Te Finance & Business Guide - brought to you by APL Media • Wednesday 22 October 2025


Finance, Legal & Accounting • 7 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Unlock growth with embedded payments


Outdated payments are costing UK businesses growth


For many UK small businesses, payments are the hidden engine that keeps everything running — until something goes wrong. Missed payrolls, delayed supplier payments and endless manual reconciliations can quickly turn into costly headaches. But what if payments weren’t a burden? What if they became a competitive advantage? Joe Lines, Product Lead for


Business Payments at Modulr, says it’s time for a rethink. “Outdated payment systems are quietly costing UK businesses time, money and opportunity,” he says. “Modernising payments doesn’t just smooth operations — it frees accountants and business owners to focus on long-term growth.” For accountants


supporting these businesses, their clients are increasingly expecting them to operate as strategic advisors to help navigate complex business decisions.


Te good news? Modern payment solutions are already making a difference. Automation alone can reclaim up to three hours a week for nearly half of accountancy practices


chasing approvals — time that could be spent on forecasting, planning or advising clients. This bottleneck doesn’t just


frustrate accountants — it holds back all businesses. When finance teams are buried in admin, they can’t provide the strategic insight that helps small businesses thrive in a competitive market.


Accountancy and payroll firms using Modulr have


slashed admin by 24 days a year and helped


businesses cut payroll costs by up to 90%


SMARTER PAYMENTS: A GAME- CHANGER The good news? Modern payment solutions are already


making a difference.


THE HIDDEN COST OF MANUAL PROCESSES Research from Modulr’s recent report, The Fractional CFO playbook, reveals a stark reality: one in three accountants say manual payment processes slow them down, and 34% cite inflexible systems as a barrier to growth. That’s time lost to double-checking spreadsheets and


When finance teams are buried in admin, they can’t provide the strategic insight that helps small businesses thrive in a competitive market


Automation alone can reclaim


up to three hours a week for nearly half of accountancy practices — adding up to 24 working days a year. Take Accountability Edinburgh:


it uses Modulr’s integrations with Xero and BrightPay to overhaul how its clients handle bills and payroll payments. For example, one client previously spent three to four hours manually entering data for a fortnightly payroll payment process. With Modulr, the same work now takes just 20 minutes per fortnight. That’s a 90% reduction in time. Accountability have rolled this out across their client base for both payroll and supplier invoices — and have saved hours of time. It means far fewer headaches, more


Accountants and business owners who embrace change will be able to strengthen client relationships and unlock new growth opportunities


predictable cash flows, and stronger trust with suppliers. Stories like this are becoming


the norm for Modulr’s clients. By integrating with a range of existing accounting and payroll systems, Modulr helps businesses and their accountants manage payroll, supplier payments and reconciliations more efficiently, while reducing costs and errors.


THE FUTURE: PAYMENTS AS A GROWTH LEVER Treating payments as a strategic priority, not an afterthought, can transform a business. With real-


time visibility, business owners gain confidence in their cash flow, and accountants have a solid foundation for meaningful advice. In a world where late or missed payments can destabilise a small business, reliability is everything. So, where should you start?


• Review your processes: Are you stuck with manual reconciliations that are error-prone and costing you time?


• Assess your systems: Are multiple platforms creating fragmented workflows and slowing you down?


• Think long-term: Don’t just patch problems — look for solutions that scale with your business and adapt as you grow.


Accountants and business owners


who embrace change will be able to strengthen client relationships and unlock new growth opportunities. Payments are no longer just an operational detail — they are a lever for strategic success.


For further information


Discover how Modulr can help your business save time, cut costs and unlock growth, at modulrfinance.com


JOE LINES (LEFT) UNVEILS NEW RESEARCH ON THE RISE OF THE FRACTIONAL CFO AT A RECENT LONDON EVENT


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28