
Streamline your automated month end close with practical steps, key features, and expert tips for a faster, more accurate financial close process.
Think of your month-end close like assembling a complex piece of furniture. The manual approach is like using a single Allen key and a confusing, paper-only instruction manual. It’s slow, frustrating, and you’re almost guaranteed to have a few screws left over at the end. An automated month end close, on the other hand, is like having a full set of power tools and a clear, step-by-step digital guide. The process is faster, the connections are more secure, and the final result is exactly what you expected. This guide will show you how to equip your finance team with the right tools.
Think of the month-end close as the financial finish line for your business each month. It’s the process of reviewing, verifying, and reconciling all your accounts to produce financial reports that show how your company performed. For many finance teams, this is a frantic, stressful sprint fueled by spreadsheets, manual data entry, and late nights. An automated month-end close changes that. It uses specialized software to handle the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that bog down your team.
Instead of manually pulling data from a dozen different sources, the software gathers all your financial information into one central place. It automates tasks like reconciling accounts and matching transactions, making the entire process of closing the books significantly smoother and faster. This isn't about replacing your finance professionals; it's about giving them the right tools to work more efficiently and focus on strategic analysis rather than tedious data wrangling. By automating the close, you turn a chaotic monthly scramble into a streamlined, predictable, and far more accurate process.
The month-end close involves several key steps, and automation can simplify each one. It starts with a cash review and moves into account reconciliation, which is just making sure the numbers in your books match your bank statements. The process also includes reviewing fixed assets (like equipment and property), calculating accruals for expenses you’ve incurred but haven’t paid yet, and running compliance checks. Finally, it all comes together in the creation of your core financial reports. Automation software helps manage these moving parts, often with checklists and workflows, so nothing gets missed and every step is completed in the right order.
Automation software doesn’t operate in a silo. Its real power comes from its ability to connect with the tools you already use every day. Think of it as a central hub that pulls information from your ERP, CRM, payment gateways, and accounting software. This creates a single source of truth for your financial data, eliminating the need to manually export and import spreadsheets between systems. The goal is a seamless flow of information, which is why strong integrations are non-negotiable. When your systems can talk to each other, you get a complete and accurate picture of your finances without the manual patchwork.
So, what’s happening under the hood? A few key features do most of the work. First is automated transaction matching, where the software intelligently pairs transactions from different sources, like matching a payment from Stripe to an invoice in your accounting system. Another game-changer is real-time reconciliation. Instead of waiting until the end of the month to find discrepancies, the software can constantly check your accounts, flagging issues as they happen. It also maintains a clear audit trail, recording every entry and change so you always know who did what and when. These features work together to reduce errors, save time, and give you confidence in your numbers.
If the phrase “month-end close” makes your shoulders tense up, you’re not alone. It’s a process that should be a routine financial check-up, but for many teams, it turns into a frantic scramble of spreadsheets, reconciliations, and late nights. This stress isn't a sign of a bad team; it's usually a symptom of an outdated process. When your closing process relies on manual work and disconnected systems, it’s bound to be a headache.
The good news is that these challenges are completely solvable. The first step is to pinpoint exactly where the friction is coming from. Most of the time, the frustration boils down to a few common culprits: the slow crawl of manual data entry, the chaos of juggling information from different sources, the endless hunt for errors, and the constant pressure to stay compliant. By understanding these pain points, you can see why moving to an automated system isn't just a nice-to-have, but a fundamental shift toward a smarter, calmer way of working.
Manual data entry is a huge bottleneck in the closing process. Every time a team member has to key in numbers from one system to another, you introduce opportunities for typos and delays. It’s a tedious task that consumes valuable hours that your team could be spending on analysis and strategy. This reliance on manual work also means you’re never looking at a truly current picture of your finances. The lack of real-time data forces you to make decisions based on information that might already be outdated by the time you finish compiling it. This constant state of catch-up makes it nearly impossible to be proactive.
Most businesses run on a collection of specialized tools—a CRM for sales, a payment processor for transactions, and an ERP for operations. While each is great at its job, they don't always speak the same language. During the month-end close, your team is tasked with pulling data from all these separate sources and forcing it to fit together. This often requires complex, makeshift integrations and manual work to consolidate and reconcile the numbers. You end up with duplicated data and multiple versions of the truth, which creates confusion and makes it incredibly difficult to trust your own reports without hours of verification.
