Research: Acturis Automated Payment Reminder Capabilities¶

Date: 2025-12-01 Research Focus: Can Acturis send automated payment reminder emails to clients with outstanding invoices? Priority: Quick Win Potential Stakeholder Interest: TH (MD) mentioned debt chasing as "great area for improvement"

Background Context¶

Current Debt Chasing Process¶

From Rakesh (Finance Director) Interview (01 Dec 2025):

Friday: - Heather (Accountant) generates outstanding debtors report from Acturis - Exports to Excel, "tidies up" the formatting - Sends to team mid-Friday afternoon - Team supposedly reviews (but likely deferred: "Oh, I'll deal with that Monday")

Monday Morning: - Weekly team meeting includes debt chasing section - Run by Rakesh (Finance team) - Reviews all debts in categories: - Over 30 days: Full discussion in meeting - 25-30 days: On list, handlers review individually - Under 25 days: Listed but not discussed - Takes 5-10 minutes of every Monday meeting (per TH's original comment)

Manual Chase Process: - Client payment terms: 14 days - Bookkeeper does initial chases at 0, 7, 14 days (per TH) - After 14 days: handed to client handler (better relationship) - Insurers typically want payment within 30 days - Some insurers tolerate up to 60-70 days - Some strict insurers require 14-30 days - EF tries to "push it as far as we can" to help client pay - Ultimate sanction: policy lapse if client doesn't pay

Quote (Rakesh): "Our debts aren't that bad. I mean we... we have some sort of regular bad payers. But uh, they know that if they don't pay us, we're not going to... we're not going to lose out. I mean obviously we lose out the commission but they're not going to have insurance cover."

The Opportunity¶

Pain Point: - Manual chase process time-consuming - Monday meeting discussion overhead (5-10 min/week = 4-8 hours/year) - Inconsistent client experience (manual chasing) - Reactive rather than proactive - Time spent on low-value administrative task

Quick Win Potential: - If Acturis can automate reminders, saves manual effort - More importantly: consistent, professional client experience - Proactive reminders before manual intervention needed - Reduces "bad debts" through earlier prompts - Frees account handlers from awkward chase conversations

Strategic Value: - Demonstrates quick ROI from technology review - Low-cost implementation (if feature exists) - High visibility to TH (mentioned as priority) - Could improve cash flow (faster payment collection)

Research Questions¶

Primary Question¶

Can Acturis send automated email reminders to clients with outstanding invoices at configurable intervals?

Secondary Questions¶

If yes, what triggers are available? (Days overdue, amount threshold, etc.)
Can reminder templates be customized?
Can different reminder schedules be set per client or insurer relationship?
Does it integrate with Acturis email templates?
Can reminders be sent via email, SMS, or other channels?
What reporting is available on reminder effectiveness?
Are there examples from other Acturis customers using this feature?

Technical Questions¶

Is this a built-in feature or requires add-on/plugin?
If not built-in, is it available via Acturis API?
Could a custom solution integrate with Acturis debtor data?
What data fields are accessible (client email, amount owed, days overdue, etc.)?
Can reminders be suppressed for specific clients (if requested)?

Process Questions¶

Who would manage the reminder schedule/templates?
How would escalation work (automated → manual handover)?
What happens if client responds to automated email?
How to handle payment plan arrangements?
Integration with Monday meeting process (what still needs discussion)?

Known Information¶

Rakesh's Response (01 Dec 2025)¶

TD Asked: "Could Acturis send out reminder emails at set intervals?"

Rakesh's Answer:

"Um, I don't know. I don't know if Acturis does um... automated emails. I don't know if that's available. Um, I mean they do templates but I don't know whether it can send out a... a reminder email to... to clients who are over certain days. I'm not sure. Um, I'm not quite sure of the functionality of Acturis on the front end because I don't use it. We hardly use the front end. Uh, so the sales side I don't use that. On the accounting side, I've never seen a... whether that there's a routine available where you can push a button and go, right, send out an email to all the people who haven't, you know, like a statement. Usually most people have one thing on the statement. So sending out monthly statements sometimes might be a bit excessive."

Key Takeaways: - Rakesh doesn't know if feature exists (doesn't use sales/front-end side) - Templates definitely exist in Acturis - Uncertain about triggered/scheduled emails - Accounting side perspective - hasn't seen "push button" routine - Notes monthly statements might be excessive (but targeted reminders different)

What We Know Acturis CAN Do¶

From Previous Interviews:

Email Template Generation: - Acturis generates template emails (confirmed by Laura for claims notifications) - Templates can be customized by user before sending - Professional formatting

Email Integration: - Outlook integration exists (though unreliable for auto-filing) - Can send emails from within Acturis - Reference numbers in subject line (when staff use them)

Task/Diary Management: - Task manager available (Laura uses heavily, others don't) - Can set reminders for follow-ups - Diary entries with dates

Reporting: - Outstanding debtors report exists (used weekly) - Can export to Excel - Shows amount owed, days outstanding - Categorizable by age of debt

What's Unclear¶

Scheduled/Triggered Emails: Can Acturis automatically send emails based on triggers (e.g., invoice 14 days overdue)?
Batch Operations: Can it email all clients matching criteria (e.g., >30 days overdue)?
Customization: Can templates include dynamic fields (client name, amount owed, days overdue)?
Automation Level: Fully automatic vs. "generate draft emails for review" vs. manual only?

