How to Optimize Payments in Your B2B Business: Best Practices for 2026

Optimizing B2B payments in 2026 means much more than simply choosing a faster way to make a bank transfer. For companies, it is important that the entire process – from issuing an invoice and initiating the payment to receiving the funds and reconciling them – requires as little manual work as possible.

This is particularly important in B2B relationships. A company may work simultaneously with dozens or hundreds of customers, suppliers and partners, each with their own invoices, payment terms and transactions. Even small inefficiencies in the process can add up to hours of administrative work every month.

A modern B2B platform can connect sales, invoicing and payments into a single digital process. Open Banking and direct account-to-account payments provide an additional opportunity to integrate bank transfers directly into this process instead of requiring customers to enter all payment details manually.

Specific Challenges of Modern B2B Payments

The main challenge with B2B payments is that the process often involves more participants, documents and administrative steps than consumer payments. From issuing an invoice to its final reconciliation, sales, finance and accounting teams on both sides may be involved.

In many companies, invoices are still sent by email, after which the recipient has to separately log in to their online or mobile banking and initiate the transfer. Once the funds arrive, the supplier’s finance team must determine which invoice the payment relates to.

The bank transfer itself is only one part of this process. It is often the actions before and after the transfer that create the greatest administrative workload.

Delayed Cash Flow and Slow Settlement in B2B Transactions

Delayed cash flow in B2B transactions is often caused not only by agreed payment terms but also by the way the payment itself is initiated and processed. If a customer receives an invoice and has to initiate the transfer later, another step is added between receiving the document and actually making the payment.

The type of bank transfer used also matters. According to the European Central Bank, a standard electronic payment in the EU may take up to one business day, while with SEPA Instant Credit Transfer, funds can be available in the recipient’s account within up to 10 seconds.

For businesses, the fast arrival of an already initiated payment is important, but how easily the customer can initiate that payment matters just as much. When the payment option is part of the invoice, customer portal or another digital process, the journey between receiving the payment request and completing the payment becomes shorter.

Accounting Errors When Manually Matching Invoices and Transfers

Manually matching incoming bank transfers with invoices increases the risk of errors and burdens finance teams with tasks that can be automated. Problems are particularly common when the payer omits the invoice number, enters a different payment reference or combines several outstanding amounts into a single transfer.

In such cases, the accounting team must determine who made the payment, which invoices have been covered and whether the amount received matches the expected amount.

When a specific order, invoice or obligation identifier is linked to the payment request from the moment it is created, the incoming payment can be matched much more easily with the correct record in the company’s internal system.

The Role of a Modern B2B Platform in Digitizing Sales

A modern B2B platform can bring the order, invoice and payment together into one continuous digital process. Instead of managing the different stages in separate systems, the payment can be directly linked to the specific transaction.

This is particularly useful for companies with B2B portals, ERP systems, customer accounts or digital ordering platforms. Once a business customer selects a product or service, the system can create a specific payment request with predefined details.

This way, B2B payments are no longer a separate administrative process that follows the sale but become part of the sale itself.

Integrating Direct Bank Transfers into B2B Portals

Direct bank payments can be integrated into a B2B portal so that the customer can move directly from a specific order or invoice to their banking environment. The company does not need to replace the bank transfer itself – what changes is the way the transfer is initiated.

With an Open Banking solution, the customer can select their bank, be redirected to their mobile or online banking and confirm a payment that has already been prepared.

This model is not limited to B2B e-commerce. A payment link can also be included in an electronic invoice or sent via email or another communication channel. This enables direct bank payments to be used by companies that do not operate their own B2B sales portal.

Automatic Payment Initiation Without the Risk of Entering an Incorrect IBAN

A pre-filled IBAN removes the need for the payer to manually copy or enter it, reducing one of the potential sources of human error in bank transfers. The amount, recipient and payment reference can also be provided in advance, depending on the specific payment solution.

The customer receives a ready-to-use payment request, reviews the details and confirms the transaction through their bank.

