BILL Targets B2B Payment Delays with New Automation Features

SAN JOSE, CA – April 08, 2026 – In a move aimed at untangling the notoriously complex web of business-to-business (B2B) payments, financial software company BILL has announced a significant expansion of its Supplier Payments Plus solution. The new capabilities are designed to help large enterprise suppliers get paid faster by their small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers, promising to accelerate payment times by up to a week and reduce the manual labor that plagues many finance departments.

The enhancements address a persistent pain point in the corporate world: the slow, often manual process of invoicing and payment between businesses. While consumer payments have become largely instantaneous, B2B transactions often remain mired in legacy systems, with industry data showing over 60% of such payments are still made with paper checks. This reliance on outdated methods creates significant cash flow uncertainty and operational overhead for suppliers.

“B2B payments are complex, requiring orchestration, trust, and precision across both SMBs and their Enterprise Suppliers,” said Mary Kay Bowman, EVP and GM of Payments and Financial Services at BILL, in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Across our network of more than 8 million businesses, BILL operates at the center, absorbing complexity at scale so customers on both sides can move money with greater clarity and control.”

Tackling the Seven-Day Lag

The centerpiece of BILL's announcement is the claim that suppliers can get paid up to approximately seven days faster. According to the company, this acceleration is primarily achieved by converting slow, manual payment methods into streamlined digital transactions. The average B2B payment cycle can stretch to 60 days or more, far exceeding standard 30-day terms and creating significant working capital challenges.

To achieve this, BILL is rolling out several key features. One is Card Straight-Through Processing (STP), a system that fully automates card payment processing from initiation to settlement. This eliminates the need for manual intervention, such as entering card details or reconciling receipts, which are common sources of delays and errors. For businesses handling a high volume of transactions, STP can transform a labor-intensive process into a seamless, background operation.

Another enhancement is Intelligent Payment Preferences, which allows suppliers to set configurable rules for how they receive money. They can prioritize payment speed or lower transaction costs, directing customers toward ACH payments—which are typically cheaper than credit cards—or enabling faster card payments when cash flow is critical. This level of control helps suppliers manage their Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) more effectively and improve the predictability of their incoming funds.

Building a Bridge in a Fragmented Ecosystem

Beyond simply speeding up transactions, BILL's strategy appears focused on building a more connected and inclusive B2B payment ecosystem. The company is leveraging its position as an intermediary to reduce friction for both buyers and suppliers, regardless of whether they are already on the BILL platform.

A key innovation in this area is the introduction of Payment Links. This feature allows suppliers to generate a simple, shareable link to accept card or ACH payments from any SMB customer, even those who do not have a BILL account. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry for digital payments, helping suppliers digitize their accounts receivable without forcing their entire customer base to sign up for a new service.

Furthermore, the platform aims to provide a Unified Visibility Dashboard, offering suppliers a single view of all incoming payments, whether from businesses within BILL's network or from external sources via Payment Links. This holistic view is critical for accurate cash flow forecasting and gives finance teams greater operational control by consolidating payment data that is often siloed across multiple systems and spreadsheets.

Navigating a Crowded and Competitive Field

BILL's move comes as the B2B payments market is experiencing a surge in innovation and competition. The global market, valued at over $1.5 trillion in 2024, is projected to more than double by 2034 as businesses increasingly abandon manual processes. This has attracted a host of fintech players, including Tipalti, AvidXchange, and Stampli, all vying to automate and streamline corporate finance.

In this crowded landscape, BILL is differentiating itself by focusing on the unique relationship between large enterprise suppliers and the vast, fragmented market of SMB buyers. While competitors often focus on AP automation for a single company, BILL's strategy hinges on its network effect—the idea that the platform becomes more valuable as more buyers and suppliers join. By making it easier for off-network SMBs to pay their enterprise vendors, BILL is effectively building a wider, more accessible on-ramp to its digital ecosystem.

This network approach is further bolstered by BILL's extensive partnerships with major U.S. financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, which offer white-label versions of its platform to their business clients. This deep integration into the existing financial infrastructure gives BILL a powerful distribution channel and a level of trust that can be difficult for newer startups to replicate.

The Hurdles of Digital Transformation

Despite the clear benefits of automation, the path to a fully digital B2B landscape is not without obstacles. For enterprise suppliers, a primary challenge is integrating new software with their existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and accounting systems. While modern platforms like BILL offer APIs and pre-built connectors, ensuring a seamless data flow without synchronization errors or workflow disruptions remains a significant technical hurdle for many organizations.

On the other side of the transaction, adoption among SMBs can be inconsistent. Many small businesses stick with paper checks not out of preference, but out of habit and a reluctance to change established processes. Features like Payment Links are designed to make the switch painless, but overcoming this inertia will require a concerted effort of education and incentives.

Ultimately, BILL's expanded offering represents another significant step in the long-overdue modernization of B2B finance. By focusing on the practical benefits of faster cash flow, reduced manual work, and greater visibility, the company is making a compelling case for businesses to finally leave their paper-based processes behind and embrace a more connected and efficient digital future.