Research Sources to Investigate¶

1. Acturis Documentation¶

User manual / feature list for accounting module
Check for: Automated workflows, scheduled emails, debtor management
API documentation (if feature not built-in)

2. Acturis Support / Account Manager¶

Direct question: "Does Acturis support automated payment reminder emails?"
If yes: Setup instructions, best practices, customer examples
If no: Workarounds, roadmap (coming soon?), API possibilities

3. Acturis Community / User Forums¶

Other brokers may have solved this problem
Workarounds or third-party integrations
Success stories or limitations

4. Acturis Technical Contact¶

Follow-up to 19 Nov technical discovery call
API capabilities for debtor data access
Webhook/trigger possibilities
Integration options if feature doesn't exist natively

5. Acturis File Audit Intelligence Tool¶

EF implementing this soon (per Rakesh)
May have related functionality for proactive alerts
Could include payment follow-up triggers?

6. Alternative Solutions (if Acturis can't do it natively)¶

Option A: Acturis API + Custom Script - Pull debtor data via API - Custom script checks criteria (days overdue) - Sends email via Outlook/SMTP - Low cost, requires technical setup

Option B: Zapier/Make (No-code Automation) - If Acturis has API or webhook - Connect to Gmail/Outlook for email sending - Visual automation builder (no coding) - ~£20-30/month

Option C: Dedicated Accounts Receivable Software - Tools like Chaser, Fluidly, or Credit Hound - Specialize in payment reminders - May integrate with Acturis - Higher cost (£50-150/month)

Option D: Microsoft Power Automate - Already have Microsoft 365 - Could connect to Acturis if API available - Included in some Microsoft 365 plans - Low additional cost

Proposed Research Plan¶

Step 1: Check Acturis Documentation (1-2 hours)¶

Search Acturis user manual for: "payment reminders", "automated emails", "debtor management", "scheduled tasks"
Review accounting module features
Check if previously received API documentation mentions this

Step 2: Contact Acturis Support (30 min call)¶

Email/call Acturis account manager or support
Specific question: "How can we set up automated payment reminder emails for overdue invoices?"
If feature exists: request setup guide, best practices
If not: ask about roadmap, API alternatives

Step 3: Explore Acturis File Audit Intelligence (1 hour)¶

Tommy and Martin attended training (per Rakesh)
Follow up with them: does this tool include payment follow-up capabilities?
Review any materials from the course

Step 4: API Investigation (2-3 hours, if needed)¶

Review Acturis API documentation (if received from 19 Nov call)
Check if debtor data accessible via API
Identify fields available (client email, amount, days overdue)
Assess feasibility of custom automation

Step 5: Cost-Benefit Analysis (1 hour)¶

If feature exists: implementation time vs. benefit
If requires custom solution: development cost vs. benefit
Compare time saved (5-10 min/week + manual chasing time)
Factor in cash flow improvement from faster collection

Total Research Time Estimate: 5-7 hours

Success Criteria for This Research¶

Ideal Outcome: - Acturis has built-in automated payment reminder feature - Can be configured with minimal setup time - Templates customizable - Quick win: implement within 1-2 weeks

Acceptable Outcome: - Feature not built-in, but achievable via API integration - Custom solution feasible with reasonable cost (£500-1,500) - Implementation timeline: 4-6 weeks

Challenging Outcome: - Feature not available, API limited - Third-party solution required (ongoing cost) - Need to evaluate ROI vs. benefit

Decision Point: - If implementation cost < £2,000 and time < 8 weeks → Recommend as Quick Win - If cost £2,000-5,000 or time 8-16 weeks → Recommend as Short-term Priority - If cost > £5,000 or time > 16 weeks → Evaluate ROI, may not be worth it

Expected Benefits (If Implemented)¶

Time Savings¶

Monday Meeting: - Current: 5-10 minutes every Monday = 4-8 hours/year - With automation: Maybe 2-3 minutes (review exceptions only) = 2-4 hours/year - Saved: 2-4 hours/year of meeting time

