-service platform where clients can access invoices, view account statements, and make payments at their convenience. This level of accessibility not only fosters timely payments but also strengthens client relationships by offering transparency and flexibility.
Integration with Accounting Systems
Modern accounts receivable software packages are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing accounting systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools. This integration ensures that all financial data is synchronized across platforms, reducing manual data entry and minimizing errors. For instance, when a client makes a payment through the portal, the transaction is automatically recorded in the accounting software, updating accounts receivable and reflecting in financial reports.
Gaviti offers a best-in-class customer-facing payer portal. Watch our product tour to see how the product works and schedule a demo at the end to see more.
Watch The Product TourAutomation and Efficiency
Automation is a cornerstone of advanced accounts receivable software applications. Features such as automated invoicing, payment reminders, and reconciliation streamline the accounts receivable process, allowing finance teams to focus on more strategic tasks. Automated systems can send invoices immediately upon service delivery, follow up with timely reminders before and after due dates, and reconcile payments as they are received, ensuring that records are always up-to-date.
Best Accounts Receivable Software with a Client Portal
While there are many options for accounts receivable software that include a client payment portal, it’s always good to start with a recommended list and continue on from there.
Here is our list:
1. Gaviti
Gaviti’s automated Accounts Receivable (A/R) management platform streamlines the entire invoice-to-cash lifecycle. A key feature is the client-facing Self-Service Payment Portal, which not only ensures 100% accuracy in matching invoices to payments but also offers additional functionalities. Payers can dispute invoices directly through the portal, centralizing all escalations and communications within Gaviti’s system. Plus, the portal allows payers to complete and submit credit applications, facilitating a seamless credit assessment process. Other features include autopay, partial payments, and a “promise to pay” option that updates workflows to reflect revised payment terms.
2. Upflow
Upflow’s modern customer portal accelerates payments by offering clients a real-time overview of their invoices through a branded online platform. The portal provides flexible payment options, including partial payments, to accommodate various client needs. Automatic payment reconciliation ensures that all transactions are accurately matched, reducing manual effort and errors. Additionally, the portal facilitates proactive communication, allowing customers to dispute invoices directly within the platform, which streamlines dispute resolution and provides a real-time view of payment statuses.
3. Blackline
BlackLine’s enterprise-focused Accounts Receivable (A/R) software enhances financial operations by integrating seamlessly with enterprise-level ERP systems, effectively managing complex payment processes. Its comprehensive A/R solution encompasses a client payment portal, which is part of a broader suite that includes account reconciliation, cash application, A/R intelligence, and credit and collections management. The client payment portal streamlines invoicing and payment cycles, offering electronic invoicing and a self-service customer portal for efficient document management and online payments. This integration accelerates payment processes, improves customer experience, and provides real-time visibility into cash flow, thereby optimizing working capital and reducing days sales outstanding (DSO).
4. Versapay
The portal offers a user-friendly interface where customers can view and manage their accounts, access current and historical invoices, and make payments using various digital methods, including credit/debit cards and ACH transfers. This flexibility ensures that clients can choose their preferred payment options, enhancing the overall user experience. A standout feature of Versapay’s portal is its collaborative functionality, which allows for two-way communication directly within the platform.
5. Invoiced
Invoiced provides small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across various industries with a comprehensive accounts receivable automation platform, featuring a client payment portal that offers automated reminders and customizable payment options, such as making advanced payments, applying open credits, purchasing subscriptions, and viewing and searching all invoices, estimates, credit notes, and payments.
6. HighRadius
HighRadius provides an AI-driven accounts receivable (A/R) platform that automates and optimizes the A/R process for large enterprises and multinational corporations across industries such as retail, manufacturing, energy, and consumer goods. Its self-service customer portal enables clients to manage invoices, access account statements, make payments, create disputes, and upload claims through a single online interface. This portal supports complex customer hierarchies, facilitating seamless integration with collections, credit, cash application, and dispute management processes.
How Gaviti Helps Automate the Payment Approval Process with a Client Portal
Gaviti’s invoice-to-cash A/R management and automation platform delivers a comprehensive solution that optimizes the entire A/R lifecycle, including: invoice distribution, credit monitoring, cash application, and disputes and deductions.
Its Self-Service Payer Portal includes:
- Multiple payment types and methods. In addition to supporting multiple currencies and bank accounts it also supports payment through credit and debit cards, local bank transfer, ACH/echeck, wire transfer and electronic funds transfer. Gaviti users can also opt to put some of their customers on auto-pay and have funds automatically deducted when an invoice is due.
- Enhanced customer experience. Give your customers a user-friendly payment experience with automated payment reminders that encourages timely payments.
- Integrated payment gateways. Integrate leading secure payment providers such as BlueSnap and Stripe – or the payment gateway of your choice to ensure your customer’s payments are processed securely.
- Automated payment reconciliation. When connected with Gaviti’s A/R invoice-to-cash management platform, you can also match incoming payments with the corresponding invoices in real-time, reducing manual effort, improving accuracy, and providing you with up-to-date visibility into your cash flow.
- Reporting and analytics. All payments made via the portal are automatically reflected in Gaviti’s reports and recognized by your ERP when using Gaviti’s payment portal. When analyzed along with other A/R data, it can help you track payment trends, identify patterns, and gain insights into your overall collections strategy.
Want to learn more about how Gaviti can help you streamline the entire A/R process? Schedule a Demo