Treasury management is undergoing significant change, with the automation of certain tasks driving greater digitalisation. As a consequence, organisations are improving liquidity levels and reducing operating costs.
Automating all manual and repetitive tasks is the first milestone to achieve, enabling the creation of a more agile, “digital” treasury that can adapt quickly in an environment where volatility has become permanent.
At the same time, having cloud-based treasury platforms that connect directly to the company’s ERP and banking partners eliminates unnecessary delays and minimises human errors typical of manual processes, leading to greater productivity for the treasury function.
The positive news is that there’s an increasing range of options available for integrated treasury management that can be tailored to any company’s needs, regardless of size or sector.
Having real-time positions and reliable forecasts for future cash flows allows the company to optimise working capital, with greater visibility over upcoming payments, collections or key inventory movements.
In this way, it’s relatively simple to access valuable information to renegotiate supplier terms, accelerate accounts receivable cycles or redistribute idle balances.
It also allows anticipation of “turbulent times” that—expected or not—arise in any economic cycle, reducing potential risks. Surprises are the “worst enemy” of any treasury operation.
All these interrelated advantages make it possible to free up liquidity—or more accurately, to generate and manage cash flows far more efficiently over time.
Another major benefit of treasury digitalisation is the direct reduction of operating costs.
It’s a direct result of replacing routine tasks such as bank reconciliations, issuing payment or collection batches and more.
Likewise, automation delivers transparency and traceability in every transaction, with each movement recorded and easily auditable. This significantly simplifies internal control processes and regulatory compliance—an advantage valued by both auditors and compliance teams.
It’s also possible to set business alerts and continuously monitor key indicators tied to cash management, such as the cash conversion cycle or inventory turnover.
This enables early identification of deviations as they occur and adoption of appropriate corrective measures.
However, the biggest current challenge in this technological transformation is having quality data that can, through advanced analytics, be converted into valuable decision-making information.
The real change is driven by people.
Meanwhile, the emergence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence makes it easier to analyse large data volumes, detect patterns and predict future behaviours—further optimising a company’s liquidity management.
Yet even more important than the technological change is the transformation people must make: developing new competencies. Traditional expertise in accounting or banking remains necessary but is no longer enough. Teams must also acquire knowledge in data analysis, digital risk management and new technologies.
In other words, what was once an “invisible” area has become essential for maintaining liquidity, containing costs, reducing potential risks and enabling sustainable growth for any company.
Never forget: no business can survive without adequate liquidity—it’s the “oxygen” that keeps it alive, and there’s no doubt about it: cash is always king.
