CFOs Reimagine Flow of Funds as Volatility Becomes the Norm

The once linear, largely predictable movement of money through corporate ecosystems is being reimagined against today’s increasingly dynamic and uncertain macro backdrop.

Even category giants aren’t immune, as evidenced by Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey’s commentary during the company’s latest earnings call.

“The operating environment is highly fluid,” Rainey said May 15. “…The magnitude of these [tariff-driven] swings, both positive and negative, given the level of additional costs that could be applied to the inventory that we’re purchasing right now, are unprecedented in our business and could result in swings in margin and earnings by quarter.”

As inflationary pressures, interest rate volatility and geopolitical instability continue to test corporate finance models, this shift is being reflected in how finance leaders are reengineering their cash positioning, supplier payments and payroll distribution.

Today’s finance teams are tackling both sides of the money mobility equation, which has emerged as a dual-pronged strategic imperative. On the inbound side, they are accelerating receivables, integrating real-time transaction visibility and reducing reconciliation friction. On the outbound side, they are providing suppliers with more payment options and greater predictability to help ensure supply chain stability.

Central to both sides of this money mobility dynamic is the deployment of next-generation technology. Advancements such as real-time payments, virtual cards, open banking APIs and stablecoins are moving into the mainstream.

Read also: 3 Ways Mid-Sized Treasurers Are Managing Liquidity Amid Uncertainty

The Great Unbundling of Payments

Modern CFOs are being tasked with understanding how fast their cash positions can move and how to flex inflows and outflows based on operational needs.

On the inbound front, businesses are deploying tools that improve the visibility and speed of collections. Real-time payments and open banking APIs are enabling faster, more reliable cash inflows, while artificial intelligence-powered reconciliation solutions reduce the lag between payment receipt and ledger update. Embedded finance solutions are also gaining traction, particularly in customer-facing industries. By integrating financial services directly into eCommerce and service platforms, businesses can offer seamless checkout experiences and accelerate revenue recognition.

At the same time, APIs are transforming how businesses interact with banks, partners and platforms. These integrations are helping CFOs automate everything from receivables matching to vendor onboarding.

On the outbound side, CFOs are reconsidering the timing and structure of supplier payments. With global supply chains under strain, giving suppliers more flexibility around how and when they get paid has become a competitive advantage.

Against today’s backdrop, in many ways, the old model of accounts payable is becoming obsolete. Today’s CFOs are adopting platforms that offer supplier portals, multiple payment rails and dynamic discounting to drive financial efficiency. Finance teams are using payments not as a cost center, but as a tool to optimize working capital, improve supplier relationships and generate ROI, particularly when it comes to cross-border payments.

See also: CFOs Move From Ledgers to Leaders as Back Offices Become Command Centers

A New Lens on Working Capital

The dual approach to fund flows is reshaping how CFOs think about working capital. Traditional KPIs like days sales outstanding and days payable outstanding, while still crucial, are potentially poised to give way to more nuanced metrics focused on liquidity agility and supplier health.

“There’s a lot of change going on, and it all centers around working capital,” David Bork, senior vice president, Boost 100 Business Development at Boost Payment Solutions, told PYMNTS this month.

This redefined financial architecture requires new talent and mindsets. Finance teams are adding data scientists, systems integrators and cyber risk experts to complement traditional roles.

The PYMNTS Intelligence report “Smart Spending: How AI Is Transforming Financial Decision Making” found that more than 8 in 10 CFOs at large companies are either already using AI or considering adopting it for a core financial function like accounts payable, or the process by which companies pay their suppliers, vendors and contractors.

Ultimately, companies are balancing faster receivables with more flexible payables by using tools that mirror consumer FinTech, and what that means for the future of enterprise liquidity management is increasingly strategic.

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