I don’t run a 50-location steakhouse chain, and odds are you don’t either. But when I read that Craftable—one of the biggest back-office names in hospitality—is baking fully managed bill payments right into its software, my first thought was: “Good grief, if Ruth Chris’s accounting crew can stop licking envelopes, why are my freelancer friends still chasing PayPal like it’s 2009?”
The truth is, the same wave of AI that’s sweeping multimillion-dollar restaurant groups is finally washing over the little guys. You just have to know where to look.
Why Craftable’s Move Matters Outside the Kitchen
Craftable already helps hotels and restaurants scan, code, and approve invoices. Now, through a new partnership with Finexio, they’ll actually pay those invoices—virtual cards, ACH, check, whatever the vendor wants—without a human touching a keyboard.
“Invoice automation is only half the story,” Craftable CEO David Cantu told the press. “With Finexio, we’re extending control and visibility through the final mile of AP—the moment money actually leaves the business.”
Translation: the big brands are tired of “check is in the mail” nonsense, and they’re automating the whole dang thing. Fewer late fees, zero fraud-prone paper, and—here’s the kicker—cash-back rebates on virtual-card spend that turn the AP department into a profit engine.
The Freelancer Translation
You might not have 300 produce suppliers, but you do have:
- Monthly software subscriptions
- Coworking space rent
- That pricey Adobe license
- A handful of 1099 subcontractors
Every one of those bills eats your time and, if you’re late, your credit. Automating the payment piece—on a freelancer-sized budget—gets you the same perks the big chains just grabbed.
Enterprise-Level Perks Without the Enterprise Price
Craftable’s new setup is slick, but it’s built for companies with finance teams. Solo writers, designers, and coders need something leaner. That’s where tools like Invoice Gini come in. You literally say the invoice details—“Gini, bill Angie $1,500 for the brand refresh, net 15”—and the app spits out a polished PDF, tracks when it’s opened, and nudges clients for you.
No rubber stamps. No three-way matching. Just your voice and a few clicks.
Three Takeaways for One-Person Shops
Separate invoicing from bill-paying chaos
Sending a pretty invoice is half the battle; paying your own vendors on time is the other. Use one tool to create receivables (Invoice Gini) and another (your bank’s free bill pay or a virtual-card service) to handle payables.Look for cash-back rebates
Finexio brags that virtual cards generate rebates for Craftable users. Ask your bank or card issuer if they offer the same on business cards. A 1% kickback on $30k of annual software spend is a free $300—enough to cover your phone bill for the quarter.Automate before you hire
Hiring a bookkeeper at $50/hr to cut checks is nuts when $0 software can do it. Lock in automation now; scale later.
The Fraud Factor No One Talks About
Paper checks are the gift that keeps on giving—to crooks. The Association for Financial Professionals says 66% of payment-fraud attempts hit checks last year. Craftable’s switch to digital, straight-through payments slashes that risk for giant hospitality groups. Same rule applies to us little guys: the fewer checks you write, the fewer sleepless nights you spend wondering if someone’s washing your signature in Photoshop.
My Midwest Bottom Line
I’m all for anything that keeps more of my money in my pocket and out of the late-fee jar. Craftable’s deal with Finexio proves the tech is ready. You don’t need a 100-page RFP to get started—just pick one pain point (invoicing, bill pay, or both) and automate it this week. Your future self—probably sipping coffee while the software nags that slow client—will thank you.