Faster Payments and AR Automation: Key Takeaways from Fifth Third’s Webinar

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Key takeaways:

• Accounts receivable automation accelerates the invoice-to-cash cycle by delivering invoices immediately and reducing manual processes.
• Automation strengthens security and reduces fraud risks with layered authentication, validated sender identities and automated fraud-detection checkpoints.
• Integrated systems improve accuracy and visibility through automatic payment matching and real-time insights.
• Successful automation requires communication and cohesive technology planning.

Webinar Presenters 

Adam Keck

Director, Product Management, Fifth Third Bank 

Adam Keck brings deep expertise in enterprise-level AP and AR transformation, overseeing Fifth Third's managed service solutions and industry-specific payment strategies. He provides a comprehensive view of how organizations modernize at scale 

Robert McHale

Senior Treasury Solutions Consultant, Fifth Third Bank 

Robert McHale serves as a senior treasury solutions consultant advising clients across diverse industries and ERP environments. His consultative experience gives him firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities of AR integration.

Together, their combined backgrounds offer a balanced view of both strategic direction and practical application.

Transforming the invoice-to-cash process with AR automation

As organizations work to modernize their financial operations, accounts receivable (AR) automation has emerged as a core strategy for reducing friction, improving accuracy and strengthening cash flow. In a landscape shaped by rapid payment innovation, rising fraud risk and increasingly complex operational demands, automation provides a clear path toward greater resilience and efficiency.

During a recent Fifth Third webinar titled “Cash Me If You Can: Catching Faster Payments with AR Automation,"  industry experts explored how automation is reshaping the invoice‑to‑cash lifecycle. Their insights reinforce a growing consensus across the industry: organizations that modernize deliberately, with a clear roadmap and strong operational alignment, are better positioned to capture the full value of AR automation.

Why AR automation is rising to the top of finance priorities

Traditional AR workflows, from invoice delivery to payment matching, still rely heavily on manual effort. These processes slow down cash flow and increase the risk of error. AR automation helps to resolve these challenges by digitizing key steps, strengthening accuracy, improving the client experience and giving finance teams clearer, real-time insight into their receivables.

“By implementing AR automation, and in many cases artificial intelligence, organizations can take significant cost out of the equation by removing manual steps,” shares Adam Keck, director of product management at Fifth Third Bank.

Key benefits of AR automation

AR automation streamlines the entire invoice-to-cash process by accelerating invoicing, enhancing security, improving reconciliation and fostering better client engagement. Beyond core processing efficiencies, these added capabilities help organizations modernize the full lifecycle of invoicing and payment.

1. Faster, more reliable invoice delivery. Automated systems ensure near‑instant delivery and consistent follow-ups, supporting reduced DSO without manual outreach. This shift alone often creates measurable gains for organizations that still rely on mailed systems or manual batching cycles
2. Stronger fraud prevention and transaction security. With fraud attempts like email spoofing and compromised account details on the rise, automated controls like identity validation, fraud checks and standardized workflows add important safeguards.
3. More efficient payment processing solutions, matching and reconciliation. Integrations between AR platforms, ERPs and payment portals auto-match incoming payments to open invoices. Additionally, exceptions like underpayments or discrepancies are flagged for quick resolution, freeing teams to focus on more strategic analysis and planning rather than manual reconciliation work.
4. Greater visibility into receivables. Automation centralizes invoice status, disputes, balances, received instant paymentsand trends into one unified view. Finance teams gain a real-time understanding of where payments stand, which strengthens forecasting and helps leaders intervene earlier when challenges arise.
5. Meaningful cost savings and operational efficiency. Reduced manual touchpoints limit errors and free teams to focus on strategic work. For many organizations, this creates a more scalable operating model that can support growth without significant increases in staffing or administrative burden.

Change management: Communicate early and often 

To capture these benefits sustainably, organizations need disciplined execution that involves clear communication, a well-sequenced rollout and tight coordination across finance, IT and client-facing teams. Establishing these foundations ensures automation integrates smoothly and supports operational continuity.

Providing advance notice of new payment portals, email invoicing and process updates reduces disruption, while pairing multiple payment options with clear guidance enables a seamless transition.

With a strong foundation in place, consistent, transparent communication reinforces trust and accelerates adoption.

Ensuring cohesive technology integration 

In addition to transparent communication, successful AR automation relies on a unified technology roadmap and a clear understanding of how current workflows operate. When new tools are added without that context, organizations often face fragmented data, inconsistent adoption and limited ROI. Evaluating workflows upfront and identifying where automation will deliver the most value leads to smoother implementation and a stronger business case.

A forward-looking approach strengthens this foundation. Engaging technology partners early helps ensure new systems meet immediate needs while supporting future scalability, reducing the risk of rework and maximizing long-term value.

Avoiding integration pitfalls also depends on whether your core systems can absorb new AR and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities effectively. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, for example, remain the backbone of financial operations, making seamless integration essential. Understanding how new AR and AI tools fit within the existing ERP environment helps maintain data accuracy and operational continuity. With AI improving data quality, automating exceptions and strengthening forecasting, close collaboration with technology partners ensures smooth integration and positions the organization for efficient, scalable growth.

The bottom line 

AR automation is a powerful tool that can transform the invoice-to-cash process. From faster invoice delivery and improved cash application to enhanced visibility and cost savings, automation addresses key challenges faced by finance teams and strengthens an organization’s ability to scale efficiently and operate with greater accuracy.

The organizations that realize the greatest value pair the right technology with clear communication, disciplined change management and thoughtful integration with core systems.

Explore the full conversation by watching the webinar or contact a relationship manager to learn more about how your organization can build an AR automation strategy tailored to your workflows.