We are a family office that pays bills for three clients that represent our largest relationships. We started offering this service as a one-off, but now we have more clients asking for it. What’s the tipping point before doing it manually is no longer a real option?
First off, you’re not alone in finding yourself in this “accidental bill pay” situation. We hear this all the time from family offices and business managers who originally started offering bill pay as a favor to a few top clients — simply because they asked for it. These firms never intended to make it a core service, so they cobbled together a solution using retail banking tools, manual processes, and spreadsheets.
Once they start to pay bills for more than 10 entities or hit a total of 100+ bills a month — it quickly becomes clear that a more structured approach is needed. At this stage, many firms realize they lack the necessary controls and transparency to run the service efficiently and securely. Some attempt to solve the issue by hiring more people instead of leveraging technology, which can be an expensive and error-prone strategy, that ultimately doesn’t scale.
I have heard that setting up bills on auto debit isn’t a great idea. It’s so convenient, can you tell me why we should avoid it?
You’re right to be cautious about setting up bills on auto-debit. While it can make sense for certain recurring expenses — like mortgages or quarterly insurance premiums — it’s not the same as bill payment. With auto-debit, you’re giving a company permission to withdraw funds directly from an account, rather than instructing the bank to make a payment.
Over-relying on auto-debit is often a sign that a firm lacks the right technology and controls to manage bill pay properly. More importantly, it reduces transparency and oversight, increasing the risk of errors and fraud. Without a structured review process, firms may not catch discrepancies until it’s too late, which can lead to unnecessary complications.
I want to offer bill pay but I am worried about missing a bill. How do we set up AgilLink to make sure that doesn't happen?
That’s a great question, and it’s a common concern for firms looking to offer bill pay. With AgilLink, you can set up automation and workflows to ensure no bill slips through the cracks while maintaining strong controls and oversight.
First, automation helps prevent missed payments by generating recurring invoices, so important bills—like rent, utilities, or insurance—are always scheduled. You can also set up invoice reminders 30 days in advance to avoid last-minute approvals and ensure everything stays on track.
To prevent delays, AgilLink allows you to delegate workflow rules, so if someone is out of the office, payments can still move forward without disruption. Additionally, built-in controls ensure that no one can bypass the approval process, keeping your system secure.
For added protection, you can design a thoughtful approval workflow based on payment amounts:
- One approval for payments under $10,000
- Two approvals for payments up to $100,000
- Two approvals plus client approval for anything over $100,000
- By implementing these safeguards, you can confidently offer bill pay services without the worry of missed payments or unnecessary liability.
We are always happy to talk through your specific questions. Please feel free to reach out to our team.
We are thinking about moving to a virtual office. Will a bill pay system still work for us? What do we need to look for?
Yes, a bill pay system can absolutely work for a virtual office — as long as you choose the right solution. The key is to ensure you have a secure, cloud-based platform that allows your team to access and manage payments from anywhere while maintaining strong controls and documentation.
Here’s what to look for:
- Cloud-Based Access – A secure, cloud-based system ensures your team can process payments, track approvals, and manage invoices from any location.
- Mobile Approvals – Choose a platform with a secure mobile app so clients and approvers can review and authorize payments on the go.
- Centralized Documentation – A bill pay system should maintain a repository of all payment-related documents, including invoices, approvals, and audit trails, making it easy to track and reference past transactions.
- Robust Document Management – Beyond payments, organizing key client files—such as ID copies, trust agreements, contracts, and insurance documents—in a cloud-based system ensures secure and convenient access when needed.
By implementing a system with these features, like AgilLink, you can seamlessly transition to a virtual office without compromising efficiency, security, or compliance.
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