In today's high-tech, fast-paced world, keeping track of your cash flow is part of any industry. Makers of new software have rolled out effective new programs to help managers account for all revenues and payments for a business. Decades ago, business still used antiquated cash register machines or even log books, but now, it seems like everybody's got their own solution.

Cash flow management software handles your client payments, whether by cash, check or credit card. Some call it "treasury software" or "treasury management software," but the idea is the same. Graphic interfaces backed by powerful algorithmic databases tell you exactly how much you brought in and where it is. Business operators across many different sectors use cash management solutions for situations including the following:

1. To allow all of the workers in one "bricks and mortar" franchise to report all of their cash handling, customer payments and petty cash incidents.

2. To analyze spending and track money across an entire business to find out how to optimize buying procedures or conserve profits.

3. To funnel incoming cash into budget handling processes.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find cash management solutions for your industry

When you're scouting for programs to help you with your cash flow, look for ones that are customized to your industry. Cash management applications for hospitalities or food service locations will be different from, say, treasury management in health care situations. Find programs that will help you deal with large 'paperless' payments from client companies, or small cash payments from a string of live customers.

I recommend: Trintech offers cash management software for the health care industry; the Capterra site demos a list of restaurant management software for treasury management.

Get web-based cash management software solutions for a range of situations

Some treasury management programs work in tandem with web-based technology, allowing greater access to cash status from on the road. Select products based on which situations you run into every day on the job and fix them with customized treasury management software.

I recommend: Concur's product page shows a range of treasury software and services including expense reporting, vendor payments and other types of cash accounting that make sense for dealing with remote workers or business meetings.

Team up with banks and other service providers for 'life cycle' cash handling solutions

If a simple cash management application for payments and revenues isn't enough, take on a collaborative project with a lending institution or financial firm to really ramp up your accounting processes. Find ways to outsource some of the bother of cash handling, but whatever you do, stay involved. Absentee cash handling processes are a step down a very dark garden path.

I recommend: Banks like First Interstate will help businesses free up cash for use; other banks may offer products like fraud control for commercial customers. Find out what you can benefit from to streamline the process cycles of your own cash flow.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A cash management application won't be worth anything if your field staff (or in-house middle managers) don't know how to use it. Train staff on software for managing cash to make sure your tools are getting you the best possible result.