Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Get a Demo
See your data in HubiFi < 2 days
Find the best financial controls automation tool to streamline your finances. Explore top options that enhance efficiency and accuracy for your business.
The manual processes that got your business off the ground often become the very things that slow its growth. As your company scales, managing revenue, expenses, and compliance becomes exponentially more complex, and spreadsheets just can't keep up. This is where strategic investment in technology becomes critical. A financial controls automation tool isn't just about fixing today's headaches; it's about building a resilient financial backbone that can support your future ambitions. It allows you to move from reactive bookkeeping to proactive financial strategy. In this article, we’ll explore the best tools available and show you how to implement one to fuel your company’s growth.
If you've ever spent hours manually reconciling accounts, chasing down invoices, or building financial reports from scratch, you already know how time-consuming financial management can be. Financial controls automation tools are designed to take that weight off your shoulders. At its core, finance automation is the practice of using software to handle repetitive financial tasks. This can include everything from accounts payable and receivable to payroll and budgeting.
These tools act as a central hub for your financial operations, streamlining processes that were once prone to human error. By automating these tasks, you not only free up valuable time but also create stronger, more reliable financial systems. This allows your team to shift its focus from tedious data entry to strategic analysis and decision-making. For any business looking to grow efficiently, understanding these tools is the first step toward building a more resilient financial foundation. You can find more helpful articles like this one by checking out our other insights.
Financial automation tools work by connecting your various financial systems and executing rule-based tasks without manual intervention. Think of them as a digital assistant for your finance department. They can automatically pull data, process transactions, and generate reports, creating a seamless workflow. This digital transformation of your finance and accounting processes does more than just save time; it fundamentally changes how your business operates for the better.
The main reason these tools matter is that they significantly reduce financial risk. When you have solid, automated systems in place, you minimize the chances of costly errors and ensure your financial data is consistently accurate and up-to-date. This leads to smoother operations across the board, from faster month-end closes to cleaner audits. It’s about creating a reliable financial backbone that supports your entire organization.
When you start comparing tools, you'll notice a wide range of features. One of the most critical is the ability to integrate with your existing software. Look for tools that offer robust APIs (application programming interfaces), which allow different systems to communicate with each other. This makes it possible to consolidate all your financial data from various apps and platforms into one place.
A great automation tool should easily connect with your other business systems. Strong integrations with your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, customer relationship management (CRM) software, and bank accounts are essential. This connectivity ensures that your automation software has access to all the necessary data, allowing it to perform its functions accurately and provide a complete picture of your company's financial health.
One of the most powerful benefits of financial automation is access to real-time information. The best tools provide intuitive dashboards and reporting features that give you an immediate, up-to-the-minute view of your finances. This allows your team to move away from static, outdated reports and make decisions based on the most current data available.
Some advanced platforms also incorporate artificial intelligence to help you make sense of all that data. AI-powered features can help you build intelligent workflows, automatically detect anomalies in your financial data, and even generate complex reports in minutes. Having these real-time insights at your fingertips empowers you to be more proactive and strategic, turning your finance department into a driver of business growth. You can schedule a demo with us to see how HubiFi delivers these insights firsthand.
Finding the right automation tool can feel overwhelming, but it's all about matching the software's strengths to your business's unique needs. Whether you're a startup just getting your footing or a large enterprise managing complex revenue streams, there's a solution designed to help you. We've gathered ten of the best financial controls automation tools to give you a clear starting point. Each one offers a different approach to streamlining your finances, from all-in-one accounting platforms to specialized revenue recognition systems.
The goal of these tools is to move your team away from manual, error-prone tasks like data entry and reconciliation, and toward more strategic work. By automating routine financial processes, you not only improve accuracy but also gain real-time visibility into your company's financial health. This allows for faster, more informed decision-making. As you review this list, think about your biggest pain points. Is it managing invoices? Closing the books each month? Ensuring compliance with accounting standards? Your answer will guide you to the best fit. Remember, the best tool is one that grows with you, offering the flexibility to adapt as your business evolves. Let's look at what makes each of these top contenders stand out.
HubiFi is designed for high-volume businesses that need to get their revenue recognition right without the manual headache. It specializes in automating complex accounting standards like ASC 606, making it a lifesaver for companies with subscription models, usage-based billing, or multiple revenue streams. The platform integrates your disparate data sources to create a single source of truth, which is crucial for accurate reporting and fast financial closes. HubiFi provides a practical guide to implementing automation, helping you address common challenges from the start. If you're struggling with compliance and need deep, real-time insights from your data, HubiFi offers a powerful, targeted solution. You can schedule a demo to see how it fits your specific needs.
