Nobody designed how your AP system moves money.
Most accounts payable environments were built to control approvals and get payments out the door. Not to capture value. Here's what changes when the system is designed intentionally.
What This Looks Like for Your Business
$10M – $100M B2B Services Company
Current State
💳
Monthly AP Volume
Mid-market B2B services
$1M–$8M
✉️
Still paid by check
Legacy default — not a strategic choice
40–70%
🔀
Card acceptance exists
But isn't actively routed
Unused
📋
AP team focus
Approvals & execution — not payment economics
—
Designed State
↗️
Payments shift to card
Where vendors already accept it
25–45%
✓
Checks stay where needed
Float preserved intentionally
Kept
⚡
ACH used strategically
Where it improves cost or vendor alignment
Routed
🎯
Payment method is a decision
Not a default
By design
Real-World Example
Real-World Example
$68M.
Professional Services Firm
$4.5M
monthly AP volume
65%
of payments going out by check
Float
actively managed and treated as working capital
Before
Payments treated as an output
Check timing optimized for float only
No routing logic based on vendor capability
After Redesigning the System
~35% of volume routed to card
Where vendors already accepted it
Checks preserved for remaining vendors
No forced changes to vendor relationships
Zero disruption to workflows or approvals
Existing AP processes stayed intact
Float preserved where it existed
Working capital position unchanged
$120K–$180K annual rebate capture added
Net new value on the same AP volume
Same AP volume. Same vendors.
Different system design.
Different system design.
Why Most Systems Don't Work This Way
Most AP environments were built to control approvals, ensure payments go out correctly, and reduce risk. They were not built to route payments based on economic outcome, adapt to vendor payment preferences over time, or capture value across multiple payment types.
So checks persist.
Not because they're optimal —
because the system defaults to them.
because the system defaults to them.
This isn't a tool problem.
It's a design problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
Is float better than rebates?
Float creates incremental value. Rebates typically create order-of-magnitude more value on the same payment volume. The goal isn't to replace float — it's to capture both where appropriate.
Q
What if our vendors don't accept card?
Many already do — it's just not being used. For those that don't, checks and ACH remain in place. Nothing is forced. The system routes based on what's possible.
Q
Does this replace our AP system?
No. Your existing AP workflows, approvals, and accounting systems stay intact. This designs how payments move within and across that system.
Q
Will this create more work for our team?
No. The goal is fewer exceptions, not more decisions. Routing logic is built into the system so your team isn't managing it manually.
Q
Is this just about maximizing rebates?
Rebates are one outcome. The real objective is capturing the full economic value of every payment while maintaining control and consistency.
We design receivables so cash comes in predictably — and payables so cash goes out with control.
SE
Accounts Receivable
We design receivables so
Cash comes in
predictably.
predictably.
📨
Invoice sent → payment collected without chasing
📅
DSO reduced → cash flow becomes consistent
🔁
System built to scale without friction
Accounts Payable
And payables so
Cash goes out
with control.
with control.
🗂️
Every payment routed by design — not default
💳
Card, ACH, check — each used where it creates value
📈
Float preserved + rebates captured simultaneously
Ready to move money better
Let's talk about how SilverEdge can transform your financial operations today.