With IRIS Pay, for example, the payment parameters are provided in advance, while the customer selects their bank and confirms the payment within the banking environment. This shortens the process and reduces the need to manually transfer information between an invoice, a business system and online banking.

Requirements and Steps for Opening a Business Bank Account Online

Opening a business bank account online depends on the specific bank, the country in which the company is registered, and the identification and verification procedures applied by the relevant financial institution. Therefore, there is no single process that applies to every bank and every company.

Typically, the bank needs to identify the legal entity, its representatives and beneficial owners and carry out the necessary checks in accordance with applicable requirements. Depending on the bank, part or all of the process may be completed remotely.

For businesses, however, there is another important question: is it necessary to open a new account when a company introduces a new way of accepting payments?

With IRIS Pay, merchants do not need to open a special new bank account solely to use the service. A merchant can register its existing bank account to receive funds from customer payments. This allows the new payment channel to be added to the company’s existing financial setup.

Automation and Security in B2B Payments in 2026

B2B payment automation in 2026 should reduce manual work while maintaining control over every individual transaction. Effective automation is not simply about making payments faster; each transaction should also be identifiable, traceable and linked to a specific obligation.

Open Banking enables payments to be initiated through a secure connection with the customer’s bank, with authentication taking place within the banking environment. With this model, the merchant does not need to receive card details in order to accept the payment.

Automation can continue after the transaction itself. When the payment solution is integrated with an ERP, accounting or sales system, the payment status can be used to trigger subsequent actions, such as updating an order or matching the incoming funds with a specific obligation.

The value of automation is therefore measured not only by the speed of the transfer but also by the administrative time the company saves around it.

Optimize Financial Processes in Your B2B Business with IRIS Pay

IRIS Pay enables companies to integrate direct bank account payments into different B2B processes without requiring the customer to manually create a bank transfer. The solution is based on Open Banking and allows funds to be transferred directly from the payer’s account to the merchant’s account.

For a B2B portal or online platform, IRIS Pay by Click can be integrated into the payment process. For invoices and remote payments, IRIS Pay by Link enables businesses to create a payment link with predefined parameters that can be sent to the customer or included in a digital document. IRIS Pay by QR adds the option to initiate a payment by scanning a QR code.

IRIS Pay also provides API integration options for internal business systems. This allows a specific payment to be linked to an order or another identifier and its status to be tracked within the company’s system.

For B2B companies, this changes the focus. Optimization is no longer simply about finding a lower price for an individual bank transfer. The goal is to reduce the number of actions required between issuing an invoice and receiving and identifying the corresponding payment.

Combining direct bank payments, Open Banking and automation can turn payment from a separate administrative task into a natural part of the digital B2B process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are B2B Payments?

B2B payments are payments made between two companies for goods, services or other contractual obligations. They can be made through bank transfers and other payment solutions, while modern digital models increasingly integrate payments with invoices, ERP systems and B2B platforms.

How Can a B2B Platform Simplify Payments?

A B2B platform can connect an order or invoice directly to the payment process. This means the customer does not have to switch to a completely separate process and manually transfer payment details, while the business can more easily match the incoming funds with the relevant transaction.

Do I Need to Open a Business Bank Account Online to Use IRIS Pay?

There is no need to open a new dedicated bank account solely to use IRIS Pay. Merchants can register their bank account to receive customer payments. If opening a business bank account online is otherwise necessary, the process depends on the procedures and requirements of the chosen bank.

How Do Direct Bank Payments Reduce the Risk of Errors?

Direct bank payments can reduce errors because the IBAN, amount and other necessary information can be predefined before the customer proceeds to confirmation. This removes the need to manually copy these details from an invoice or another document.

Can a B2B Payment Be Automatically Matched to a Specific Invoice?

Yes, when the payment solution and the company’s systems are properly integrated. An order or obligation identifier can be linked to the payment transaction, allowing the payment information to be used by an ERP, accounting or other internal system.

What Does B2B Payment Automation Actually Save?

Automation primarily saves the manual work surrounding the bank transfer itself. The customer does not need to copy all payment details manually, while the business can reduce the time spent checking, identifying and matching incoming funds with specific orders and invoices.