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Reap the benefits of digital business payments

Reap the benefits of digital business payments

Michael Davis
Contributing writer, BILL
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By now, you’ve probably heard plenty about how switching to digital business payments, AP automation, and AR automation can fundamentally improve your business practices. From saving time and boosting efficiency to cutting costs and gaining insights into your cash flows, they can transform your operations and streamline your workflows from start to finish.

Does this sound too good to be true? It’s not.

More than six million BILL network members enjoy the real-life benefits that digital business payments offer. The following are just a few BILL customer stories.

Cutting AP time by 75 percent

Like many businesses, Georgetown Visitation, the oldest Catholic girls’ school on the East Coast, used to devote countless hours to manually handling its AP tasks. With about 250 bills to pay each month, those manual processes proved to be both inefficient and time-consuming. Employees would sift through stacks of files to find answers to important questions.

As Roberta Hopkins, Georgetown Visitation’s CFO put it, “It was just torture.”

After switching to BILL, the school reduced its time spent on AP issues by a staggering 75 percent. Georgetown Visitation saves even more time by utilizing the BILL mobile app, which allows employees to pay and approve bills on the go from any iOS or Android device.

Honest Paws, a healthcare company that connects therapists and patients in need of support animals and provides pet care products, has similarly benefitted from spending significantly less time on processing payments. Even though Honest Paws had already adopted electronic payments, with its previous provider staff members were still spending 20 hours a week on processing those payments. Switching to BILL with its intuitive user interface, seamless integrations, and better workflows allowed Honest Paws to cut that 20 hours spent on AP down to just two hours per week.

Scaling to support growing businesses

Keeping costs low is essential to the success of any startup, particularly during the initial growth stages. Emerge Diagnostics, a startup that sells diagnostic instruments as a service to workers’ compensation organizations, knows that all too well.

The company made the switch to BILL in 2016, just as it was quintupling in size in the matter of a few months. As a result of its growth, the number of invoices skyrocketed. But with BILL on their side, AP staff didn’t have to grow exponentially as business did. They were still able to handle all their bill processing with one part-time AP clerk, thanks to easy, streamlined workflows provided by BILL.

BILL has also helped put Emerge Diagnostics’ auditors at ease. The auditors didn’t want to see the same person entering, approving, and paying invoices. Because BILL is simple to use, those tasks can be spread out among team members without adding significant time to anyone’s day. In her spare time, the AP clerk has been able to analyze the company’s bills more thoroughly, avoiding at least $35,000 per year in bill overpayments.

Creating insight into cash flows

There’s no better way to understand your company’s financial health than to have transparency into your cash flow. Before switching to BILL, Lindsay Leasing was struggling to do just that.

The property management company was juggling AP and AR for 50 different properties, taking in rent from tenants while paying out fees and vendor invoices. Managing cash flow is a crucial part of Lindsay Leasing’s business because collections and payments all need to happen on time. Previous property management software platforms it tried lacked the flexibility and scalability it needed to grow the business.

Switching to BILL was the solution to the AP and AR problems because it allows for a fluid flow of cash throughout the property management process. The company automatically drafts rent from tenants’ banking accounts and can review, authorize, and schedule/send bill payments via BILL. The transparency, speed, and collaboration give Lindsay Leasing visibility and stability with cash flow, positioning the firm for continued growth in the future.

Right-sizing staff

As business grows, many companies struggle to find the money to hire new staff to handle the increased AP and AR needs that come with more work. As Theatron, installers of state-of-the-art home automation and entertainment systems, continued to expand, its owner felt increasingly trapped by the time-consuming paperwork of processing invoices and bills.

Rather than adding staff to wrestle with paper, Theatron looked for a digital solution. It needed one that would function with QuickBooks Online, which was integral to the company’s operations. BILL provideupdated title d the ideal technology since it seamlessly integrates with QuickBooks Online. Now Theatron has a simple way of managing its finances anytime, anywhere, without having to hire additional staff as the company continues to grow.

Improved compliance

With business comes regulation. QS Energy, creator of high-tech electric fields that make oil transportation safer and more efficient, is intimately familiar with the costs of compliance.

As QS Energy grew, the company’s management team was struggling with the amount of time required to prepare for Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance. The company decided to simultaneously switch to BILL and make a move to the cloud as part of a larger compliance initiative. In the process, QS Energy was able to streamline its operating procedures and cut its operating costs by $250,000 each year. BILL also helped the company better implement its internal policies and procedures, leading to better overall compliance.

BILL knows the struggles companies face and is designed to help alleviate them. Countless businesses have reaped the benefits of digital business payments, AP automation, and AR automation from BILL. Your business can be next.

Sign up for a risk-free trial today and find out how BILL can help you transform your business.

