Table of Contents
Most AR software comparisons focus on features and pricing, but miss the actual difference between Levers and Invoice Butler. Levers requires you to train an AI agent, maintain clean contact data, and step in when the automation hits edge cases. We're not software you manage at all. We're the team doing your collections work, handling supplier portals, tracking down payment contacts, and applying human judgment when customer relationships need it.
TLDR:
- Invoice Butler handles collections as a service with human specialists, not software you manage
- We chase payments through portals, email, Slack, LinkedIn, and calls when needed
- Levers sends automated emails but requires clean contact data and manual portal work
- You're live in under an hour with Invoice Butler vs weeks training an AI agent
- Invoice Butler finds alternative contacts when emails bounce or go unanswered
What is Levers?
Levers is an accounts receivable management software designed to automate invoice collections for B2B companies using AI agents. The software sends payment reminders, responds to customer messages, and tracks incoming payments without your team needing to step in manually.
You train an AI agent to handle your AR communications by configuring response scenarios, setting messaging cadence, and defining escalation rules. Once trained, the agent operates autonomously (sending follow-ups, replying to customer emails, managing back-and-forth until payment arrives).
The system connects to your invoicing software to pull receivables data, then handles outreach through email-based communication. One caveat: Levers requires accurate contact information upfront. If your customer data contains outdated emails or incorrect contacts, you'll need to clean that before the system can function properly.
The service targets finance teams looking to reduce manual collections work who are comfortable setting up and maintaining an AI agent to represent their company in customer communications.
What is Invoice Butler?
We operate as an outsourced AR team, not a software tool you need to configure and manage. Our service pairs AI with human AR specialists who handle your collections work from start to finish.
Here's what happens after you connect your invoicing system (QuickBooks, NetSuite, Stripe, or others): we send follow-ups that sound like they came from your team, handle customer replies and questions, chase approvals in supplier portals like Coupa and Ariba, find the right payment decision-makers when contacts go dark, and confirm when payments clear.
You're not training an agent or maintaining automation rules. We're doing the actual work while you get visibility through a real-time dashboard showing which invoices have been followed up on, what's outstanding, and where money stands.
Setup takes under an hour through secure read-only access to your systems. Our team manages operations while AR specialists review edge cases and relationship-sensitive situations, so you get speed without sacrificing judgment in customer communications.
AI Approach and Execution Model
Levers operates autonomously, requiring you to train and manage the AI agent. The system sends automated replies to customer emails and tracks payment statuses without human review before messages are delivered. When the AI encounters situations it can't handle or produces incorrect responses, your team intervenes and retrains the system.
Invoice Butler takes a hybrid approach, pairing AI automation with human AR specialists. The AI handles routine tasks (sending reminders, tracking responses) while our specialists review edge cases, complex situations, and sensitive escalations before communications go out. You get automation speed backed by professional judgment when context matters.
You won't train the system because we function as your outsourced AR team, not a tool you operate. We manage the quality and tone of all outreach internally, balancing automation with human oversight. This works best for complex B2B relationships where nuance matters.
Contact Management and Escalation Capabilities
Levers works with the contact data you provide but doesn't clean your database or search for alternatives when emails bounce or go unanswered. Your collection success depends on having accurate contacts before launch. This works well when you're dealing with consistent payment contacts and well-maintained customer databases. Teams working with large enterprises or complex procurement departments may see collection rates affected when contacts change or stop responding.
We search for alternative contacts and decision-makers when your initial attempts don't work. When an email bounces or sits unanswered, we pull from Salesforce, HubSpot, and external databases to find who actually controls payment at that organization. We track which contacts respond across your customer base and build knowledge about each company's payment processes. You get escalation that adapts to organizational changes rather than repeatedly contacting inactive addresses.
Supplier Portal Management and Multi-Channel Collections
Levers handles collections through automated email communications. The system doesn't log into supplier portals like Coupa, Ariba, or Tipalti to upload invoices or chase approvals. If your customers require portal submissions (and many B2B buyers now mandate portal-based invoice processing), you'll handle that work separately while Levers manages email follow-ups.
