Firms back card-led payment amid reliance on manual processes

By Aarav Garg

Recent research commissioned by Corpay indicates that many organisations continue to rely on manual or partially manual processes for managing spend, even as finance leaders increasingly prioritise automation and card-based payments.

The study, which surveyed 300 chief financial officers (CFOs) across sectors including retail, wholesale, manufacturing and IT, found that 83% believe their organisation’s spend management processes are more manual than they should be. A similar share, 84%, said their business has been slow to modernise supplier payments and expense management.

At the same time, 81% of respondents said card-led payments offer a competitive advantage, showing a gap between current practices and future priorities. While many organisations have begun adopting digital tools, most still operate with a combination of manual and automated systems.

The operational impact of this gap is significant. According to the findings, 86% of CFOs said finance teams spend more than six hours per person each week on administrative tasks related to expenses, invoices and supplier payments. More than a quarter reported spending between 11 and 15 hours.

When asked how they would use time saved through automation, respondents pointed to higher-value activities rather than cost reduction. The most common priorities included business partnering, cash flow forecasting and strategic planning.

The research also points to increasing competitive pressure. Around 91% of CFOs said they are concerned that competitors are ahead in adopting automated, card-based payment processes, suggesting that modernisation is becoming a strategic issue rather than purely an operational one.

Nearly all respondents, 99%, said that additional working capital flexibility would be at least somewhat valuable, underscoring the growing role of modern payment solutions in supporting liquidity and improving oversight of business spending.

Commenting on the findings, Piero Macari, VP Product Corporate Payments at Corpay, said, “The message from UK CFOs is clear. Payment automation is increasingly being viewed as a strategic priority. When so many finance leaders believe competitors are ahead, we can see that there are a competitive few that are setting the pace. Many view card-led payments as one of the most practical ways to begin modernising spend management, improving how spend is controlled and analysed. This reflects the growing importance of more automated and integrated payment infrastructure.”

He added, “We recently launched Corpay Complete to bring accounts payable, domestic and international payments, and corporate card spend into a single digital environment. By reducing reliance on manual processes, strengthening controls and delivering full visibility across transactions, it helps CFOs improve working capital management while lowering risk and administrative burden. For those looking to stay competitive, card-led payments with integrated and automated spend management is now fundamental to financial resilience and growth.”