When your process is built on manual entry and disconnected systems, errors are inevitable. The real problem is the time it takes to find and fix them. A single discrepancy can send your team on a wild goose chase, digging through spreadsheets and transaction logs to find the source of the problem. These manual tasks, from high-volume reconciliations to ticking and tying journal entries, are where the close often goes off the rails. What should be a straightforward process becomes a forensic investigation, derailing your timeline and adding a ton of stress to the team.
Beyond the operational headaches, a manual closing process creates significant compliance risks. Standards like ASC 606 have strict rules for revenue recognition, and getting it wrong can lead to serious consequences during an audit. When your data is siloed and your reconciliations are done by hand, it’s much harder to maintain the controls and documentation needed to prove compliance. An automated system provides a clear, unchangeable audit trail for every transaction. This allows you to establish control with real-time data, reduce the risk of audit errors, and confidently stand behind your financial statements.
Switching from a manual to an automated month-end close isn't just about getting things done faster. It fundamentally changes how your finance team operates and how your business makes decisions. By letting technology handle the repetitive, time-consuming tasks, you open the door to a more strategic, accurate, and collaborative financial process. You’re not just closing the books; you’re building a stronger foundation for growth. Let’s look at the specific advantages you can expect.
Imagine your team not having to spend the last week of every month in a frantic scramble. Automation works around the clock, constantly checking and balancing accounts in real time. This eliminates the massive pile-up of work that defines a manual close. Instead of dedicating hours to tedious data entry and reconciliation, your team can focus on higher-value activities like financial analysis and strategic planning. This shift doesn't just make for a happier, less burned-out team; it directly translates to reduced operational costs and a more efficient finance function.
Even the most detail-oriented person can make mistakes, especially when dealing with huge volumes of data under pressure. Manual processes are prone to human error—a misplaced decimal, a copy-paste mistake, or a missed transaction can throw everything off. Automation significantly reduces these risks by standardizing workflows and handling repetitive tasks with precision. By letting software manage data aggregation and reconciliation, you ensure your financial statements are more reliable. This accuracy builds trust with stakeholders and gives you confidence in the numbers you use to guide your business.
The traditional month-end close gives you a snapshot of your business's health from weeks ago. In today's market, that's too slow. Automation provides access to real-time dashboards and reports, offering an up-to-the-minute view of your financial performance. You can stop making decisions based on outdated information and start reacting to what's happening right now. This continuous visibility allows you to spot trends, address issues before they become major problems, and seize opportunities with agility. Having access to these deeper financial insights is a true competitive advantage.
Meeting compliance standards like ASC 606 and preparing for audits can be a major source of stress. Automation helps by creating a structured, transparent, and easily traceable process. Every action is logged in a clear audit trail, and you can build in standardized approval workflows to ensure proper oversight. This systematic approach not only makes your data more secure and accurate but also simplifies the audit process. When auditors ask for documentation, you can provide a complete, organized record with just a few clicks, making it much easier to demonstrate compliance.
A manual close often involves siloed spreadsheets, endless email chains, and confusion over who is responsible for what. An automated system centralizes all your financial operations into a single source of truth. With clear task assignments, visible progress tracking, and seamless integrations with your existing tools, your team can collaborate more effectively. Everyone knows what they need to do and when, which reduces friction and eliminates bottlenecks. This creates a smoother workflow and fosters a more cohesive team environment, even when everyone is working remotely.
When you start looking at automation software, the number of options can feel overwhelming. Every platform promises to solve your problems, but not all are created equal. The right tool can completely transform your month-end close from a stressful scramble into a smooth, predictable process. The wrong one, however, can just add another layer of complexity you don’t have time for. To help you cut through the noise, I’ve put together a checklist of the non-negotiable features your automation software should have.
Think of this as your guide to finding a solution that doesn’t just automate tasks but actually makes your entire financial process smarter. For high-volume businesses, the goal isn't just to do things faster; it's to do them more accurately and with greater visibility. A platform with these core capabilities will give your team the foundation it needs to close the books with fewer errors and a lot less stress. As you evaluate different options, make sure they check these boxes. If you want to see how a comprehensive solution brings these features together, you can always schedule a demo to see them in action.
