Construction Firms Relied on Manual Payment Processes
A 2025 survey of senior financial leaders revealed that many construction firms still depend on spreadsheets and email.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Construction
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Between October 27 and November 3, 2025, Payapps and Censuswide surveyed 162 senior financial decision-makers at large UK and Irish construction firms. The findings highlighted a reliance on manual tools to manage subcontractor payment applications and agreements.
Why it matters
Limited finance team sizes paired with high administrative burdens create significant risks for payment errors and cash flow instability in construction projects. Digitizing these manual workflows could alleviate these bottlenecks and reduce the operational strain on small ledger teams.
Construction finance teams averaging five employees manage an average of 210 subcontractors. Processing payment applications and self-billing agreements consumes 38 hours of staff time per week.
The players
Payapps
This is a construction payment software provider that collaborated on the research report to analyze industry technology usage.
Censuswide
This is a market research consultancy that conducted the survey of financial decision-makers on behalf of Payapps.
The details
Despite managing large rosters of subcontractors, firms rely on manual tools such as email and pen and paper. This administrative load limits the time finance teams have available for critical financial analysis and oversight.
Timeline
The survey was conducted from October 27, 2025, to November 3, 2025.
Businesses plan to adopt dedicated payment software within the next six months.
Improving process efficiency through technology is a priority for 45% of firms over the next 24 months.
Market Landscape
The transition to dedicated software represents a fundamental shift in how large firms manage subcontractor relations in a digital-first economy. Firms failing to modernize risk losing competitive advantages to peers who have streamlined their financial operations.
Construction firms are increasingly moving toward software adoption to handle high subcontractor volumes. For the average subscriber or client, this shift aims to reduce administrative delays in the payment lifecycle.
The takeaway
Reliance on manual tools like email and spreadsheets for subcontractor payments creates significant administrative overhead for small finance teams. Automating these workflows remains a top priority for firms aiming to improve efficiency and reduce the risk of payment errors.
What happens next
Firms without dedicated software plan to evaluate and potentially implement new digital payment solutions over the next six months.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in Construction technology and trends.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Planning, BIM & Construction Today.
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