What should we automate first?

Four finance workflows, in the order most teams tackle them. Each one has a typical starting point and a clear change in outcome.

Not sure which applies to you?

The assessment ranks these workflows against your data, team and risk exposure.

Forecast from drivers, not from last year's spreadsheet

Forecasts are rebuilt by hand each quarter. Scenario requests from the board take days to answer.


What we typically implement

  • Rolling driver-based forecast

  • Automated variance analysis

  • Scenario planning models

  • Management dashboards

What changes

  • Faster forecast cycles

  • Scenarios answered in hours

  • More time for analysis

Board-ready reporting without the spreadsheet rebuild

Data sits in several systems. Someone consolidates it by hand, writes the commentary and checks it twice.


What we typically implement

  • KPI dashboards

  • Automated commentary drafts for review

  • Data consolidation across systems

What changes

  • Board packs produced without manual rebuilds

  • One version of the numbers

Pay suppliers faster with fewer manual approvals

Invoices arrive by email and PDF, are keyed in by hand and wait in inboxes for approval. Late payments and duplicate checks consume hours each week.


What we typically implement

  • Invoice capture from email and PDF

  • Line-level matching to purchase orders

  • Approval routing by value and entity

  • Exception queues for unmatched items

What changes

  • Lower cost per invoice

  • Fewer manual approvals

  • Faster vendor payments

Close in days, not weeks

The close runs on spreadsheets, email chasers and manual reconciliations. Errors surface late, and senior staff fix them under deadline.


What we typically implement

  • Journal entry automation

  • Account reconciliation

  • Anomaly detection on balances

  • A close calendar with clear owners

What changes

  • A shorter close cycle

  • Fewer reconciliation errors

  • Less reliance on late-night review