First up is a true time-saver. Manually creating and posting journal entries is one of the most repetitive parts of the close, and it’s a prime spot for human error to creep in. The best automation software takes this completely off your team’s plate. You can set up rules that allow the system to automatically prepare, create, and post journal entries directly into your accounting software. This not only saves a massive amount of time but also ensures consistency and accuracy across all your entries. It frees up your talented finance professionals to focus on analysis and strategy instead of tedious data entry.
If your team spends hours manually ticking and tying transactions from bank statements, credit card reports, and sales systems, this feature is an absolute must-have. Transaction matching automation works by intelligently comparing and matching thousands of transactions from different sources in seconds. The real magic is that it surfaces only the exceptions—the handful of transactions that don’t line up and need a human eye. Instead of searching for a needle in a haystack, your team can go straight to resolving the discrepancies. This drastically cuts down on reconciliation time and helps you identify potential issues much faster.
Why cram a month’s worth of work into a few frantic days? The concept of a continuous close is about spreading the workload throughout the month, and the right software makes it possible. Instead of waiting for month-end, the platform can work in the background, constantly reconciling accounts and balancing transactions in real-time as they happen. This means that when the end of the month does roll around, a huge chunk of the work is already done. It smooths out the workflow, reduces the end-of-month pressure, and gives you a more current view of your financials at any point in time.
Whether you’re preparing for an audit or just want to maintain tight internal controls, this feature is essential. A strong automation platform will create a detailed audit trail for every single action, showing who did what and when. This creates a clear, unchangeable record that makes auditors happy and gives you complete visibility into your process. It also allows you to build in approval workflows, ensuring that journal entries or reconciliations are reviewed by the right people before they’re finalized. This is crucial for maintaining data integrity and meeting compliance standards like ASC 606.
The month-end close is a multi-step process with a lot of moving parts and people. Keeping track of everything on spreadsheets or in separate project management tools can be chaotic. Look for software that includes built-in task management features. This acts as a central command center for your close, allowing you to create checklists, assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track progress all in one place. It ensures everyone knows exactly what they’re responsible for and gives managers a clear view of where things stand without having to chase people down for updates.
Waiting until the close is finished to understand your company’s performance is no longer good enough. Modern automation platforms come with real-time dashboards and reporting capabilities that give you an up-to-the-minute look at your financials. You can track key metrics, monitor the progress of the close, and drill down into the data whenever you need to. This immediate visibility allows leaders to make faster, more informed strategic decisions based on current data, not on reports that are already weeks old. It turns your financial data from a historical record into a forward-looking tool.
Your automation software can’t live on an island. For it to be truly effective, it needs to connect seamlessly with the other tools you already use, like your ERP, CRM, and accounting software. Strong, flexible integrations are key to creating a smooth, end-to-end automated workflow. This eliminates the need for manual data exports and imports, which are both time-consuming and risky. When your systems can talk to each other, data flows automatically where it needs to go, ensuring everyone is working from a single source of truth and reducing the chance of errors.
Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to explore the tools that can get the job done. The market for financial automation software is full of great options, but the best one for you depends entirely on your company’s size, industry, and specific challenges. Some platforms are all-in-one powerhouses, while others specialize in areas like reporting or spreadsheet integration. Here’s a look at some of the top contenders to help you get a feel for what’s out there.
HubiFi is built for high-volume businesses that need to get revenue recognition right, every time. It specializes in automating complex processes to ensure compliance with standards like ASC 606. The platform offers seamless integrations to pull data from all your different systems—like your CRM, payment processor, and ERP—into one place. This gives you a single source of truth, which is especially helpful for subscription or usage-based businesses. To really understand how well your close is performing, you need to track key performance indicators (KPIs), and HubiFi provides the real-time analytics to do just that. It’s a strong choice if your main goal is to automate revenue streams and gain clear data visibility.
BlackLine is a leader in the financial close space, known for its powerful automation capabilities. It excels at transforming the reconciliation process by using intelligent automation to match transactions based on rules you can customize. This significantly cuts down on the manual work that bogs down your team. By automating data collection and validation, BlackLine helps eliminate the tedious, error-prone compilation that can delay reporting. If your team spends too much time on high-volume reconciliations and you’re looking for a robust, enterprise-grade solution to standardize your close, BlackLine is a platform worth considering.
