For many UK corporates, Bacs is the backbone of domestic payments. Payroll, supplier payments and direct debit collections can all run reliably through a familiar scheme. But once a business starts paying suppliers in euros, settling invoices in US dollars or operating across several banking relationships, the picture changes.
The issue is not simply how to make an overseas payment. It is how to manage Bacs, SEPA and SWIFT without creating three disconnected processes, each with its own bank portals, file formats, approvals and reconciliation work.
That is where international payment automation becomes important. The goal is to bring domestic and international payment activity into a connected workflow, rather than adding another manual process every time the business enters a new market.
Why UK Corporates Are Expanding Beyond Domestic Payments
International payments are no longer reserved for large multinationals. A UK-headquartered business might pay its employees through Bacs while purchasing from European suppliers in EUR and settling other invoices in USD.
As that footprint grows, finance teams have more currencies, banks and payment routes to manage. Competitor platforms increasingly focus on bringing international payments, approvals and reconciliation together, reflecting a wider move away from fragmented payment processes.
For finance leaders already under pressure to improve efficiency and control costs, simply adding more manual banking work is difficult to justify. AccessPay’s Finance Trends 2026 research found that most organisations still operate with a mixture of automation and manual workarounds, despite a leading group having progressed towards fully automated processes.
What Is International Payment Automation?
Payment automation connects the systems where payment instructions originate with the banks and networks through which those payments are processed. Instead of exporting files from an ERP, manually adapting them and uploading them into separate bank portals, the process can be automated from payment creation through to submission and reporting.
AccessPay’s payments automation platform supports UK and international payment types from a centralised system, connecting with ERP, payroll and other back-office applications. This matters because automating Bacs alone only solves part of the problem. The wider opportunity is to connect the entire payment estate.
Managing Bacs, SEPA and SWIFT as One Connected Payment Workflow
Consider a UK corporate making three regular payment runs:
- GBP payroll and supplier payments through Bacs
- EUR payments through SEPA
- USD and other international payments through SWIFT
Handled separately, each route can create another set of processes for finance to manage. AccessPay instead supports Bacs, SEPA and SWIFT alongside other payment types through one centralised platform. Payment files can be imported from connected finance applications, transformed into the required format, validated, checked, approved, authenticated and submitted before reports are returned.
Businesses that are still focused mainly on domestic payments can also explore AccessPay’s Bacs-approved software and our guide to moving from manual to automated Bacs processing.
The Challenges of Managing Multiple Payment Schemes Manually
Adding international payment schemes to an already manual environment compounds existing problems. Teams may find themselves switching between bank portals, transferring payment files manually and working with different formats and authentication processes. More manual touchpoints also mean more opportunities for mistakes and make it harder to apply consistent controls.
Reconciliation can become fragmented too. Payment information sits across banks and systems, leaving finance teams to bring the data back together after the event. The problem therefore grows faster than the number of payment schemes. Three schemes should not mean three separate operating models.
Why Global Payment Automation Requires a Central Connectivity Layer
The missing piece is often connectivity. ERP and treasury systems are valuable sources of financial data, but they do not necessarily provide the direct connectivity required across a complex banking estate. A dedicated bank connectivity layer can bridge that gap.
AccessPay connects finance applications with banks using options including Host-to-Host, SWIFT, EBICS, API and SFTP. Its transformation capabilities can also convert payment files into formats required by different banks.
This creates a more practical model for payment automation in global operations: the business does not need to build and maintain an entirely separate workflow whenever another bank, currency or payment route enters the picture. It is the difference between automating individual payments and creating connected banking operations.
Supporting International Growth with Cross-Border Payment Automation
Expansion should not require finance headcount and banking administration to increase at the same rate as payment volume. With cross-border payment automation, organisations can build a payment infrastructure designed to accommodate new markets, banking relationships and currencies without continually adding manual workarounds.
This is particularly valuable during acquisitions, ERP transformation or international expansion, where additional entities can otherwise bring new portals, formats and processes with them. AccessPay describes this broader approach as going “Beyond Bacs” with embedded corporate banking: connecting banking operations around automation, control and visibility.
Improving Visibility, Governance and Payment Controls
Efficiency is only part of the argument. International payments need consistent governance. AccessPay supports controls including approval workflows, segregation of duties, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, payment screening and sanctions screening. Audit trails also provide greater traceability across payment activity.
Visibility should extend beyond outgoing payments. Automated bank statement feeds can bring statement data back into finance systems, supporting faster reconciliation and a more current view of cash across banking relationships.
Building a Business Case for Global Payment Automation
The strongest business case for global payment automation starts with the work finance teams are doing today. Look at time spent logging into bank portals, preparing and transforming files, checking submissions, reconciling transactions and maintaining separate processes for different banks or schemes.
Then consider what happens as payment volumes rise. Automation can reduce manual intervention and allow skilled finance employees to concentrate on analysis, liquidity, forecasting and other higher-value work. That aligns with the wider pressure identified in AccessPay’s 2026 research for finance teams to improve efficiency while doing more with existing resources.
Case Study: Simplifying International Payment Operations
Sainsbury’s Bank provides a useful example of how better connectivity can simplify international payment operations. The treasury team was making high-value cross-border payments through SWIFT every day, but the manual nature of the process was becoming increasingly time-consuming.
AccessPay integrated the bank’s treasury management system directly with the SWIFT network, reducing manual intervention and creating a more connected payment process. The integration also improved oversight of cash across the organisation.
Treasury Operations Manager Warren Hyde explained that without AccessPay, they would have to revert to old manual processes and wouldn’t have the oversight of their cash that they enjoy now.
For UK corporates expanding beyond domestic payments, the story demonstrates the value of connecting international payment networks directly with existing finance and treasury systems rather than managing them as separate processes.
More examples of organisations modernising finance and treasury operations can be found in AccessPay’s customer stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Bacs, SEPA and SWIFT payments be managed together?
Yes. AccessPay supports these payment types within one centralised platform rather than requiring completely separate workflows for each scheme.
Does international payment automation replace an ERP?
No. The connectivity layer complements existing finance technology by connecting back-office applications with banks and payment networks.
Can international payments be reconciled automatically?
Automated bank statement retrieval can feed transaction data into ERP, TMS and reconciliation systems, helping businesses move towards faster, more automated reconciliation.
Move Beyond Bacs Without Adding More Banking Complexity
Bacs may remain central to UK payment operations, but it does not have to sit apart from the rest of the banking estate. Connecting Bacs, SEPA and SWIFT through a common workflow gives finance teams a more scalable way to manage domestic and international payments while maintaining consistent controls and visibility.
Explore more guidance in AccessPay’s payments Knowledge Hub, or book a demo to see how AccessPay can connect and automate your payment operations.
