Dealers have been using pencils for decades; sometimes the ones with actual wood and lead.

Well, Informativ is rolling out a new kind. The provider of fraud prevention, compliance, payments, and credit technology for the automotive and consumer finance industries is unveiling two new innovations at NADA 2026 in Las Vegas.

One is SmartPencil, which is built for modern-day deal complexity. Informativ highlighted that SmartPencil can enable dealers to:

—Identify potential improvements on deals

—Eliminate reliance on institutional knowledge and reduce deal rewrites

—Ensure consistency and speed regardless of who’s behind the desk

—Quickly see multiple lender scenarios and payment structures

—Enforce compliant workflows mandated by the Federal Trade Commission

“SmartPencil gives desk managers the data and flexibility needed to win more deals in today’s high-stakes dealership environment by automatically recommending lender-qualified vehicles and deal structures,” said , which is backed by Capstreet, a Houston-based lower middle market private equity firm.

SmartPencil builds in lender rules, compliance safeguards, and payment accuracy at the earliest stages of the deal, addressing some of the most common challenges dealers face:

—Standardized pencils that support profit optimization

—Instant “what-if” scenarios to adjust terms quickly

—Compliance-focused workflow

—Guardrails to ensure consumer credit is aligned to lender programs

SmartPencil is powered by Informativ’s Payments API, which is the other tool set to be unveiled at NADA Show 2026.

Informativ explained the intelligent Payments-as-a-Service platform built to deliver real-time, transaction-ready loan and lease payments. While SmartPencil is available directly to dealers, Payments API is available to automotive software partners, powering marketing platforms, desking tools, dealer websites, and digital retail platforms to deliver accurate, fundable offers at the VIN level.

“We’re excited to share with automotive software partners the power and flexibility of our Payments API,” said David Domm, who is managing partner of payments. “Payments is a REST API that plugs into digital automotive platforms with ease and is built for real-time delivery and high-volume performance.”

Dealers attending NADA 2026 in Las Vegas can see SmartPencil and Payments API in action at Informativ Booth No. 4137W.

NADA is also highlighting SmartPencil throughout the Expo Hall:

—A Sidekick for Superhero Desk Managers: NADA Pitch Competition (NADALive Stage); Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 11 a.m. (PT)

—Up-level Your Talent with Credit-qualified Payments: NADA Product Discovery Stage (Booth 2117W); Thursday, Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. (PT)

NADA will also be showcasing how top dealers can leverage Informativ’s suite of solutions to combat fraud and enforce compliance:

—Top Dealers Talk About Fraud Challenges & Showroom Wins: NADALive Stage; Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m. (PT)

—Fraud & Fine Prevention Playbook: NADA Dealer Learning Lab (Booth 8233N), Thursday, Feb. 5, 11:15 a.m. (PT)

Informativ CEO David Carner said, “With SmartPencil and our Payments API, we’re striving to help dealers and software vendors deliver faster, more accurate, and compliant deals and meeting the industry’s demand for smarter, more streamlined retailing.”

 More information can be found at https://informativ.com/events/nada.