Manual Chasing: - Current: Heather + Account Handlers spend time on manual chases - Estimate: 15-30 min per week across team = 13-26 hours/year - With automation: First 1-2 reminders automated, only escalations manual - Saved: 8-15 hours/year of chase time

Total Direct Time Savings: 10-19 hours/year (modest but real)

Cash Flow Improvement¶

Faster Payment Collection: - Automated reminders more consistent than manual - Earlier prompts = faster payment - Even 3-5 days faster collection = cash flow benefit

Reduced Bad Debts: - Proactive reminders prevent "forgot to pay" situations - Consistent follow-up reduces write-offs

Value: Could reduce average days outstanding from ~35 to ~28 days (estimate)

Client Experience¶

Professional & Consistent: - Same reminder process for all clients - No "forgot to chase that one" - Polite, standardized messaging

Less Awkward: - Account handlers avoid uncomfortable chase calls - Preserve relationship quality - Automated reminders feel less personal/confrontational

Better Service: - Clients get timely reminders (helpful for their accounting) - Clear payment information - Easy to action

Strategic Value¶

Demonstrates Quick ROI: - Visible to TH (identified as priority area) - Quick implementation if feature exists - Concrete improvement from consulting engagement

Foundation for Broader Automation: - Proves value of automated workflows - Builds confidence in technology solutions - Model for other processes (renewals, claims)

Integration with Other Recommendations¶

Complements Process Playbook¶

Document payment reminder process in company playbook
Standard templates and escalation procedures
Clear handover from automated → manual chase

Supports Excel-Acturis Sync¶

If debtor data more reliable in Acturis
Reduces need for separate Excel tracking
One source of truth

Aligns with Acturis File Audit Intelligence¶

Both are proactive monitoring/alerting
Data quality requirements similar
Could work together (audit finds missed invoices, reminders automate chase)

Demonstrates Acturis Underutilization Theme¶

Feature may exist but unused (like task manager, email filing)
Not lack of technology, lack of awareness/training
Supports "process consistency" finding from Rakesh interview

Next Steps¶

Immediate Actions (This Week)¶

TD to search Acturis documentation for payment reminder features
TD to contact Acturis support with specific question
TD to follow up with Tommy/Martin about file audit intelligence tool capabilities

Follow-up (Next 2 Weeks)¶

If feature exists: document setup process, create implementation plan
If API needed: assess technical feasibility and cost
If third-party needed: research options and pricing
Prepare recommendation for final report (Quick Win vs. Short-term vs. Not Recommended)

Decision Points¶

If easy: Add to "Quick Wins" section of deliverable
If moderate effort: Include in "Short-term Priorities"
If complex/expensive: Note in "Future Considerations" or exclude

Open Questions for Stakeholders¶

For TH (Managing Director)¶

How much time does the team currently spend on debt chasing (beyond Monday meeting)?
What's current average days to payment?
Any clients specifically requested NOT to receive automated reminders?
What's acceptable payment reminder tone (friendly vs. firm)?

For Heather (Accountant)¶

How long does Friday debtor report preparation take?
What manual chases does she currently do?
Has she explored Acturis reminder capabilities?
What information would be helpful in automated reminder?

For Rakesh (Finance Director)¶

Any regulatory considerations for automated payment reminders?
Client money rules impact?
What metrics would demonstrate success?

For Account Handlers (Lucy, Marilyn, JL)¶

How much time spent on payment chases currently?
What's most awkward about chase conversations?
Would they trust automated reminders to represent firm professionally?
Any clients they'd want excluded from automation?

Appendix: Example Reminder Sequence¶

If Acturis Supports Automation, Could Implement:¶

Day 0: Invoice Sent - Email: "Invoice for [Policy Number] - Payment due [Date]" - Tone: Informational - Content: Invoice attached, payment details, due date

Day 14: Payment Due Date - Email: "Payment Due Today - [Policy Number]" - Tone: Friendly reminder - Content: "Just a reminder that payment is due today. If you've already paid, please disregard."

Day 21: 7 Days Overdue - Email: "Outstanding Payment - [Policy Number]" - Tone: Polite but firmer - Content: "We haven't received payment yet. Please pay within 7 days to avoid potential lapse of cover." - Action: CC account handler

Day 28: 14 Days Overdue - Email: "Urgent: Payment Required - [Policy Number]" - Tone: Urgent - Content: "Payment now 14 days overdue. Please contact us immediately to avoid lapse of cover." - Action: Account handler personally follows up

Day 35+: Manual Escalation - Account handler takes over - Personal call/email - Payment plan discussion if needed - Insurer deadline consideration

Benefits of Sequence: - First 2 reminders fully automated (saves most time) - Human touch when situation becomes serious - Escalation built into process - Professional and consistent

Research Status: In Progress Next Update: After Acturis support contact and documentation review Target Completion: 2 weeks from research start