FloQast is designed to help accounting teams work together more effectively to close the books faster and with greater accuracy. Think of it as a centralized command center for your month-end close. It provides a clear, organized checklist so everyone on the team knows what they need to do and when. FloQast integrates directly with your existing ERP and Excel spreadsheets, so your team doesn’t have to abandon the tools they’re already comfortable with. It’s a great fit for teams that need better organization, visibility, and collaboration to streamline their existing close process without a complete overhaul.
If your finance team lives and breathes spreadsheets, Cube might be the perfect fit. It’s designed to work directly with the spreadsheets you already use, adding a layer of powerful automation and data consolidation on top. Cube uses AI to help automate repetitive tasks and brings data together from your various systems right into your familiar spreadsheet environment. This approach lets your team maintain its existing workflows while getting the benefits of automation, like faster reporting and more reliable data. It’s ideal for small to mid-sized teams that want to improve their financial planning and analysis (FP&A) and close processes without learning a completely new system.
Workiva shines when it comes to complex reporting and compliance. It’s a cloud platform that helps teams manage and connect data across financial statements, audit documents, and regulatory filings. If you’re dealing with SEC reporting or need to produce detailed, custom financial documents, Workiva has the tools to make it happen. It ensures your reports are consistent, accurate, and follow all the necessary rules. The platform also makes it easy to export files and collaborate with auditors, creating a clear and defensible trail for every number. It’s a top choice for public companies or any organization with rigorous reporting requirements.
Picking the right automation software for your month-end close feels like a huge decision, because it is. This tool will become a core part of your financial operations, so it’s worth taking the time to find the perfect match. It’s not about finding the "best" software on the market, but the best software for your team, your processes, and your company’s goals. Think of it less like a shopping trip and more like a strategic partnership.
To find the right fit, you need to ask the right questions. What works for a small startup with a straightforward financial structure won’t necessarily work for a high-volume business juggling complex revenue streams. You need a solution that not only solves your current headaches but can also grow with you. Let’s walk through the key questions to ask potential vendors to ensure you choose a platform that will make your close process smoother, faster, and more accurate. If you're ready to see how a tailored solution works, you can always schedule a demo to see the software in action.
The first thing to consider is scale. A solution designed for a massive enterprise might be too cumbersome and expensive for a mid-sized company, while a tool for small businesses might lack the features you need to handle complex transactions. Some platforms are specifically built for mid-sized organizations that want to grow without hiring more accounting staff. Look for a provider that understands your industry and business model. The goal is to find a system that fits you right now but has the flexibility to support you as you expand.
Your new software can’t live on an island. For automation to truly work, the platform must connect seamlessly with the tools you already use every day. This includes your ERP, CRM, and any other financial systems. A solution with robust, pre-built integrations will save you from the nightmare of manual data transfers and custom development work. Make sure it connects easily with your specific financial systems, whether you’re using NetSuite, QuickBooks, or Microsoft Dynamics. The whole point is to create a single source of truth, not another data silo.
While price is always a factor, try to think of automation software as an investment in efficiency and accuracy, not just another line item expense. The right tool will help your team make fewer mistakes, catch issues earlier, and make your entire month-end process smoother. When evaluating cost, look beyond the sticker price. Ask about implementation fees, training costs, and support packages to understand the total cost of ownership. A slightly higher upfront cost for a better-fitting solution can deliver a much greater return in the long run.
Even the most intuitive software is only as good as the team using it. A smooth transition depends heavily on the quality of the provider’s onboarding and support. Does the vendor offer comprehensive training to get your team up to speed? What does their ongoing customer support look like? Look for a partner that provides clear documentation, responsive help desks, and resources like checklists and task management tools. This ensures your team feels confident and empowered from day one.
You can’t afford to put your business on hold for a long and complicated implementation. Ask for a realistic timeline for getting the software up and running. A good provider will have a clear, structured onboarding process designed to get you to value as quickly as possible. The sooner your team can automate key processes and gain better visibility into your financials, the sooner you can achieve a faster, more accurate close and free up your team for more strategic work.
When you’re dealing with sensitive financial information, security is non-negotiable. Verify that any software you consider has robust security measures in place to protect your data. Look for certifications like SOC 2 compliance, which indicates a high standard for data security. The right platform should also help you maintain compliance with accounting standards like ASC 606. Using a secure financial technology platform is a month-end close best practice that expedites data collection while giving you peace of mind.