Author
Michael Davis
Contributing writer, BILL
Michael specializes in helping businesses optimize financial operations by staying up-to-date with industry trends and translating insights into real-world applications. With expertise in AP, cash flow, and fintech, Michael breaks down complex topics to help businesses continue to grow.
Author
Michael Davis
Contributing writer, BILL
Michael specializes in helping businesses optimize financial operations by staying up-to-date with industry trends and translating insights into real-world applications. With expertise in AP, cash flow, and fintech, Michael breaks down complex topics to help businesses continue to grow.
Get more from BILL
Subscribe to finance insights and thought leadership content delivered straight to your inbox.
By continuing, you agree to BILL's Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

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Software Comparison

BILL Spend & Expense
Best for AI expense automation
4.5 on G2
  • Smart corporate cards with real-time tracking, flexible limits, and instant visibility into every transaction across your team [1]
  • Unlimited free virtual cards with unique numbers for each vendor or subscription—freeze, delete, or set custom limits instantly to prevent overcharges and reduce fraud risk [5]
  • AI-powered auto-categorization and receipt matching that connects card transactions and expenses into a single reconciliation workflow [1]
  • Customizable budgets with spend controls based on merchant, amount, receipt requirements, and configurable approval workflows [3]
  • Auto-freeze on cards with incomplete transactions, ensuring receipts and documentation are captured before additional spend is approved [1]
  • Up to 7x points on restaurants, 5x on hotels, 2x on recurring software, and 1.5x on all other purchases (rates shown are for weekly or daily billing cycle; rates vary by billing frequency) [2]
  • Two-way sync with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, and Microsoft Dynamics; additional integrations with Acumatica, Slack, and HRIS platforms [1]
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Pricing
$0/user/month with no annual fee
Integrations
Two-way sync with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, and Microsoft
Ideal company size
SMB to mid-market
SAP Concur
Best for large enterprises
4 on G2
  • AI-powered receipt capture via ExpenseIt on the SAP Concur mobile app, with smart matching that combines credit card charges and e-receipts into expense reports automatically [7]
  • Configurable approval workflows with built-in audit rules that flag policy exceptions, plus optional Intelligent Audit and Verify add-ons for automated compliance checks [6][7]
  • Modular product suite: Concur Expense, Concur Travel, and Concur Invoice are separate products that can be purchased individually or together, so organizations can start with expense management and add capabilities over time [6]
  • Bank card feed integrations that import corporate card transactions directly into expense reports for automatic reconciliation [6]
  • Joule, SAP's AI assistant, for expense report review, spend analysis, and cost estimation [6]
  • Budget tracking and monitoring tools that give finance teams visibility into spend against departmental or project-level budgets [6]
  • Support for global operations with multi-currency expense reporting and country-specific tax and regulatory compliance tools [6]
  • Pro: 300+ pre-built integrations including native SAP ERP sync [7][8]
  • Pro: Global coverage with multi-currency and regulatory compliance tools [6]
  • Pro: Modular—add travel or invoice management without switching platforms [6]
  • Pro: AI-powered receipt capture and smart matching via ExpenseIt [7]
  • Con: Quote-based pricing; no published rates on the website [6]
  • Con: No corporate card offering; relies on bank card feed integrations [6]
  • Con: Implementation can be complex for smaller organizations [6]
  • Con: Live support requires purchasing the User Support Desk service [6]
Pricing
Quote-based
Integrations
QuickBooks, Xero, Sage,TSheets, Gusto, & most business credit cards.
Ideal Company Size
Mid-market to enterprise
Ramp
Best for a broad spend platform
4.8 on G2
  • Corporate cards with customizable spend controls by merchant, category, employee, or department, plus unlimited virtual and physical cards [9][10]
  • AI-powered receipt matching, transaction coding, and memo suggestions that auto-populate as soon as a card is swiped [9]
  • Policy agent that reviews every expense against company policy, auto-approves compliant transactions, and escalates only exceptions with full audit trail [9]
  • Expense submission via SMS, Slack, or Microsoft Teams in addition to web and mobile app [9]
  • Reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses paid to employees' bank accounts in 1–2 business days [9]
  • Real-time spend reporting with custom dashboards, natural-language queries, and proactive overspend alerts [9]
  • Broader spend platform that includes AP automation, procurement, vendor management, and treasury alongside expense management [9]
  • Pro: Free plan includes corporate cards, expenses, and bill pay [11]
  • Pro: AI policy agent reviews 100% of expenses automatically [9]
  • Pro: Submit expenses via SMS, Slack, or Teams—no app required [9]
  • Pro: Broader spend platform covers AP, procurement, and vendor management [9]
  • Con: Budget tracking requires Ramp Plus at $15/user/month [11]
  • Con: NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Dynamics integrations require a paid plan [11]
  • Con: HRIS syncs and auto-lock cards require a paid plan [11]
