{"id":57552,"date":"2025-06-12T17:24:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T15:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/fr\/blog\/order-to-cash-still-too-manual-a-cycle\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T14:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T13:52:08","slug":"order-to-cash-still-too-manual-a-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/blog\/order-to-cash-still-too-manual-a-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Order-to-cash: still too manual a cycle?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>Where are the sticking points?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The main weakness of Order-to-Cash lies in its dependence on human intervention. On average, 5 to 7 employees are involved in each cycle\u00b9. One incorrect entry, one missing validation or one forgotten reminder can slow down the entire chain.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few concrete examples illustrate this fragility:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Orders with pricing errors or customer inconsistencies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delayed invoicing due to lack of validation or automation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Logistics tracking poorly synchronised with management tools<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manual or incomplete bank reconciliation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generic customer reminders, often managed via Excel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond delays, these slowdowns undermine both financial visibility and the quality of commercial relationships, regardless of the sector of activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>Is team availability the crux of the problem?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In France, the average payment delay is 13 days\u00b2, often caused by disputes or pending validations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a context of reduced or heavily stretched teams, any friction can cause several days of delay. Holidays, non-working days, internal emergencies: these are all variables that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/blog\/do-you-really-have-control-over-your-invoice-collection-cycle\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/blog\/do-you-really-have-control-over-your-invoice-collection-cycle\/\">slow down the collection of invoices<\/a>, which should be as short as possible to support the company&#8217;s cash flow needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to internal efficiency, there are also actions expected on the customer side: validation of a payment order, execution of a payment, clarification of the purpose of the payment, etc. Here again, the human factor is decisive and rarely predictable, introducing significant uncertainty into the order-to-cash cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Order-to-Cash.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52935\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>Why is payment central to this cycle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Payment, often considered the end of the process, is in fact the start of a series of actions: notifying the production team upon receipt of a deposit, issuing alerts in the event of non-payment, updating data in the ERP system upon receipt, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this sense, payments and their processing are not the end of the cycle, but a central trigger that requires a level of responsiveness that humans can hardly guarantee entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>What levers can be used to improve order-to-cash in the long term?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Optimising order-to-cash is not simply a matter of speeding up the collection cycle, but of streamlining all the actions that structure it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Better customer service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Payment is based on a voluntary action by the customer, often influenced by the quality of their experience and the means at their disposal. It is therefore necessary to reduce obstacles such as delays, lack of clarity and lack of options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To achieve this, several levers can be activated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A variety of payment methods tailored to B2B (bank transfer, direct debit, card, Pay by Bank)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payment facilities or instalment plans (financing, BNPL, ApplePay\/GooglePay, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An online portal allowing customers to view their balance, invoices and due dates, and to update their bank details if necessary<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>These services have a direct impact on the speed of cash collection\/<a href=\"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/blog\/which-debt-collection-solution-should-you-choose\/\">debt recovery<\/a> and a reduction in DSO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Focusing efforts on the essentials<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Process automation halves the time spent by accounting teams and reduces DSO by 30% on average\u00b3. Advanced automation solutions also incorporate alert or prediction mechanisms that can identify likely delays or recommend targeted reminders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as EY summarises in its report on financial digitalisation\u2074, automation alone is not enough to optimise the O2C cycle: a truly collaborative approach between departments and systems must be initiated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Adapting to regulatory challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting in September 2026, the <a href=\"https:\/\/entreprendre.service-public.fr\/actualites\/A15683\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/entreprendre.service-public.fr\/actualites\/A15683\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">electronic invoicing reform<\/a> will require French companies to transmit their transaction data to the administration via e-reporting. This obligation is conditional on the proper completion of the Order-to-Cash cycle: the invoice must be issued, paid, and reconciled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the event of a delay or inconsistency, the company risks a fine of up to \u20ac250 per breach, with a maximum of \u20ac15,000 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gaining control over the O2C cycle is therefore no longer just a performance lever, but a compliance requirement. For example, Italian companies, which began the transition to mandatory e-reporting in 2015, have seen many structural benefits, particularly in terms of available cash flow and operational efficiency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Payments and their processing are not the end of the cycle, but a central trigger that requires a level of responsiveness that humans can hardly guarantee entirely &#8211; Victor Derrier<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>Why is the transformation still slow?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Several obstacles remain to the modernisation of the O2C cycle. The first is legacy applications. Legacy systems have limited real-time interoperability. Data flows in batches, synchronisation is slow, and any change requires a separate project.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly, the O2C cycle is cross-functional, but without a clear owner. Between the finance department, the IT department and the sales department, no one is really driving the transformation. Without governance, there is no budget and no roadmap.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Added to this is an internal culture that is resistant to change. The \u2018we&#8217;ve always done it this way\u2019 mentality remains strong, even if it means ignoring the unmeasured cost of organisational errors. The ROI is therefore unclear and difficult to justify.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>Towards data-driven O2C?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The future of order-to-cash will be shaped by automation, synchronisation and user experience. Systems will need to communicate with each other, events will trigger actions, and customers will benefit from complete transparency regarding their situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the widespread adoption of e-reporting, the importance of a structured and efficient O2C cycle is accelerating. Each step of the process becomes actionable data in real time, enabling better cash flow management, resource optimisation and a frictionless customer experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you exploring this topic? Our teams will support you in transforming your order-to-cash cycle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/centralpay-contact\/\" style=\"border-radius:5px\">I chat with an expert \u279c<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u00b9 Internal study (2025)<\/em><br><em>\u00b2 Altares, \u201cPayment delays in companies in France\u201d (2024)<\/em><br><em>\u00b3 Emagia, \u201cOvercoming the challenges of order-to-cash automation\u201d (2024)<\/em><br><em>\u2074 EY, \u201cWhy tech transformations need to be more human\u201d (2023)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Image generated by artificial intelligence<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n  \"name\": \"Order-to-cash : a too manual cycle - CentralPay\",\n  \"headline\": \"Order-to-cash: still too manual a cycle ?\",\n  \"datePublished\": \"June 12, 2025\",\n  \"dateModified\": \"June 12, 2025\",\n  \"description\": \"Order to cash : discover why the cycle is still too manual and how to streamline your revenue processes.\",\n  \"image\": {\n  \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n  \"height\": \"600\",\n  \"width\": \"1000\",\n  \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Order-to-Cash.jpg\"\n  },\n  \"author\": {\n  \"@type\": \"Person\",\n  \"name\": \"Victor Derrier\"\n  },\n  \"publisher\": {\n  \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n  \"name\": \"CentralPay\",\n  \"logo\": {\n  \"@type\": \"imageObject\",\n  \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/assets\/images\/logo.png\"\n  }\n  },\n  \"mainEntityOfPage\": true,\n  \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/blog\/order-to-cash-still-too-manual-a-cycle\/\"\n}\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Order-to-Cash (O2C) refers to all the steps that connect a customer order to its actual payment. This cycle consists of a chain of strategic tasks: order validation, invoice issuance, delivery, reminders, payment collection, and accounting reconciliation. In practice, it involves several departments simultaneously (sales, finance, sales administration, logistics), but also depends on the involvement of the customer themselves.  <\/p>\n<p>In a context of longer payment terms and pressure on cash flow, the O2C process still has considerable room for improvement. Fragmented, time-consuming and subject to unexpected delays, it still too often relies on manual or siloed systems.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":52956,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[203],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-experts-review"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57552"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61872,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57552\/revisions\/61872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.centralpay.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}