Switching to an automated month-end close process is a big step, and a little planning goes a long way. A thoughtful implementation strategy ensures you get the most value from your new software with minimal disruption. By mapping out your process, preparing your data, and getting your team on board, you can make the transition feel less like a hurdle and more like a natural next step in your company’s growth.
One of the biggest challenges in any close process is a lack of consistency. Before you implement new software, take the time to document your current month-end workflow from start to finish. This exercise helps you spot inefficiencies and areas where steps can be standardized. Adopting a new platform is the perfect opportunity to formalize these procedures. You can set up automated workflows and create templates that guide your team, ensuring everyone follows the same steps every time. This creates a standardized process that reduces confusion and makes the close more predictable and reliable.
Your new automation software is only as good as the data you put into it. This is why planning your data migration is so critical. Start by identifying all the data sources you’ll need to connect, from your ERP and CRM to your payment processors. The goal is to eliminate data silos and create a single source of truth. A solid plan involves cleaning up your existing data, mapping it to the fields in the new system, and establishing clear integrations with your tools. Investing this time upfront prevents headaches down the road and ensures your reporting is accurate from day one.
Introducing new technology can be unsettling for your team if it’s not handled with care. The key is to communicate early and often. Explain why you’re making the change and focus on how it will make their jobs easier—less manual data entry, fewer late nights, and more time for strategic work. Involve them in the selection and implementation process to get their buy-in. A faster, more accurate close starts with a team that feels supported and understands the benefits. When your team is on board, they become champions for the new process, which is essential for long-term success.
Even the most intuitive software requires some training. A comprehensive training plan ensures your team feels confident using the new system. This plan should go beyond a single demo. Consider a mix of live training sessions, on-demand video tutorials, and detailed documentation that your team can reference anytime. Providing a sandbox environment where they can practice without affecting live data is also incredibly helpful. When your team is well-trained, they can use the software to its full potential and truly streamline your financial operations.
Before you flip the switch, you need to conduct thorough testing. Think of it as a dress rehearsal for your month-end close. Run a parallel close in the new system using a previous month's data to compare the results against your old process. This helps you catch any discrepancies, fix configuration issues, and validate that all your automated workflows and dependencies are firing correctly. Testing ensures that when it’s time to go live, you can be confident that the system is working as expected and there won’t be any unwelcome surprises.
Your accounting team isn’t the only group affected by the month-end close. Executives, department heads, and investors all rely on timely and accurate financial reports. Keep these key stakeholders informed throughout the implementation process. Let them know about the timeline, what to expect, and how the new process will improve reporting. You can schedule regular check-ins or send out progress updates. Clear communication builds trust and ensures everyone is aligned. It also helps manage expectations for when they will start seeing the benefits of the new, faster close.
Switching to an automated month-end close is a huge step, but the work doesn’t stop once you go live. The real magic happens when you treat your new system not as a finish line, but as a starting point for continuous improvement. Making automation a core part of your financial operations means regularly checking in, making adjustments, and ensuring the system evolves with your business. By staying engaged with the process, you’ll see benefits far beyond just a faster close. You’ll build a more resilient, efficient, and insightful finance function that’s ready for whatever comes next. This ongoing effort is what turns a good investment into a great one, creating lasting value for your team and the entire company.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. After implementing your new automated system, the first step is to watch how it performs. This isn’t about micromanaging; it’s about understanding the impact of your changes. To get a clear picture of your month-end close efficiency, you need to track key performance indicators (KPIs). These metrics act as your guide, showing you what’s working well and where there might be opportunities for further refinement. Think of it as a regular health check for your financial processes. Consistently monitoring these indicators helps you prove the value of automation and make data-driven decisions to fine-tune your operations over time.
Choosing the right KPIs is essential for meaningful performance monitoring. Instead of getting lost in data, focus on a few core metrics that directly reflect the health of your closing process. A great place to start is with cycle time—the total time it takes to close the books from start to finish. You should also track the number of manual journal entries versus automated ones and the total team hours spent on closing tasks. These figures give you a clear, quantitative look at your time savings. Other valuable financial close KPIs include the timeliness of account reconciliations and the number of post-close adjustments, which speak to the accuracy of your process.
