5 Strategies to Optimize Cash Flow Across Multiple Bank Accounts

1. Implement Real-Time Cash Pooling

Centralising your balances lets you eliminate idle cash and borrow only what you need. Two common models:

• Virtual (physical) pooling: Surplus funds are physically swept to a master account at defined intervals.
• Notional pooling: Balances are offset for interest calculation without moving the money, reducing transfer friction and FX noise.

How to act:

• Pick a banking partner (or treasury API) that supports automated sweeps and provides intraday statements (MT942 / CAMT.052).
• Define entity-level minimum/maximum thresholds; let rules move the rest to a hub for investment or debt paydown.
• Mirror the pooling structure in your ledger so accounting stays clean—use virtual accounts for each subsidiary.

Tip: Start with end-of-day sweeps, then graduate to event- or balance-triggered sweeps when your data quality improves.

2. Optimise Sweeping Schedules

Daily sweeps are fine for steady-state businesses. High-velocity models (marketplaces, payroll processors) need finer control.

Tactics:

• Event-driven sweeps: Trigger after large settlement batches, payroll runs, or payment gateway deposits.
• Analytics-led timing: Use historical transaction data to spot when balances spike, then sweep minutes later.
• Micro-sweeps for interest: If your bank pays intraday interest or charges negative rates, multiple small sweeps can outperform one big one.

Create a simple rules engine:

IF balance(entity) > X by 14:00 local
THEN sweep excess to hub
ELSE leave until EOD