Harvest adds Helcim payments for Canadian SMB invoices

Harvest has partnered with Helcim to add payment processing to its accounts receivable platform, targeting Canadian small and medium-sized businesses.

The integration lets Harvest users connect a Helcim account and add payment options to outstanding invoices managed in QuickBooks or Xero. Customers who receive invoice follow-ups through Harvest can then pay through Helcim directly from those messages.

Harvest automates invoice follow-up for smaller businesses. It connects with accounting software and a company's email account to draft and send messages, manage follow-up schedules, track responses, and give finance teams a view of overdue accounts.

Adding Helcim extends that process to the payment stage. Businesses do not need to change how invoices are created or managed in their accounting systems, the companies said.

The move addresses a persistent issue for smaller firms, which often wait weeks to be paid. Research cited by the companies found that 59% of small businesses were owed money from unpaid invoices, while nearly half reported invoices that were more than 30 days overdue.

Separate figures for Canada highlight the pressure this can place on cash flow. According to the companies, 42% of Canadian small businesses rely on credit cards to finance operations, showing how delayed payments can push owners toward costly short-term borrowing.

Workflow change

The partnership is intended to reduce the number of tools businesses use to manage accounts receivable. Instead of handling accounting, payment collection, and customer follow-up in separate systems, users can move from invoice creation to reminder messages, payment, and reconciliation in a more connected workflow.

That matters particularly in sectors with tight margins and limited administrative capacity. Harvest said its customer base includes businesses in construction, home services, professional services, and agencies.

Matt Himel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Harvest, described the partnership as a way to simplify collections work for smaller companies.

"Small businesses shouldn't need a large finance team to manage their outstanding invoices. Harvest gives Canadian SMBs access to sophisticated AI technology that follows up on invoices, manages customer communication, and helps businesses get paid faster. By integrating Helcim, we are now making the final step just as seamless-customers can move directly from a personalized invoice reminder to an affordable and convenient way to pay," Himel said.

Helcim uses an interchange-plus pricing model with no monthly fees or contracts, according to the companies. Its service is already used by tens of thousands of businesses across Canada and the United States, with annual payment volumes in the billions of dollars.

Payments focus

The addition gives Harvest's existing users a direct way to accept card payments on overdue invoices. It also allows current Helcim customers to connect their payment accounts to Harvest if they want to automate invoice reminders and customer communication.

For Helcim, the arrangement places its payment tools deeper into the day-to-day finance processes of small businesses. Rather than acting only at the checkout or billing stage, it becomes part of follow-up and collections activity after an invoice has been issued.

Nic Beique, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Helcim, said the partnership aligns with the company's focus on simple pricing and access for smaller firms.

"Payments should be simple, transparent, and affordable for every small business-that's the mission we've built Helcim on from day one. Through this partnership, we're bringing our fair pricing and full suite of tools directly to Harvest users, so they can accept payments without hidden fees eating into their bottom line," Beique said.

Harvest said it has backing from Simple Ventures and Canadian technology entrepreneurs including Wealthsimple Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Michael Katchen and Wave Co-Founder Kirk Simpson. It added that businesses using its platform have collected millions of dollars in outstanding invoices, shortened payment times, and reduced administrative work.

The partnership reflects a broader push by financial software providers to connect accounting, customer communication, and payment collection for smaller businesses that do not have dedicated credit control teams or complex back-office systems.