Technology is always moving forward, and your automation software is no exception. To get the most out of your investment, make sure you’re taking advantage of new features and updates as they’re released. It’s also crucial that your system works seamlessly with the other tools you rely on. A unified financial system eliminates data silos and reduces the manual work of transferring information between platforms. By ensuring your automation software has strong integrations with your ERP, CRM, and accounting software, you create a single source of truth that keeps your data consistent and your processes running smoothly. This connected ecosystem is the foundation of a truly efficient close.
Automation isn’t a one-and-done project. Think of it as an ongoing cycle of improvement. Once your new system is in place, take time to regularly review your workflows. Are there any steps that are still causing friction? Are there new tasks that could be automated? Use your software’s capabilities to standardize your month-end close checklist and create automated workflows that guide your team through each step. As your business changes, your processes should adapt, too. By continuously looking for ways to refine your system, you ensure it remains a powerful asset that supports your team’s efficiency and accuracy. You can find more helpful tips on the HubiFi blog.
Your accounting team is on the front lines of the month-end close. They know the process inside and out, and their insights are invaluable. Create an open channel for feedback where team members can share what’s working, what’s frustrating, and any ideas they have for improvement. A faster, more accurate close depends on strong team collaboration and clear communication. Regular check-ins or informal conversations can uncover small issues before they become big problems and highlight opportunities you might have missed. Involving your team in the refinement process not only leads to better solutions but also fosters a sense of ownership and engagement.
As your business expands, so does the complexity of your finances. A manual or disjointed closing process can quickly become a major bottleneck, slowing down growth and creating risk. The beauty of an automated system is its ability to scale with you. A consistent and scalable month-end close process is critical for maintaining a clear view of your company’s financial health as you grow. The standardized workflows and controls you establish now will provide a solid foundation for the future. This ensures that your finance team can handle increasing transaction volumes and complexity without sacrificing speed or accuracy, allowing you to grow confidently.
Will automation software replace my finance team? Not at all. This is a common concern, but the goal of automation isn't to replace people; it's to empower them. Think of it as giving your talented finance professionals a major upgrade to their toolkit. The software handles the repetitive, error-prone tasks like manual data entry and transaction matching. This frees up your team to focus on the work that truly requires their expertise, like strategic analysis, financial planning, and interpreting the data to guide business decisions.
Is my business too small to benefit from an automated close? The need for automation is less about your company's size and more about its complexity and volume. If your team spends significant time manually reconciling transactions from different systems, or if you're dealing with revenue streams that require careful compliance, automation can be a game-changer regardless of your headcount. It establishes good financial habits early on and builds a scalable foundation that will support your company as it grows.
We already use an ERP and accounting software. Why do we need another tool? While your ERP and accounting software are essential for managing core business operations and bookkeeping, they often aren't built to streamline the entire closing process. Specialized automation software acts as a central hub that connects these systems. It pulls data from all your different sources, automates the complex reconciliations between them, and provides a clear workflow and audit trail specifically for the close. It fills the gaps that your other systems don't cover.
How much time can we realistically expect to save? The amount of time you'll save depends on your current process, but it's often significant. Teams that switch from a manual, spreadsheet-heavy close to an automated one can often cut their closing time by 50% or more. The savings come from eliminating manual data entry, automating transaction matching that used to take days, and reducing the time spent hunting for errors. This allows you to close the books faster and deliver financial reports to stakeholders much sooner.
What's the first step I should take if I'm considering automation? The best first step is to simply map out your current month-end close process. Grab a whiteboard or open a document and list every single task, from pulling bank statements to creating the final reports. This exercise will immediately highlight your biggest bottlenecks and pain points. Knowing exactly where your team is losing time will give you a clear idea of what problems you need the software to solve, making you a much more informed buyer when you start evaluating different solutions.
Former Root, EVP of Finance/Data at multiple FinTech startups
Jason Kyle Berwanger: An accomplished two-time entrepreneur, polyglot in finance, data & tech with 15 years of expertise. Builder, practitioner, leader—pioneering multiple ERP implementations and data solutions. Catalyst behind a 6% gross margin improvement with a sub-90-day IPO at Root insurance, powered by his vision & platform. Having held virtually every role from accountant to finance systems to finance exec, he brings a rare and noteworthy perspective in rethinking the finance tooling landscape.