Why is IT now involved in B2B payments decisions?

IT is involved because payments platforms now work like software infrastructure. They connect to ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems, run through APIs (application programming interfaces), and automate workflows, so technical teams have to evaluate and maintain them. Finance still plays a leading role, and the decision is now shared.

The data reflects this. In the WEX 2027 B2b payments trends report, 32% of surveyed payment decision-makers work in IT, technology, or engineering, the largest single job function in the sample. Finance and accounting came second at 25%.

Who is in the room when payments decisions get made?

Finance leadership still appears most often, and IT and technology teams now appear regularly alongside it. In the same research, finance leadership was involved in 86% of organizations’ payment decisions, IT in 45%, treasury in 39%, and technology teams in 35%.

Those numbers describe a shared table. Many organizations still picture Finance, Treasury, and Procurement as the decision-makers, and the data shows technical stakeholders sitting beside them.

What changed to bring IT into payments?

Payments moved from a standalone finance task into the software a business already runs. Ron Griswold, director of embedded payments at WEX, put it this way in a 2026 PYMNTS interview: payments went from being “just a line on a P&L” to something that can drive product roadmaps and customer retention.

Buyer expectations follow the same pattern. In WEX’s trends research, 75% of organizations expect easy integration with their ERP or AP (accounts payable) systems, 66% expect well-documented APIs, and 60% expect support for automation workflows. Engineering teams usually own all three.

What do IT and finance each care about?

The two groups often weigh different things, and many priorities overlap. 

Fragmentation concerns both groups. In the WEX 2026 Business Payments Report, 91% of organizations use two or more platforms. The report notes that for technology teams, each additional platform can mean duplicate integrations, multiple APIs, and separate authentication frameworks.

Why does early IT involvement matter?

Integration is where many payment projects slow down, and IT teams can see the problems earlier. In WEX’s 2026 research, implementation cost (51%), integration with existing systems (41%), and change management (38%) were the top barriers to adopting new payment technology.

Timelines show the stakes. Among organizations that adopted a new payment solution in the past 12 to 24 months, 40% took four to six months to integrate it, 23% took seven months or more, and 5% never completed the integration.

Eric Frankovic, head of Corporate Payments at WEX, has pointed to early architecture choices as a major factor. His advice: “The key is to avoid one-off integrations.” He said small early decisions can become expensive later. That interview focused on embedded programs, but the logic applies to any payments project connected to core systems.

He made a related point in 2024: “Integrating payments into complex tech environments is a struggle.” He added that a provider with the right expertise can make a difference.

How can finance and IT make payments decisions together?

• Bring IT in when you define requirements, before you shortlist providers.
• Agree on shared criteria, such as ERP integration, API documentation, fraud controls, and supplier coverage.
• Ask technical and finance stakeholders to review the same demo.
• Decide up front who owns the program after launch, including support and ongoing changes.

FAQ

Does this mean finance is losing control of payments?

No. Finance leadership was the most frequently cited group in WEX’s research, at 86% of organizations. The change is that IT and technology teams now appear in the same decisions, so the work is shared.

How early should IT get involved in a payments project?

Early enough to shape the requirements. In WEX’s research, integration challenges (41%) and change management hurdles (38%) ranked among the top barriers to adopting new payment technology. IT teams usually see integration risks before finance teams do.

What this means for payments leaders

Payments decisions now sit between finance and technology, and the data suggests that organizations treating them that way face fewer surprises. For a deeper look at who is in the room and why, the WEX 2027 B2b payments trends report covers this alongside fraud design, AI trust, and provider consolidation. If your team is evaluating payment platforms, a WEX payments expert can bring finance and technical stakeholders into the same conversation.

For more insights and updates on corporate payments, check out:

• Your guide to virtual card rebates
• How to create an anti-fraud culture
• How to prevent B2B payment errors before year-end

Learn more about how WEX payment solutions can be tailored to your business, so you can accelerate and streamline operations while creating lasting growth and success for your organization.

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax, and investment advisers.

Copyright ©2026 WEX Inc. All rights reserved. The information in this document is subject to change without notice.