There’s a quiet revolution happening inside organisations, and it’s starting at the top.

The Office of the CFO (OCFO) — once primarily focused on financial reporting, compliance, and cost control — is now being asked to drive enterprise-wide operational excellence. That means making processes faster, smarter, more resilient, and ultimately, more value-driven. For managers within Order-to-Cash (O2C) and Source-to-Pay (S2P) processes, this new focus is more than just a high-level message. It’s a clear directive: Change how you work. Use AI-driven automation. Deliver measurable results.

If you’re a functional manager, the way you manage your day-to-day activities is about to shift dramatically. And Esker — with its proven AI-driven platforms for O2C and S2P — is perfectly positioned to help you make that leap. Here’s a deeper look at why this transformation is happening and how Esker’s solutions can help you thrive rather than just survive.

1. CFOs Are Shifting From Back-Office to Front-Office Value Creation

Today’s CFOs aren’t only thinking about closing the books. They’re asking questions like:

• Can we improve working capital without harming supplier or customer relationships?
• Can we reduce cash conversion cycles to free up resources for growth?
• Can we predict financial risks instead of reacting to them?

Answering these requires functional-level change in the way O2C and S2P processes are run.
The old model — manual invoice matching, endless dunning calls, late payments to suppliers — can’t deliver the visibility, agility, or performance required.

Instead, CFOs are turning to digitisation and AI to:

• Optimise cash flow
• Enhance customer and supplier experiences
• Mitigate compliance risks
• Create real-time transparency across the enterprise

2. The Functional Manager’s New Mandate: Rethink, Rebuild, Reimagine

As CFOs push for faster, smarter operations, the expectations for O2C and S2P managers are rising:

3. Why AI-Driven Automation is the Only Way Forward

Simply put, you can’t achieve these new expectations with old tools.
That’s why solutions like Esker’s AI-powered O2C and S2P platforms are becoming essential. They allow managers to move from manual, error-prone processes to intelligent, touchless operations that deliver both tactical and strategic value.

Let’s break this down with some examples:
 

In O2C: Esker’s Accounts Receivable Solution

Current Pain Point:
Manual cash application slows down collections, leading to higher Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and liquidity challenges.

Esker in Action:
Esker’s Accounts Receivable solution uses AI-powered Cash Application to automatically match incoming payments with invoices, even when remittance data is incomplete.
- 80-90% match rates without human intervention
- Reduced DSO by up to 10-15%
- Freed up collections teams to focus on strategic customer outreach, not data entry

Example:
One of Esker’s customers, a global healthcare manufacturer, reduced unapplied cash by 75% within the first six months of go-live, directly impacting their free cash flow — a metric highly visible to the CFO.

In S2P: Esker’s Source-to-Pay Solution

Current Pain Point:
AP teams spend countless hours manually keying invoices, chasing approvals, and fixing mismatches — delaying supplier payments and risking early payment discounts.

Esker in Action:
Esker’s Source-to-Pay solution leverages AI to capture and validate supplier invoices, automatically match them to POs and receipts, and route them for digital approval workflows.
- Up to 65% straight-through invoice processing
- Reduced invoice processing costs by 60-70%
- Faster approvals help capture more early payment discounts

Example:
A multinational food distributor automated their AP process with Esker, slashing processing time from 30 days to just 7 days — directly improving supplier relationships and negotiation power.

Cross-Process: Visibility & Analytics

Both Esker’s O2C and S2P suites come with AI-driven dashboards and predictive analytics.

For managers, this means:
- Real-time tracking of KPIs like DSO, DPO, touchless rates
- Early warning systems for cash flow risks
- Actionable insights on customer or supplier behaviour patterns

No more reporting lags or “hindsight” decision-making — you get visibility that supports proactive management.

4. Why Acting Now Matters

Some managers may wonder: Can’t we wait until the CFO’s office fully defines the transformation programme?
The answer: No.
Early movers gain a huge advantage — both personally and organisationally.

- Career growth: Those who can demonstrate leadership in AI adoption will be seen as strategic enablers, not operational bottlenecks.
- Quick wins: Starting with targeted automation (like Esker’s intelligent collections management or supplier invoice processing) delivers immediate ROI and builds momentum.
- Future-proofing: As regulatory, economic, and competitive pressures rise, organisations with agile, automated processes will simply outperform those stuck in manual modes.

5. Getting Started with Esker: A Practical Roadmap

Here’s how a functional manager can kickstart transformation with Esker:

1. Identify Pain Points:
Where are the most manual, error-prone steps today?
2. Pilot a Solution:
Start small — perhaps with Esker’s AI Cash Application or Supplier Invoice Automation.
3. Measure & Communicate Value:
Track KPIs like processing time, error rates, and cash flow impact. Share results with leadership.
4. Expand & Scale:
Once a pilot succeeds, expand automation to adjacent processes.

Final Thoughts

The message from the Office of the CFO is loud and clear:
Digitise. Automate. Optimise. Or risk falling behind. Functional managers in O2C and S2P are critical players in this transformation. By embracing AI-driven automation, and by leveraging proven solutions like Esker’s intelligent finance, customer service and procurement platforms - you won’t just adapt to change, you’ll lead it!
The future is already arriving. The question is: Will you be ready?

Contact us to learn more.