QuickBooks is one of the most recognizable names in accounting software, and for good reason. It’s an excellent all-in-one solution for small to medium-sized businesses that need to manage their core financial tasks in one place. It simplifies everything from invoicing and expense tracking to payroll and tax preparation. While it may not have the deep specialization of other tools on this list, its strength lies in its accessibility and ease of use. As Stripe notes, finance automation is about using technology for core operations like invoicing and payroll, which is exactly where QuickBooks shines. It’s a solid foundation for businesses looking to establish strong financial controls from the ground up.
Xero is another top contender in the small and medium-sized business space, often praised for its clean interface and strong mobile capabilities. It offers robust features for bank reconciliation, inventory management, and project tracking, making it a versatile choice for a variety of industries. One of its key advantages is its extensive app marketplace, which allows you to connect Xero with hundreds of other business tools. This aligns with the principle of choosing the right solutions that integrate well with your existing systems. If you value a user-friendly experience and the flexibility to build a custom tech stack, Xero is a fantastic option to consider.
When your business outgrows basic accounting software, NetSuite is often the next step. It’s a comprehensive cloud ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system that combines financial management with inventory, HR, and CRM capabilities. NetSuite is built for scale, supporting businesses as they expand into new markets or add complexity to their operations. It directly addresses common financial accounting challenges like improving cash flow and managing disclosures for growing companies. While it represents a more significant investment than SMB tools, it provides a unified platform to run your entire business, making it a powerful choice for ambitious companies on a high-growth trajectory.
BlackLine focuses on a specific, critical area of finance: the financial close process. This tool is for accounting teams, particularly in mid-sized to large enterprises, who spend too much time on manual reconciliations, transaction matching, and journal entries. BlackLine automates these repetitive tasks, which reduces risk and frees up your team for more analytical work. The benefits of finance automation are especially clear here, as it can transform the entire accounting function from a reactive cost center to a proactive strategic partner. If your month-end close is a major source of stress and inefficiency, BlackLine offers a specialized solution to streamline it.
Oracle Financials Cloud is an enterprise-grade solution that’s part of Oracle’s broader ERP suite. It’s designed for large, often global, organizations that require deep functionality and advanced analytics. The platform uses AI and machine learning to automate everything from payables and receivables to expense management and reporting. It’s a powerful system, but it’s important to recognize that implementing advanced automation solutions can require a significant upfront investment in both software and training. For large companies needing a scalable, intelligent, and comprehensive financial backbone to manage complex operations, Oracle provides a robust and future-ready platform.
SAP S/4HANA Finance is another heavyweight in the ERP world, built to handle the demands of large, multinational corporations. Its key differentiator is its in-memory database, which allows for real-time processing and analysis of massive amounts of financial data. This means you can get instant insights into financial performance without waiting for batch reports to run. By providing a single source of truth for all financial and operational data, it helps you reduce your financial risk and run smoother operations across the board. For enterprises where speed and real-time data are critical for decision-making, SAP offers an incredibly powerful and integrated solution.
Sage Intacct is a cloud financial management platform that hits the sweet spot for growing mid-sized businesses. It’s particularly strong for companies with multiple entities, as it simplifies consolidations and inter-company transactions. Sage Intacct provides deep financial reporting and dimensional accounting, allowing you to slice and dice your data for better insights without relying on a clunky chart of accounts. A key part of its philosophy is empowering teams, which includes making sure you regularly educate staff on financial procedures. If you need sophisticated reporting and multi-entity capabilities but aren’t quite ready for a full-blown enterprise ERP, Sage Intacct is an excellent choice.
FlowForma takes a different approach by focusing on process automation itself. It’s a no-code tool that allows business users, including finance teams, to build and digitize their own workflows without writing a single line of code. You can use it to automate processes like purchase order approvals, expense claims, and new vendor onboarding. The platform emphasizes that the right financial reporting automation tool improves efficiency, accuracy, and compliance. If your financial control issues stem from broken or manual processes rather than core accounting, FlowForma gives you the power to design and implement better workflows yourself, integrating them with your existing systems.
