SSF UK brought its Source to Pay and Order to Cash Networks together for an in-person event designed to do something a little different: look at both functions through one lens.
Hosted by Culina Group Limited in Warrington, the day created an opportunity for members from across both networks to step outside their own processes, understand the pressures and challenges experienced by others, and explore where greater connection could deliver better outcomes.
While S2P and O2C are often managed as separate functions, a key theme throughout the day was how closely connected they are when we look at the bigger business picture.
Both influence cash flow, working capital, operational efficiency and stakeholder experience. That opened up some great conversations around what becomes possible when organisations stop viewing each process entirely in isolation.
Dan Weston and Martyn Brooke from Esker explored this further, looking at the connection between cash in and cash out and how AI, intelligent automation, connected data, workflow and greater visibility can help bridge some of the gaps between Procurement, Finance, Customer Service and Accounts Receivable.
Importantly, the conversation wasn't simply about technology. It looked at the relationship between people, processes and technology, and the business outcomes a more connected approach could support.
A big part of the day was about hearing directly from our members.
We asked:
If someone walked in your shoes for a day, what would surprise them most about the challenges you face?
Members explored their everyday operational challenges, the things they wished colleagues outside their function better understood, and what could be done differently to improve processes, collaboration and outcomes.
Bringing S2P and O2C into the same room gave everyone the opportunity to hear a different perspective and better understand the priorities and pressures sitting on the other side of the process.
The conversation then moved from the challenges of today to what could be coming next.
Members explored how S2P and O2C could evolve over the next three to five years, including conversations around:
We finished by asking members to identify one idea from the day that they could take back into their own organisation, and what topics they would like the networks to explore in future.
If there was one message that ran throughout the day, it was this:
S2P and O2C may sit at different ends of the process, but what happens in one rarely exists in isolation from the other.
Understanding each other's challenges, priorities and pressures can help create stronger collaboration, better conversations and opportunities to deliver greater value across the business.
And that is exactly why we wanted to bring these two networks together.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, got involved, asked questions and openly shared their experiences. It's that willingness to contribute that makes our Network Events so valuable.
We also want to recognise our Network Leaders Joe Sellwood, Chloe Jones and Nicola Clifton for all the hard work behind the scenes in shaping and delivering the event.
Thank you to Esker for sponsoring and supporting the event once again, and to Dan Weston and Martyn Brooke for sharing their insight and expertise with our members.
Finally, a huge thank you to Enzo Meyer and Culina Group Limited for hosting us in Warrington, sharing Culina's Finance Operating Model transformation journey and looking after everyone so brilliantly throughout the day.
A fantastic way to bring our 2026 in-person Network Events to a close.
Next stop... Future Vision: Resilience Rebooted, our Annual Conference in November! ❤️
