How to Build a Business Case for Process Automation at the Functional Level
Getting buy-in for new technology — even when it’s as game-changing as AI-powered solutions — requires more than just enthusiasm.
You need a solid business case that speaks the language of leadership:
- ROI
- Risk Mitigation
- Strategic Value
- Compliancy
- Improved Relationships
If you’re a functional manager in Order-to-Cash (O2C) or Source-to-Pay (S2P), here’s a step-by-step guide to building a winning business case for Esker automation.
Step 1: Define the Problem — Quantify the Pain
Before you talk about solutions, show leaders why change is needed.
Ask yourself:
- How much time does the team spend on manual tasks?
- How much revenue is tied up in slow cash application or high DSO?
- How many errors or disputes happen each month?
- What’s the cost of inefficiency (lost discounts, customer dissatisfaction, late payments)?
Pro Tip:
Use concrete numbers. For example:
“Today, our AR team manually matches 85% of payments, taking 2 FTEs (full-time employees) 40+ hours/week — at an annual cost of £150,000.”
Pain backed by data creates urgency.
Step 2: Align with Strategic Goals
Next, connect the pain to CFO-level priorities.
For example:
- Improving cash flow
- Reducing operational costs
- Increasing resilience and compliance
- Enhancing customer and supplier relationships
- Gaining real-time financial insights
Pro Tip:
Phrase your case in outcomes, not just activities.
“Automating cash application will reduce DSO by 12%, improving working capital by £5M annually, supporting our growth objectives.”
Step 3: Show How an Automated Solution Can help Solve It
This is where you position your ideal solution.
🔹 In O2C:
- AI Cash Application reduces manual effort by 80-90%.
- Collections Management prioritises actions based on payment risk.
- Customer Portal improves customer self-service and dispute resolution.
🔹 In S2P:
- Supplier Invoice Automation processes invoices faster with touchless matching.
- Procurement Automation standardises purchasing and improves compliance.
- Supplier Management builds stronger relationships and enables early payment discounts.
Highlight a proven track record:
“Companies using this specific solution see 50-70% faster processing times, 10-15% DSO reduction, and 2-5x ROI within the first year.”
Step 4: Estimate Costs vs. Benefits
Outline both direct and indirect costs and benefits.
| Costs | Benefits |
| Software subscription | Labour savings |
| Implementation on fees | Reduced DSO/DPO |
| Training time | Lower error rates and disputes |
| Change management | Improved cash flow and liquidity |
Pro Tip:
Work with their team to project ROI based on your actual volumes and costs.
Step 5: Address Risks — and How To Mitigate Them
Leadership will want to know: What could go wrong?
Common concerns:
- Implementation complexity
- Integration with existing ERP systems
- User adoption
Show How These Could Be Mitigated:
- Proven ERP connectors (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.)
- Dedicated onboarding and support teams
- User-friendly, intuitive platforms to speed adoption
Step 6: Recommend a Pilot Project or POC
Don’t ask leadership to “boil the ocean” right away. Suggest a focused pilot to prove value.
Examples:
- Pilot the Cash Application module with 1 business unit.
- Automate Supplier Invoice Processing for top 10 suppliers.
- Launch Collections Management with strategic customers.
This reduces perceived risk and builds momentum for a broader rollout.
Create a Simple and Succinct Elevator Pitch for Your Business Case:
“Our current O2C process is heavily manual, costing us £150K annually in labour alone, with a DSO 10 days higher than industry benchmarks. By implementing new AI-powered Cash Application and Collections Management solutions, we can automate 80% of tasks, reduce DSO by 10-15%, and free up £5M in working capital — while enhancing customer experience. I propose a 90-day pilot focused on cash application automation to validate results quickly and scale from there.”
Final Thoughts
Building a business case isn’t just about selling a solution to top level decision makers within the business — it’s about showing leadership that you’re thinking like them: strategically, financially, and pragmatically. With an AI-driven automation solution behind you, you’re not just fixing broken processes. You’re helping the CFO — and the entire organisation — achieve smarter, faster, stronger finance operations.
Get in touch to learn about Esker’s AI Automation Suite for the Office of the CFO.
Samuel Townsend
Sam is Head of Marketing for Esker UK & Northern Europe and has been part of the Esker family since 2003.
