Deutsche Bank has joined forces with software firm Serrala to launch an API interface for Sepa instant payments for corporates using SAP enterprise resource planning software, taking a step towards real-time treasury.
The Sepa Instant Credit Transfer scheme sets the standard that digital payments must be executed in 10 seconds or less. Although it has been available since 2017, it still requires mostly proprietary bank offerings.
The new API changes this, using Serrala's FS2 Payments for SAP solution to allow corporations to initiate payments instantly though the SAP ERP system. This, say the partners, lays the foundations to accelerate and digitalise not only treasury processes but also end-to-end business workflows.
Initially, the API will be available to capture, process and manage manual payments in SAP systems. This will later be expanded to other payment systems.
Thomas Stosberg, director, corporate cash management sales, Deutsche Bank, says: "Combining Sepa Instant Payments with API technology creates new opportunities for our customers. Corporates benefit from an end-to-end integration of their business processes via treasury components to the bank and vice versa and receive an immediate confirmation of their payments."
Stephan Benkendorf, chief domestic officer, Serrala, adds: "Our API transforms payment processing from scheduled batch payments to real-time processing, accelerating payments significantly."