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E payments offer numerous benefits, including increased convenience, speed, and security. With e payments, you can make transactions from anywhere with an internet connection, at any time.
One of the most significant advantages of e payments is the reduction in cash handling and processing time. According to a study, e payments can save businesses up to 30% of their cash handling costs.
Many e payment options are available, including credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallets. Digital wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, allow users to store their credit or debit card information securely.
E payments also provide a secure way to make transactions, with built-in encryption and authentication measures to protect against fraud.
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What Are E-Payments?
E-payments are a convenient and secure way to make transactions online. They allow users to send and receive money electronically, eliminating the need for physical cash or checks.
Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay store payment information and allow users to make purchases with a tap of their device. This technology is based on near-field communication (NFC) and tokenization.
E-payments can be made using credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and even cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. This flexibility is one of the reasons why e-payments have become so popular.
Online transactions are processed through various payment gateways, such as PayPal and Stripe. These gateways ensure that transactions are secure and compliant with industry standards.
E-payments offer numerous benefits, including speed, convenience, and cost savings. Merchants can also enjoy reduced transaction fees and increased sales through e-payments.
Benefits of E-Payments
Electronic payments offer numerous benefits to businesses and their suppliers, reducing costs and improving relationships.
E-payments systems can help businesses streamline payment processes, improve supplier relationships, and reduce operational costs.
By making payments electronically, businesses can take advantage of early-pay discounts if offered by vendors, and capitalize on them.
Electronic payments also provide enhanced security when compared to traditional checks, making them a more reliable option.
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The Benefits of
Electronic payments are a win-win for businesses and their suppliers, reducing costs and improving relationships. They also increase visibility and provide enhanced security compared to traditional checks.
E-payments can benefit a variety of industries, including retail, healthcare, non-profit organizations, food and beverage, and education. They help businesses streamline payment processes, improve supplier relationships, and reduce operational costs.
Paying electronically is a much simpler and more efficient process than dealing with paper checks. You can forget about printing checks, chasing people down for signatures, and mailing checks out.
Regular ACH transfers are cost-free and are processed within a few business days. Same-day ACH transfers typically cost a small fee but allow for payments to be processed within the same business day.
Virtual cards are another tool for making payments electronically, requiring zero hassle and zero paperwork. Paying vendors with virtual credit cards is an instantaneous process that lets you capitalize on early-pay discounts if offered by vendors.
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Transaction Privilege Tax
You can make a transaction privilege tax payment through AZTaxes.gov, either as a registered account holder or as a guest.
Businesses who have already filed a tax return can make a payment right after submitting their return or at a later date through AZTaxes.
To make a payment as a guest, you'll need to know your license number and business mailing zip code, and you can use the Quick Payment Links menu on the AZTaxes homepage.
Businesses can also make a credit or debit card payment as a guest.
Only registered business users can make an e-check payment.
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Types of E-Payments
E-payments come in many forms, and understanding the different types can help you navigate the world of digital transactions.
Cashless payments, which include methods like contactless credit cards and mobile wallets, allow for quick and convenient transactions. These types of payments are widely accepted and can be used in a variety of settings.
Mobile payments, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, use your smartphone to make transactions. This can be a secure and efficient way to pay for goods and services.
Digital wallets, like PayPal and Venmo, store your payment information and allow you to make transactions with just a few clicks. They often offer additional features like rewards and budgeting tools.
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Debit
Debit payments are a popular option for online transactions. They're often used for payroll, such as direct deposit, and online payments.
ACH debit pulls are a type of debit payment that work via an electronic batch payment system. The payee or vendor initiates the "pull" of funds owed from the payer's account.
One of the pros of ACH debit pulls is that they're typically low-cost, if not free. However, pulls can take several business days to process.
Debit card payments are another type of debit payment. They're similar to credit card payments, but instead of charging funds to the cardholder's credit line, the transaction is pulled directly from the cardholder's bank account.
Here are some key differences between ACH debit pulls and debit card payments:
Debit card payments offer certainty of payment to the vendor, as well as saved time and effort. However, they offer little protection for the purchaser.