As its name suggests, Spendesk is all about controlling company spending. It’s a 7-in-1 spend management platform that combines corporate cards, invoice payments, expense reimbursements, and approvals into a single system. This gives finance teams complete visibility and control over how money is spent before it even leaves the company’s bank account. It’s a great tool for businesses looking to empower their employees with spending autonomy while maintaining strong financial oversight. By helping you explore finance automation for specific tasks, Spendesk tackles one of the most challenging areas for growing companies. It’s an ideal solution for taming chaotic spending and streamlining your accounts payable process.
With so many options on the market, picking the right financial automation tool can feel overwhelming. It’s more than just choosing software; it’s about investing in a platform that will become a core part of your financial operations. The right tool can streamline your processes, give you clearer insights, and free up your team to focus on strategic growth. The wrong one, however, can lead to wasted money, frustrated employees, and messy data that’s more trouble than it’s worth.
So, how do you cut through the noise and find the perfect fit? It starts with a clear-eyed assessment of what your business truly needs, not just what looks impressive on a feature list. You’ll want to think about how a tool will grow with you, ensuring it can scale and connect with the other systems you rely on every day. Usability is another huge piece of the puzzle—after all, the most powerful platform is useless if your team finds it too complicated. Finally, because you’re handling sensitive financial data, security and compliance can’t be an afterthought; they have to be a top priority from day one. Let’s walk through each of these areas so you can make your choice with confidence.
Start by making a list of your must-haves versus your nice-to-haves. What are the biggest financial headaches you're trying to solve? Consider the volume of data you handle and whether you need real-time updates to make timely decisions. Think about your team’s technical skills—a powerful tool is useless if it’s too complicated to use. Of course, cost is always a factor. Map out your budget and compare it against the features offered. Looking at different pricing models can help you understand what’s realistic for your business and what kind of return on investment you can expect from a new platform.
The right tool should grow with you. A solution that fits your business today might not keep up as you expand your operations or enter new markets. Look for a platform that is scalable and can handle an increasing volume of transactions without slowing down. It’s also critical that the tool integrates smoothly with your existing software, like your ERP or CRM. A platform with a flexible API allows you to connect all your systems, creating a single source of truth for your financial data and eliminating manual data entry between different applications. This is where a solution with strong integrations becomes a true asset.
A tool’s features are only valuable if your team actually uses them. Before you commit, think about the end-user experience. Is the interface intuitive and easy to follow? Some tools are designed for simple, straightforward tasks, while others offer comprehensive, all-in-one solutions that may require more training. The best way to gauge usability is to see the software in action. Taking the time to schedule a demo allows you and your team to ask questions, test out key features, and get a real feel for how the platform would fit into your daily workflows. This step can save you from a lot of frustration down the road.
When you’re dealing with sensitive financial information, security is non-negotiable. A reputable automation tool will have robust security measures in place to protect your data. Look for certifications like SOC 2 or ISO 27001, which show that the provider meets high standards for data security and privacy. It’s also important to choose a tool that helps you stay compliant with industry regulations, such as ASC 606 for revenue recognition. Modern platforms are built with these needs in mind, often debunking old myths about the risks of automation and providing peace of mind that your financial controls are sound.
Choosing the right financial controls automation tool is a great first step, but how you bring it into your business is what truly determines its success. A thoughtful implementation process ensures you get the most out of your investment, minimize disruption, and set your team up for a win. By following a few best practices, you can make the transition feel less like a massive overhaul and more like a natural, positive evolution of your financial operations.
Before you even think about installing new software, take the time to map out a clear transition plan. A well-structured plan is your roadmap to a successful digital transformation, helping you consider every angle of your financial processes. Start by documenting your current workflows—what works, what doesn’t, and where are the biggest bottlenecks? Then, set specific, measurable goals for what you want automation to achieve. Do you want to close the books three days faster? Reduce invoicing errors by 90%? Having clear objectives will guide your implementation and help you measure success down the line.
You can’t implement a new financial system in a vacuum. Engaging key stakeholders from the very beginning is crucial for getting buy-in and ensuring the tool meets everyone’s needs. Your stakeholders aren't just the C-suite; they include the accounting team who will use the tool daily, the IT department that will support it, and department heads whose budgets will be managed within it. Ask for their input on pain points and feature requirements. Their insights are invaluable for tailoring the automation to your organization's specific challenges. When people feel heard and involved in the process, they become champions for the change rather than roadblocks to it.