This email-focused approach works when customers pay directly from invoices without procurement system requirements. For companies selling to enterprise buyers with strict vendor portal policies, the collections process splits between two workflows: manual portal management and automated email reminders.
Invoice Butler handles supplier portals as part of the service. The team logs into customer systems, uploads invoices, completes required forms, and tracks approval status through payment confirmation. This covers the portal work that typically consumes hours each week for finance teams.
Invoice Butler also reaches customers through whatever channel makes sense: email, shared Slack channels, LinkedIn messages, phone calls, or text messages. When invoices go overdue or contacts stop responding to email, the team shifts tactics. A finance controller might ignore the third email reminder but respond immediately to a LinkedIn message.
Integration Speed and Data Requirements
Levers integrates with accounting systems to pull invoice and customer data. As software you configure, implementation requires time to train the AI agent on your communication style, set escalation rules, and prepare your contact database. The system expects clean, structured information before automated outreach begins. If customer contacts are incomplete or outdated, you'll need to clean that data first. Organizations with accurate data and technical resources can get value once setup and training finish.
We deploy in under an hour through one-click integrations with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Stripe, Bill.com, and Xero. The service needs only read-only access to your invoicing system and email, with no AI training on your end. Our team handles data cleanliness internally, enriching contact information as part of the service. You'll see collections activity within the first day rather than waiting weeks for implementation. Fast deployment matters for companies with immediate cash flow needs or limited IT resources.
Why Invoice Butler is the Better Choice
Levers works well for teams that want to manage their own AI agents and already have clean contact data and straightforward payment flows. But if you're looking to remove AR from your plate entirely (rather than add another tool to manage), Invoice Butler is built differently.
We run collections as a service. That means we operate the customer portals, handle multi-channel outreach, research missing contact details, and apply human judgment when automated rules fall short. You get live in under an hour with zero training, no AI agent supervision, and no internal resources spent managing the system.
The difference comes down to whether you want software to manage or work you want done. We're the second option.
Final Thoughts on AR Software Options
The Invoice Butler vs Levers decision depends on whether you want another tool to manage or actual work done for you. Levers requires clean data, AI training, and ongoing oversight from your team. We function as your AR department, handling supplier portals, contact research, and collections across every channel that makes sense. Book 15 minutes to see how quickly we can start collecting for you. You'll have full visibility without managing anything yourself.
FAQ
How should I decide between Invoice Butler and Levers for my AR needs?
Consider whether you want to manage software or have the work done for you. Levers works well if you have clean contact data and want to train an AI agent yourself, while Invoice Butler functions as your outsourced AR team that handles everything (including portal logins and multi-channel outreach) without requiring you to configure or maintain anything.
What's the main difference in how these two services handle collections?
Levers sends automated email reminders based on rules you configure, but you'll need to manage supplier portals separately and maintain your own contact database. We handle the full collections process—emailing, portal submissions, finding new contacts when people go dark, and switching channels (LinkedIn, phone, Slack) when email doesn't work.
Who is Invoice Butler best suited for compared to Levers?
Invoice Butler is ideal for B2B companies selling to enterprise customers with complex procurement requirements, teams without time to manage collection software, or businesses dealing with frequent contact changes. Levers suits teams with technical resources, straightforward payment flows, and well-maintained customer databases who want to operate their own AI agent.
What happens if my customer contact information is outdated or incomplete?
With Levers, you'll need to clean your contact database before the system can work properly, as it relies on the information you provide. Our service enriches contact data as part of what we do—when emails bounce or contacts don't respond, we search for alternative decision-makers across databases and your CRM so collections continue without gaps.
How quickly can I start seeing collections activity with each service?
Invoice Butler deploys in under an hour through read-only access to your invoicing system, with collections activity starting the first day. Levers requires more upfront time to train the AI agent on your communication style, set escalation rules, and prepare your contact database before automated outreach begins.