Virtual
Virtual cards are a type of e-payment that's gained popularity due to their security and cost-effectiveness. They're plastic-less cards that allow businesses to generate single-use 16-digit numbers.
These numbers are authorized for a specific payment amount, making them a convenient option for one-time transactions. With virtual cards, businesses can enjoy zero cost to the payer, which is a significant advantage.
One of the main benefits of virtual cards is their speed and security. They use a process called payment tokenization, which ensures the business's bank account information cannot be compromised. This process makes virtual cards highly secure.
However, there's a catch - not all vendors accept virtual cards yet. But this number is growing as more businesses and suppliers understand the benefits of virtual payments.
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Cross-Border/FX
Cross-Border/FX payments allow businesses to send and receive money internationally via wire transfers, forward contracts, cross-currency transactions, and more. This is especially helpful to businesses working with overseas payment processing for their suppliers and customers.
FX payments can be used for a variety of international transactions, such as paying suppliers or receiving payments from customers in other countries. Businesses can use FX payments to expand their reach and conduct global commerce.
Wire transfers are a type of cross-border payment that allows businesses to send money directly to a bank account in another country. This can be a convenient option for businesses that need to make regular payments to international suppliers.
Forward contracts are another type of cross-border payment that allows businesses to lock in an exchange rate for a future payment. This can help businesses protect themselves against exchange rate fluctuations and ensure they get the best possible rate.
E-Payment Options
Credit cards are a popular e-payment option, but they have their drawbacks. They allow cardholders to borrow money up to a predefined limit and are often used for retail purchases.
Commercial cards, on the other hand, are low-cost and speedy, but can be difficult to track and reconcile from an invoice perspective. They are often used for business-related purchases directly from a corporate line of credit.
E-payment systems, like AvidPay, offer increased security and speed, reducing processing time and the risk of fraud. They are commonly used in e-commerce and can be integrated with accounting software systems.
The best e-payment systems are intuitive, integrated, and trustworthy, providing fast and secure payments.
ACH Credit
ACH credit payments are a common method for making electronic payments. They work by the payer initiating the payment and "pushing" funds outward from their account, making them a great option for known vendor payments.
One of the main advantages of ACH credit payments is that they cost significantly less to process than credit cards. Additionally, they provide the flexibility of one-time or recurring payments.
However, ACH credit payments also have some drawbacks. For one, banks charge a fee for ACH credit pushes, making them costly to process. Furthermore, ACH payments involve real account information, making them higher risk.
Here are some key points to consider when using ACH credit payments:
- Pros: ACH payments cost significantly less to process than credit cards and provide the flexibility of one-time or recurring payments
- Cons: Banks charge a fee for ACH credit pushes, and ACH payments involve real account information, making them higher risk
In order to use ACH credit payments, you typically need to be a larger company with high-volume payments. This is because ACH payments are typically only available to companies that meet this criteria.
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Wire Transfer
Wire transfers are real-time payments that can be made for domestic and international purchases. They're a guaranteed payment method because they require a confirmation of funds, unlike paper checks.
Wire transfers can be initiated in as little as minutes and can be processed as quickly as same-day within the U.S. This means you can get your payment out the door fast.
However, wire transfers come with a significant security risk to the payer, making them a prime target for those who would look to hijack bank account information. This is a major con to consider.
Here are the pros and cons of wire transfers in a nutshell:
Commercial
Commercial e-payment options offer a range of benefits, including low costs and speed. They are particularly useful for businesses that need to make frequent payments to suppliers.
Commercial cards are a type of commercial e-payment option that are issued by organizations to employees to pay for business-related purchases. They are low-cost, speedy, and fairly secure.
However, commercial cards can be difficult to track and reconcile from an invoice perspective. This can be a challenge for businesses that need to keep a close eye on their finances.
Here are some key pros and cons of commercial cards:
- Pros: Low-cost, speedy, and fairly secure.
- Cons: Difficult to track and reconcile from an invoice perspective.
