How embedded banking solutions unlock ERP performance

Finance teams today are under pressure to move faster, manage growing volumes of transactions and reduce risk—all while head count stays flat and expectations rise. For many, this means juggling payments, reporting and automated reconciliation across disconnected financial systems. A single task like issuing a payment can require exporting data from accounting software, logging in to a banking portal, uploading a file and carefully matching transactions afterward—manual processes that treasury workflow automation could eliminate.

To truly optimize treasury operations, mitigate financial risk and unlock up-to-date cash visibility, finance teams need embedded banking solutions to create a seamless connection between their accounting software and banking platforms.

Moving beyond swivel-chair accounting

PwC's 2025 Global Treasury Survey revealed that 52% of mid-sized firms still rely on manual data collection for cash forecasting, with 76% of respondents attributing this process to poor data quality and 53% to a lack of tools.

Many organizations invest in accounting software to solve these problems. Enterprise resource planning systems, or ERPs, centralize data and automate processes—at least in theory. But even the best ERP can't fully deliver on this promise if core banking functions still live in separate systems.

Finance teams end up doing swivel-chair accounting—or switching between platforms and rekeying data—which increases error risk and eats up valuable time.

What are embedded banking solutions for ERP systems?

Embedded banking refers to the direct integration of banking capabilities into ERP platforms like Oracle NetSuite®, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Sage Intacct®. Rather than operating in isolation, banking functions—like payment initiation, balance reporting and reconciliation—become native to the system where treasury teams already manage day-to-day operations.

This approach eliminates the need to switch between platforms, download files and re-enter information. Instead, finance professionals can access up-to-date banking data, initiate transactions and monitor cash flow within the familiar interface of their software.

"Business leaders don't wake up thinking about banking," says Raj Singh, head of commercial cards at First Citizens. "They think about running their business. Embedded finance meets them where they are and allows them to manage banking without switching platforms."

Embedding banking into ERP systems also supports financial control and compliance. Up-to-date access to account data improves visibility, while audit trails and approval workflows can be configured directly in the ERP—ultimately reducing reliance on manual processes and increasing confidence during audits and regulatory reviews.

"ERP systems were implemented to reduce manual work, and that promise is only partially fulfilled if you don't have banking embedded into the tool," says Chris Chaten, Senior Director of Treasury Product Management at First Citizens. "Plug-and-play solutions now let finance teams connect workflows without needing developer support or complex integrations."

Embedded banking solutions streamline treasury operations

The timing for the adoption of embedded finance solutions couldn't be more critical. Businesses are experiencing a widespread shift in expectations and are no longer content with outdated, manual processes. Competitive pressures and regulatory scrutiny further increase the urgency for modernization, inspiring many financial institutions to offer ERP-integrated tools as part of their core treasury offerings.

For treasury teams, embedded banking solutions can eliminate friction in daily operations while strengthening financial control, accuracy and operational efficiency.

Here are some key treasury automation features of these solutions.

• One-click payment initiation and reconciliation: Originate payments and retrieve transaction and balance information directly within an ERP without exporting, importing or manual keying.
• Credential-free bank feeds: Reduce risk with a secure ERP-bank connection by eliminating the need to log in to online banking or handle sensitive credentials.
• Positive Pay automation: Help prevent check fraud by transmitting check issue information directly from the ERP to the bank.
• Cash visibility: Gain accurate, up-to-date insight into account balances and previous-day activity to improve forecasting and cash positioning.

These capabilities support audit readiness, regulatory compliance and smarter financial decision-making—all while reducing the manual workload that slows finance teams down.

The strategic upside of embedded banking solutions

Beyond functionality, embedded banking supports broader business objectives. Treasury departments are under constant pressure to optimize cash management, mitigate risk and contribute to strategic planning. Achieving these goals requires both visibility and flexibility, two areas where these tools excel.

With less time spent on manual tasks, finance professionals can focus on initiatives like forecasting, funding optimization and vendor strategy. This repositioning of the finance function adds long-term value to the business.

"Clients can save up to 10 or more hours per week just by eliminating swivel-chair accounting," says Cheryl Jacobs, Senior Product Manager at First Citizens. "With that time, teams are working on forecasting, relationship management and risk mitigation. They have more time to focus on work that moves the business forward."

Businesses that partner with institutions lacking these capabilities also may find themselves at a disadvantage.

"One of the biggest risks with disconnected systems is duplication and error," says Chaten. "When transactions are touched multiple times, something is bound to break. Embedded tools can reduce that risk and give you more confidence in your financial data."

Maximizing ERP value with embedded banking solutions

While large enterprises often have the internal resources to build custom API integrations, mid-sized businesses stand to benefit the most from turnkey embedded banking solutions. These businesses typically have ERP systems in place but lack the IT bandwidth for complex financial system integrations and treasury transformation projects.

Embedded banking solutions fill this gap by providing low-friction deployment and nearly immediate results. Many cloud-based treasury solutions are designed to be plug-and-play, with minimal IT setup and no custom coding required. They offer a practical path for teams to extract more value from ERP investments through seamless system integration without extensive overhead.

For treasury and finance leaders planning ahead, embedded banking represents an opportunity to modernize without starting from scratch. By leveraging ERP-integrated solutions, they can improve efficiency, reduce error rates and gain insight into financial operations.

Connected treasury, more confident finance

As economic conditions tighten and expectations for financial agility grow, inefficiencies within treasury management can pose serious operational risks. Delays in payments, discrepancies in reporting and duplicated efforts pull financial leaders away from strategic goals and into reactive problem-solving mode.

"The biggest productivity barrier treasury teams face is not lack of will—it's bandwidth," says Jacobs. "Lacking embedded banking, staff must log in to multiple systems, download reports, manually upload data and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. That time could be spent on higher-value work like improving vendor relationships or accelerating collections."

When treasury workflows are fully integrated, finance becomes faster, more accurate and more strategic. Embedded banking equips teams with the visibility and control they need to operate confidently in real time, whether it's reconciling payments, managing cash or mitigating fraud. The payoff is smarter and more informed financial decisions, lower risk and a team that's better positioned to support business growth.

Supported ERP system examples

Our embedded banking solutions integrate seamlessly with popular ERP platforms including Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Business Central and Sage Intacct®. These API-driven integrations enable treasury teams to perform banking operations like payment processing, check issue files and automated reconciliation directly within their familiar ERP interface, eliminating the need for manual data entry and system switching.

Key takeaways

• Embedded banking is now a baseline expectation for treasury teams operating in ERP environments.
• Manual processes and swivel-chair accounting are being replaced with seamless, secure integrations that reduce risk and save time.
• Finance leaders can unlock more value from existing ERP investments by adopting embedded banking solutions that require little to no IT support.