  • Con: Credit limits fluctuate daily based on connected bank balance [12]
Pricing
$0/user/month
Integrations
QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, Sage Intacct, Slack, & 100+ accounting tools.
Ideal Company Size
Startups to mid-market
Brex
Best for global teams
4.8 on G2
  • Corporate cards with customizable spend limits by role, department, or category, plus auto-approve for in-policy expenses and auto-decline for out-of-policy spend [13][14]
  • AI-powered expense reviews that auto-approve compliant transactions and surface only exceptions for human review, with clear visibility into why a transaction is flagged [13]
  • Auto-generated receipts and memos with OCR that matches receipts in any language or currency, plus automatic GL coding by department, project, and entity [13]
  • Live Budgets that let department heads set top-level budgets, provision spend to individuals or teams, and track usage in real time with anomaly detection [13]
  • Global reimbursements in 70+ countries in employees' local currency, with subsidiaries able to issue reimbursements from local bank accounts [13]
  • Expense submission and approval via Slack and WhatsApp, with in-app commenting on individual transactions [13]
  • Broader financial platform that includes bill pay, business banking with up to 3.68% yield, and treasury alongside expense management [14]
  • Pro: Free plan includes corporate cards, expenses, bill pay, and travel [15]
  • Pro: AI expense reviews with 99% average policy compliance rate [14]
  • Pro: Global reimbursements in 70+ countries in local currency [13]
  • Pro: Live Budgets with real-time tracking and anomaly detection [13]
  • Con: Live Budgets require Premium at $12/user/month [15]
  • Con: HRIS syncs and customizable ERP integrations require a paid plan [15]
  • Con: Credit limits fluctuate daily based on connected bank balance [16]
  • Con: Multiple expense policies and dynamic review chains require Premium [15]
Pricing
$0/user/month
Integrations
NetSuite, QuickBooks, Workday,SAP Concur, Slack, & global banking portals.
Ideal Company Size
Startups to mid-market
Expensify
Best for simple reimbursements
4.5 on G2
  • SmartScan receipt capture by photo, email forwarding (receipts@expensify.com), or text message; auto-extracts transaction details and categorizes expenses [17]
  • Bring-your-own-card support: link existing corporate cards from 10,000+ banks globally for automatic reconciliation without switching card providers [17]
  • Expensify Visa Commercial Card with cash back on US purchases; cash back first offsets the Expensify subscription cost, then flows to the company's bank account [17]
  • Concierge AI for automated expense categorization, policy violation flagging, rule enforcement, and error reduction [17]
  • Global reimbursements for employees and independent contractors in their local currency [17]
  • Chat-based collaboration directly on individual expenses to resolve questions in real time rather than through email follow-ups [17]
  • 45+ integrations including QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, Workday, and Gusto [17]
  • Pro: Bring-your-own-card from 10,000+ banks globally [17]
  • Pro: Expensify Card cash back can offset the subscription cost [17]
  • Pro: SmartScan receipt capture by photo, email, or text message [17]
  • Pro: 45+ integrations including major ERPs and payroll systems [17]
  • Con: No free plan; starts at $5/user/month [18]
  • Con: Pricing structure varies by card spend volume [18]
  • Con: Budget management, advanced approvals, and expense policies require Collect or Control plans [17]
  • Con: No department-level budget management on par with card-first platforms
Pricing
From $5/user/month
Integrations
QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, TSheets, Gusto, & most business credit cards.
Ideal Company Size
Small to mid-market
Zoho Expense
Best for budget-conscious teams
4.5 on G2
  • Autoscan receipt capture with OCR that auto-categorizes and itemizes each expense, plus the ability to split or tag expenses across departments, projects, or cost centers [19][20]
  • Automated per diem calculations with pre-defined rules based on country, location, and trip details for regional compliance [20]
  • Corporate card management with real-time feeds that automatically match transactions to uploaded receipts for faster reconciliation [20]
  • Mileage tracking with four input methods across Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch [20]
  • Configurable approval workflows, expense policies, and audit rules with detailed audit trails for compliance [19][20]
  • Custom modules, workflow automation, webhooks, and configurable UI elements for businesses that need tailored expense processes [19]
  • Active-user pricing model: only employees who actually create expenses are charged, so admins and approvers who don't submit reports are free [21]
  • Pro: Free plan available for up to 3 users with core expense tracking [21]
  • Pro: Active-user pricing—admins and approvers aren't charged [21]
  • Pro: Automated per diem calculations by country and location [20]
  • Pro: Deep customization with custom modules and workflow automation [19]
  • Con: Corporate card feeds and multi-level approvals require Standard plan [21]
  • Con: Deepest value requires the broader Zoho ecosystem (Books, People, CRM) [19]
  • Con: No corporate card offering; relies on connecting existing cards [20]
  • Con: Travel booking, per diem, and live budgets require Premium plan [21]
Pricing
Free (3 users); from $4/user/month
Integrations
Zoho Books, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, & Google Workspace.
Ideal Company Size
Small to mid-market