Purchasing cards (P-cards) are another type of commercial e-payment option that are similar to commercial cards. They are also low-cost, fairly secure, and speedy. However, they can be difficult to audit for high-risk or fraudulent activity.
Ultimately, commercial e-payment options can help businesses streamline their payment processes and improve their relationships with suppliers.
Best Online Methods
The best online payment methods are intuitive, integrated, and trustworthy. You don't want to leave your accounts payable processes to a system that could be compromised.
Electronic payment systems like AvidPay provide 210 integrations with commonly used accounting software systems, making implementation simple and seamless. This is a significant advantage over traditional payment methods.
The speed of online payment systems is much better than traditional processes, providing payments instantly instead of the weeks it normally takes for paper payments to be processed and sent to recipients.
Advantages of E-Payments
E-payments have revolutionized the way businesses process transactions, and it's no wonder why. They offer a host of benefits that can significantly impact your bottom line.
Reduced transaction costs are a major advantage of e-payments. By eliminating the need for paper checks and postage, businesses can save up to 80% on payment processing costs.
Electronic payment systems also provide secure transactions, reducing the risk of theft and loss. With e-payments, you can make instant payments, punching in your credit-card number on a mobile-phone application and being good to go.
Processing payments electronically can save businesses time and resources. In fact, one business we know processes over 750 invoices a month, saving 1 hour and 1 minute per week by switching to an electronic payment solution.
The costs of processing and paying invoices are constantly underestimated, but e-payments can help reduce these costs significantly. ACH transfers, for example, cost a fraction of what paper checks do, with some businesses saving as much as $5 per check.
By accepting digital payment methods, businesses can also earn rebates on their credit card payments. For instance, a business that pays $10 million in vendor payments on their credit card could earn a 2% rebate, generating $200,000 in returns.
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Solutions
To streamline your business operations, consider implementing an e-payment system. One of the key benefits is reduced transaction costs, which can add up quickly.
For instance, some e-payment systems can save you money by eliminating the need to handle and process physical money. This can be especially beneficial for businesses with high transaction volumes.
Here are some solutions to get you started:
- Purchase Order automation can help you manage your transactions more efficiently.
- Invoice Automation can help reduce errors and save time.
- Payment Automation can help you process payments quickly and securely.
- Spend Management can help you track and control your expenses.
- Supplier Hub can help you manage your relationships with vendors and suppliers.
- Straight Through Processing can help you automate your payment processing.
- Invoice Status Inquiry can help you keep track of your payments and invoices.
- Supplier Support can help you resolve any issues with your vendors and suppliers.
E-Payment Best Practices
Facilitating quicker payments is key to improved vendor relations. By including rich remittance data, businesses can make the reconciliation process easier.
Paper checks can be a time-consuming process, taking time to write, process, and post to a supplier's bank account. Electronic payments, on the other hand, are fast, transparent, and secure.
Paying suppliers on time and offering them complete visibility into the payment process will naturally improve relationships with suppliers. This can reduce the number of late payments and lower the number of supplier inquiries to your AP team.
43% of AP teams spend over 6 hours a week answering vendor questions regarding payments. By streamlining the payment process with electronic payments, you can save a significant amount of time.
E-Payment Considerations
Your business can save precious time by transitioning to e-payments, which can easily improve processes that are currently taking up too much time.
E-payments are faster than traditional payment methods, allowing you to send payments instantly instead of waiting weeks for paper payments to be processed.
Electronic payments are also more cost-effective, making them a preferred choice for businesses looking to optimize their AP payment processes.
AvidXchange provides 210 integrations between our AP automation solutions and the most commonly used accounting software systems, making implementation simple and seamless.
The best online payment methods are secure, well-integrated, and fast, providing payments instantly without requiring a major overhaul of your existing processes.
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Sources
- https://www.mineraltree.com/blog/electronic-payments-what-your-business-needs-to-know/
- https://www.mineraltree.com/blog/the-advantages-of-electronic-payments/
- https://www.avidxchange.com/glossary/e-payment-system/
- https://azdor.gov/make-payment-online
- https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/file-pay/texnet-faq.php
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