As we move towards 2026, finance leaders are fundamentally rethinking the way their teams operate. With rising expectations for real-time insights, less manual work and better decision-making across the business, one question is becoming central: how can we move beyond spreadsheets and adopt a smarter, automated approach to financial management?
It’s a shift we see every day at AccountsIQ. In our CFO Mindset Report 2.0, 65% of finance leaders said they’re actively looking to automate manual processes - and many are already doing so, replacing spreadsheet-led workflows with finance automation platforms that streamline reporting, consolidation and month-end management.
The modern CFO’s challenge
Spreadsheets remain familiar, flexible and accessible - but they were never designed to support modern finance teams at scale. Relying on them alone introduces major challenges: manual data entry, lack of version control, fragmented information and limited visibility across the business.
It’s no surprise that, according to the CFO Mindset Report 2.0, 94% of CFOs in our research expressed regret over past technology choices that introduced unnecessary complexity. Disconnected systems and spreadsheet-heavy processes don’t just slow down reporting - they create uncertainty at the leadership level, making confident decision-making more difficult.
What the right finance automation platform actually does
A finance automation platform goes well beyond the month-end close process. It brings structure, control and intelligence to processes that traditionally depend on manual spreadsheets - covering everything from reconciliations and intercompany processes to reporting, approvals and analysis.
Key benefits include:
- Real-time visibility: consolidate financial data across entities, accounts and periods instantly.
- Automated workflows: track progress, approvals and tasks without manual intervention.
- Audit-ready compliance: built-in trails ensure accuracy and regulatory adherence.
- ERP and BI integration: data flows seamlessly into other systems, creating a single source of truth.
With automation, finance teams can reduce errors, speed up the close and give leadership confidence in every decision.
From manual close to automated confidence
Replacing spreadsheets with automation goes beyond efficiency - it transforms the mindset of finance teams. Automation allows teams to move from reactive, spreadsheet-backed reporting to proactive, insight-driven finance.
Finance leaders using automation can monitor performance continuously, spot anomalies early, and provide the clarity leadership needs to make strategic decisions. By removing manual hurdles, CFOs free up their teams to focus on analysis, forecasting and scenario planning - all of which support faster, more confident decision-making.
Choosing the right automation partner
When exploring finance automation platforms that are tailored to the needs of your business, finance leaders should prioritise:
- Flexibility: the system should work with existing ERP and analytics tools.
- Scalability: it should support multi-entity, multi-currency consolidation and growth.
- Usability: it should be intuitive for finance teams, not just IT specialists.
- Support: onboarding, training and ongoing assistance should be included to ensure successful adoption.
AccountsIQ is designed specifically for mid-market finance teams ready to move from manual processes to modern, automated workflows. With real-time reporting and seamless integration at its core, it helps CFOs turn complexity into clarity - and raw data into confident decisions.
Better data. Better confidence. Better decisions
Automation is not just about speed. It’s about trust, transparency and transformation. The next generation of CFOs is choosing simpler, smarter tools that enable faster reporting, more accurate data and better decision-making across the business.
Discover how AccountsIQ can streamline reduce manual work and enable better, faster decisions. Book a demo today.
