Batching bill payments can save time, reduce errors, and streamline your accounts payable process. Relay makes it easy to review, approve, and pay multiple bills in one flow.
This article covers:
- What batch bill payments are
- Who can use them
- How to schedule or send payments in batches
- Best practices for using this feature efficiently
What Is a Batch Bill Payment?
A batch bill payment allows you to pay multiple bills at once through a single streamlined workflow. Instead of handling each bill individually, Relay makes it faster to review, approve, and schedule payments in one session—saving time and improving cash flow visibility.
Each payment is still made separately to each vendor, but you can manage and send them together.
Example:
At the end of the week, you review 10 unpaid bills across different vendors. With Relay, you can approve and pay them all in one session—without jumping between multiple payment flows.
Who Can Use Batch Payments?
Batch bill payment is available to all businesses on all plans. Batching helps growing teams save time, maintain controls, and simplify their bill payment workflows.
| Starter | Grow | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
How to Make Batch Bill Payments in Relay
- Sign in to your Relay account.
- Navigate to the Bills section.
- Use filters to find unpaid bills or bills you want to pay.
- Select the Bills you want to pay by checking the boxes next to multiple unpaid bills.
- You can select bills across different vendors.
- Click Pay Bills.
-
Select the payment method:
- ACH transfer (standard or same-day)
- Domestic wire
- International wire (Local or SWIFT)
- Mailed check
- Choose the payment account and date for each payment.
- Review the total amounts per bill.
- Add any notes or memos if needed.
- Click Confirm Payment.
- Relay will initiate each payment separately, while providing you a single point of confirmation.
What Happens in Your Accounting Software?
- Each bill is marked as paid individually.
- Payments sync to QuickBooks Online or Xero.
- Each payment is tied back to its specific bill, ensuring clean reconciliation.
- You’ll see clear records—no more confusion about lump-sum payments!
Best Practices for Batch Bill Payments
- Use approval workflows: If you're on Grow or Scale, set up approval rules to review high-value bills before payment.
- Batch payments regularly: Paying vendors once a week improves cash flow forecasting and vendor satisfaction.
- Communicate payment schedules: Let your vendors know your regular payment days—it builds trust and predictability.
- Use consistent memos: Relay records memos in your bank statement, helping you reconcile faster.
Coming Soon to Bill Pay (Grow & Scale)
Relay is expanding Bill Pay capabilities even further with:
- Bill Insights Dashboard: Visualize upcoming payments and see spending trends at a glance.
- Advanced Bulk Payment Tools: Save even more time by scheduling multiple payments in a streamlined batch.
- Custom Categorization Rules: Automate how bills are categorized based on vendors, amounts, or general ledger codes.
These enhancements are designed to help you save time and gain even greater financial control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I select bills from different vendors for batch payments?
Yes. You can select unpaid bills across different vendors and pay them in one streamlined flow.
Will approvals still apply if I batch bills?
Yes. Bills must be approved individually according to your approval rules before payment is initiated.
What if I miss selecting a bill?
No problem—any unpaid bills will remain available in the Bills tab for future payment.
Learn More
Want to optimize your accounts payable process even further? Check out:
Still have questions? Our team is ready to help! Talk to our Customer Experience team