Payment Turn payment operations into a measurable finance line item.
Payment Economics Advisory helps the CFO, Treasurer, AP, and Procurement measure Payment Yield as one number, benchmark the result against the reference set, and identify the highest-value path forward. Three engagement models cover fixed-fee diagnostic, ongoing advisory, and performance-based partnership. Every engagement produces the Payment Yield line item finance leadership carries into the quarterly review.
The Payment Yield line item, on one page, in the format finance leadership already reads.
Every engagement produces the same instrument: a one-page report that aggregates Payment Yield across its three channels, measures it against the cost of operating the payment function, and expresses the net position as Payment Economics Index. The report draws from data already present in the general ledger and fits into the standing quarterly review on the quarter it first appears.
The Diagnostic delivers the report as a standalone measurement with a twelve-month roadmap. The Retainer develops the report across quarters. The Yield Partnership carries the report into implementation with fees tied to the measurable improvement it produces.
From discovery conversation to measurable yield improvement.
Discovery call
A 30-minute conversation to scope the engagement against your specific payment volume, supplier base, and current methods. The call maps the right engagement model to your situation and sets the data requirements for the work that follows.
Engagement agreement
Yield Partnership, Payment Economics Diagnostic, or Advisory Retainer. The model matches the pace and depth your organization is ready to move at, with scope and fee structure defined in writing before work begins.
Measurement and roadmap
Four to six weeks for the Diagnostic. Complete Payment Yield calculation across the four-tier model, supplier portfolio segmentation, PEI benchmarked against the Journal's reference set, and a twelve-month roadmap with projected yield in dollars. Delivered as the one-page report and an executive presentation.
Implementation
For organizations carrying the measurement into the next fiscal year, ongoing advisory through the Yield Partnership structure. Quarterly PEI tracking, supplier conversation strategy, and fee tied to the measurable yield improvement the engagement produces.
Three engagements. One discipline. Every path ends at the same measurement.
Each engagement produces the Payment Yield line item and the one-page report. The structure determines the pace, the commercial model, and how the work carries into implementation.
Payment Economics Diagnostic
Best for organizations that want a complete baseline and a twelve-month roadmap. Full Payment Yield measurement delivered in 30 to 45 days.
Advisory Retainer
Best for organizations building internal capability before committing to a full diagnostic. Ongoing Payment Yield advisory with a quarterly measurement rhythm.
Yield Partnership
Best for organizations ready to close the gap. Advisory fees scale with the measurable Payment Yield the engagement produces. The firm earns when the client earns.
What organizations ask before engaging.
How do the three engagement models compare?
The Yield Partnership ties advisory fees to the measurable Payment Yield improvement the engagement produces, and includes the full Diagnostic as its foundation. The Payment Economics Diagnostic delivers the measurement, benchmarking, and twelve-month roadmap as a fixed-fee engagement over 30 to 45 days. The Advisory Retainer provides ongoing advisory and quarterly PEI tracking for organizations building internal capability before committing to a full diagnostic, with a three-month minimum. The discovery call maps the right engagement to the organization's specific situation.
What size organization benefits from this?
Organizations with $100 million or more in annual addressable B2B spend see the clearest return on engagement. The framework applies at any scale. The dollar impact becomes material at mid-market and above, which is where the Diagnostic produces the enterprise value case that justifies implementation investment.
Do you recommend specific vendors or platforms?
Every engagement is vendor-neutral. Payment Economics is a discipline, not a product recommendation. The action plan identifies the capabilities the organization needs. Platform selection decisions follow from that analysis, not the other way around.
What data does the Diagnostic require?
Payment volume by method covering check, ACH, wire, and card, supplier count and segmentation, current rebate arrangements, early payment discount program data, float and cost of capital assumptions from Treasury, and AP processing cost data. Most organizations pull this in a few hours. The discovery call scopes the data set before the engagement begins.
How is the Yield Partnership fee structured?
The percentage and measurement period get defined upfront based on the organization's payment volume and baseline Payment Yield. The structure aligns incentives by scaling the advisory fee with the yield improvement the engagement produces, so both sides work toward the same number on the same report.
What does Payment Yield actually mean for enterprise value?
Payment Yield translates directly to EBITDA. Middle market M&A transactions averaged 9.8x EV/EBITDA in 2025, with private equity buyers paying 12.0x on average through Q3 (Capstone Partners Middle Market M&A Valuations Index, April 2026). On a $180 million mid-market company producing $1.22 million in annual Payment Yield, the line item represents approximately $12 million of enterprise value at the 2025 average multiple. Tier 2 activation adds another $4.6 million to $5.7 million at the same multiples.
Thirty minutes. One conversation. The engagement begins here.
The discovery call scopes your payment volume, current methods, and the right engagement model. No preparation required. No obligation. The call produces a written proposal if the engagement fits on both sides.
AP Copilot is the first published Payment Yield Platform in the Payment Economics framework.
The platform expresses all four tiers of Payment Yield: direct method return, capital activation, treasury positioning, and Network Yield. Its 50% Supplier Acceptance rate provides a visible reference point inside the model, while the platform's broader significance lies in its ability to convert payment execution, supplier participation, and data intelligence into a measurable economic outcome.
Payment Economics supplies the standard. AP Copilot provides the first published platform expression of that standard.