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If your team is sending reminders manually, tracking overdue invoices in spreadsheets, or matching payments by hand, there are probably parts of your AR process that can be automated.
You do not need to automate everything at once. Start with the repetitive work that takes the most time or makes it harder to see what still needs attention.
Here is a practical way to get started.
1. Map Your Current AR Process
Start by looking at how receivables are handled today.
Review how your team:
- sends invoices
- follows up on unpaid invoices
- accepts payments
- answers payment questions
- reconciles payments
- tracks aging and overdue balances
Look for places where the same work is repeated, information is moved between systems, or follow-up depends on someone remembering to do it.
Those are usually the best places to start.
2. Decide What to Automate First
Do not start by trying to automate the entire AR process.
Focus first on work that is predictable and repeated often, such as:
- invoice delivery
- payment reminders
- routine collections follow-up
- payment reconciliation
Keep exceptions, disputes, and customer situations that require judgment with your team.
The goal is simple: automate the repetitive work so your team can spend more time on the accounts that actually need attention.
3. Connect Automation to Your Accounting System
AR automation should work with the accounting system your team already uses, not create another place to manage data.
Make sure customer, invoice, and payment information stays connected between systems. That helps reduce duplicate entry and keeps your accounting records aligned with what is happening in AR.
If your team uses QuickBooks or Xero, look for an AR platform that can work alongside it rather than requiring you to replace it.
4. Make Follow-Up and Payments Easier
Once the systems are connected, focus on the work that usually creates the most back-and-forth.
Automate routine payment reminders and follow-up so your team does not have to send the same emails every week.
Then make it easy for customers to act on those reminders. Give them a clear way to view invoices and pay using options such as ACH or cards.
The goal is to reduce the number of steps between: invoice sent → reminder received → payment made
5. Automate Reconciliation
Getting paid is only part of the process. Your team still has to match the payment to the right invoice and update the accounting record.
If that is done by hand, reconciliation quickly becomes another repetitive task.
Use automation to match payments back to invoices where possible, then let your team handle the exceptions that need review.
The goal is to spend less time matching routine payments and more time resolving the items that actually need attention.
6. Track What Changes
Once automation is in place, make sure it is actually improving the process.
Watch a few simple measures:
- DSO
- aging receivables
- overdue invoices
- time spent on manual follow-up
- reconciliation workload
You do not need a long list of metrics. Focus on whether the team is doing less repetitive work and whether receivables are easier to manage.
If DSO is one of the metrics you track, use your current number as a baseline and compare it over time.
Start With the Part of AR Creating the Most Work
Start with the work your team repeats most often, automate it, and measure what changes. Then expand into the next part of the process.
If you are ready to evaluate technology, see what to look for when choosing an AR automation platform.
See how Bill360 can fit into your AR workflow. Schedule a personalized walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you automate accounts receivable?
Start by identifying repetitive AR work such as invoice delivery, payment reminders, follow-up, payment collection, and reconciliation. Automate the predictable tasks first, then expand as the process becomes more consistent.
Which accounts receivable tasks can be automated?
Common tasks include invoice delivery, payment reminders, routine collections follow-up, digital payment collection, reconciliation, and AR reporting.
Can AR automation work with QuickBooks or Xero?
Yes. AR automation can work alongside accounting systems such as QuickBooks and Xero so businesses can automate receivables without replacing their accounting software.
Does AR automation replace accounting software?
No. AR automation typically extends the receivables workflow around the accounting system by adding automation for follow-up, payments, reconciliation, and visibility.
