January 29, 2024
Finance teams are drowning in manual work. Invoice sorting, statement reconciliation, file uploads, month-end checklists—tasks that should be automated are still consuming hours every week.
Here’s why forward-thinking finance teams are moving beyond manual workflows and what they’re gaining. See how we approach automation to understand the full data product lifecycle.
Manual accounting work doesn’t just take time—it creates problems:
Time Drain Finance teams spend 20+ hours monthly on tasks that could be automated: sorting invoices, manually entering data, reconciling statements, chasing missing documents.
Error Risk Manual data entry leads to typos, duplicate entries, and missed transactions. These errors create reconciliation headaches and require time-consuming corrections.
Bottlenecks When one person is responsible for manual tasks, they become a bottleneck. If they’re out sick or busy, processes stall.
Burnout Repetitive manual work leads to team burnout. Talented finance professionals want to focus on analysis and strategy, not data entry.
Leading finance teams are automating everything that lives outside their accounting system:
Invoice Processing Invoices arrive via email and are automatically captured, validated, and routed. No manual sorting, no data entry, no file management. Learn how to automate invoice processing and save 20 hours per month.
Statement Reconciliation Bank statements, supplier statements, POS data—all automatically matched and reconciled. Exceptions flagged for review. See 5 ways automated reconciliation improves your month-end close.
Month-End Workflows Accruals, prepayments, intercompany allocations, compliance checks—all automated. Month-end checklists run automatically.
Exception Handling Discrepancies, missing documents, compliance issues—automatically flagged and routed to the right person.
Companies that automate their accounting workflows report:
Accounting automation isn’t new, but it’s becoming essential because:
1. The Tools Are Better Modern automation solutions connect seamlessly to QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, and ERPs. They’re easier to implement and more reliable than ever.
2. The ROI Is Clear The time savings alone justify the investment. But the real value comes from fewer errors, faster closes, and happier teams.
3. The Competition Is Moving Companies that automate gain a competitive advantage. They close books faster, make decisions quicker, and operate more efficiently.
4. Teams Expect It Finance professionals don’t want to spend their careers doing manual data entry. They want tools that let them focus on analysis and strategy.
The best part? Automation works with your existing accounting system. You don’t need to replace QuickBooks, Xero, or Sage. Automation solutions connect to them and handle everything outside the system.
Most implementations take less than a week. You connect your systems, configure your workflows, and automation starts immediately.
When manual work is automated, finance team roles evolve:
Before: Data entry, file sorting, manual reconciliation After: Exception review, analysis, strategic insights
Your team becomes more valuable because they’re focusing on work that requires human judgment and expertise.
“Automation is too expensive” The time savings alone typically pay for automation within months. Plus, fewer errors mean fewer costly corrections.
“It won’t work with our processes” Modern automation solutions are designed to work with existing workflows. You configure them to match your processes.
“We’ll lose control” Automation gives you more control, not less. You see everything that’s happening, review exceptions, and approve workflows.
“It’s too complicated” Good automation solutions are simple to use. Your team learns them quickly, and support is available when needed.
If your finance team is spending too much time on manual work, automation is the solution. The best way to see if it’s right for you? Book a demo and see how it works with your specific workflows.
Most companies are surprised by how much time they’re wasting on tasks that could be automated. Once they see automation in action, the decision becomes clear. For a deep dive into specific automation areas, see our complete guides to invoice processing automation and statement reconciliation automation.
Finance teams that automate manual workflows don’t just save time—they transform how they work. They close books faster, reduce errors, and give their teams time back for strategic work.
The question isn’t whether to automate—it’s when. And the answer is now.
Ready to see how automation can transform your finance workflows? Book a demo and we’ll show you exactly what you’re missing. Or explore our automation services to see what we can automate for your team.
