3 B2B System Integration Tips for the (Non-Tech) Payments Professional

The benefits of implementing new B2B payments technologies are broadcasted at every turn. Nearly every new solution, from those enabling e-invoices and e-payments to those providing social and mobile capabilities, carries almost limitless potential for increased operational efficiency, better vendor satisfaction, enhanced cash flow, and more. But what’s often missing in the “sales pitch” is discussion around the integration challenges—and how achieving a seamless sync between new and legacy systems is central to enjoying ROI.

It’s not that systems integrations have to be difficult—in fact, one of the benefits touted by technology vendors is that their system implementations are easy and hassle-free. Yet while your IT department usually has this covered, it’s important for decision-makers and business users along the supply chain to understand what’s involved when introducing new technology, particularly solutions that are cloud-based and designed to automate workflows. Integrating new systems into your existing technology environment requires attention to detail so that data streams safely and correctly and employees can make the most of their new tools, resulting in the cost- and time-savings you’re looking to achieve.

Here are some integration tips for non-technical decision makers to consider:

Define Your Business Requirements

Do you need to make faster vendor payments in order to take advantage of early payment discounts? Will you AP users be working from their mobile devices? Does your industry have any specific risk mitigation or compliance requirements?

When it comes to employing payments tech, businesses primarily want faster processes, safer payments, and lower costs. It’s good practice to drill-down to what this means—and how results can be measured—in your particular system or workflow. Approaching your system change from a birds-eye view—and digging in deeper to address the most mission-critical issues—will help keep business and technology goals aligned.

Commit to Seamlessness

Going from paper-based to digital systems is a common objective when investing in AP solutions, and means connecting a variety of moving parts. As these connections are made, be clear with which business applications (and even business partners’ systems) are priorities so your IT team knows where to focus their resources. Today’s payment organizations have multiple touch-points, from procurement through payment, and new systems can be synced up and customized to work well with most of them, from in-house ERP and accounting systems to CRM software.

Think about long-term ROI. If you come to find your existing infrastructure is in need of hardware upgrades or you need to make an additional investment in custom application development, it’s usually worth the time, effort, and money to ensure your new solution works the way it’s meant to.

Look into the Future

By all means, think about your company’s potential business needs—those that might start tugging at your sleeve in the foreseeable future. For example, you might be implementing a new system to help you make digital payments and manage your data, but do your goals include making or accepting mobile payments now or within the next five years? It might seem far-fetched, but maybe not.

While you’ll never have a crystal ball, try to anticipate “what’s next” for your customers and suppliers. That way, if and when your company decides to pull ahead of the competition (or even just meet the market where it’s at), you’ll be ready to take action. It comes down to planning: asking important questions and getting answers from your tech vendors and IT team before you’re forced to face the next step.

To plunge deeper into transforming your payment processes with cutting-edge technology, check out The 3 Components of a Successful Tech-Fueled Procurement Transformation and Exploring AP Technologies: Complete Procure-to-Pay Solutions.