A powerful tool is only useful if your team knows how to use it. Comprehensive and ongoing training is essential for making sure your staff is comfortable and proficient with the new automated systems. Don't just schedule a single webinar and call it a day. Develop a robust training program that includes hands-on workshops, on-demand tutorials, and clear documentation. When you schedule a demo with a potential vendor, be sure to ask about the training and support they provide. Empowering your team with knowledge is the best way to maximize the tool's effectiveness and ensure a confident adoption across the board.
Trying to automate everything at once is a recipe for chaos. A gradual, phased implementation allows your team to adapt and learn without feeling overwhelmed. Start with a single, high-impact process, like accounts payable or expense reporting. This allows you to work out any kinks on a smaller scale and build momentum with an early win. As you roll out the automation, continuously monitor its progress against the goals you set in your transition plan. This approach makes it easier to manage integrations with HubiFi and your other essential systems, ensuring everything works together seamlessly.
Switching to a new system can feel like a huge undertaking, and it’s normal to hit a few bumps along the way. The good news is that the most common challenges with financial automation are entirely solvable with a bit of planning. By anticipating potential hurdles like data security, team pushback, and system compatibility, you can create a much smoother transition. Let’s walk through how to handle each of these so you can get your new tool up and running without the headaches.
Handing over sensitive financial data is a big deal, so it’s natural to be concerned about security. The reality is that modern automation platforms are built with security at their core. Reputable providers know that their business depends on protecting your information. Today's platforms prioritize data privacy, using advanced encryption and strict protocols to keep financial data safe. When choosing a tool, look for one with a proven track record and clear security policies. This ensures your data is protected, often more securely than it would be in manual spreadsheets scattered across different devices.
One of the biggest hurdles isn't the technology itself—it's getting your team on board. A hesitance to embrace new tools is a common reason for slow adoption, but it can be managed with good change management strategies. Some leaders might feel they’re losing control if they can’t personally approve every single payment. The key is to communicate openly about why the change is happening. Frame it as a way to eliminate tedious tasks and free up your team for more strategic work. Show them how automation empowers them, rather than replaces them. When people understand the benefits for their own daily workflow, they’re much more likely to embrace the new system.
Your business already runs on a set of tools, from your CRM to your accounting software. A new automation platform must fit into this existing ecosystem. A lack of integration creates data silos, which is the exact problem you’re trying to solve. Seamless data flow between platforms is crucial for successful finance automation. Before committing to a tool, confirm it can connect to your essential systems. The best platforms offer robust integrations or an API that allows your different apps to talk to each other, creating a single, reliable source of financial data for your entire business.
Figuring out the cost of a new tool can feel like a major hurdle, but it’s really about understanding the value you’re getting for your investment. The price tag on financial automation software isn’t just a number; it’s a reflection of the efficiency, accuracy, and peace of mind it can bring to your business. When you’re comparing options, think about the total cost of ownership, which includes not only the subscription fee but also any implementation or training expenses. The goal is to find a solution that pays for itself by saving your team time, reducing costly errors, and providing the insights you need to grow your operations confidently.
Transparent pricing is a good sign that a company is confident in the value it provides. Look for vendors who are upfront about their costs and what’s included in each plan. For example, some companies offer clear pricing information that helps you see exactly what you’re paying for without having to jump through hoops. Ultimately, the right tool isn’t always the cheapest one. It’s the one that solves your specific challenges and delivers a return that makes the investment worthwhile. A solid automation platform can streamline your financial close, ensure compliance, and free up your team to focus on more strategic work that pushes the business forward.
When you start looking at financial automation tools, you’ll generally find two main pricing structures. The most common is a subscription-based model, where you pay a flat fee each month or year. This is great for predictable budgeting and often includes different tiers based on features or the number of users. On the other hand, some platforms use a usage-based model. With this approach, your cost is tied directly to your activity, like the number of transactions you process. This can be a really cost-effective option for businesses with fluctuating volume, since you only pay for what you actually use.
The initial price you see isn’t always the full story. It’s important to be aware of potential hidden costs that can pop up with some finance automation tools. High implementation fees, for instance, can be a significant upfront expense, especially if the software requires a lot of custom setup or new hardware. You should also ask about ongoing maintenance fees and the cost of training your team. To avoid surprises, it’s smart to conduct a thorough analysis and ask for a complete breakdown of all potential charges. This helps you understand the true total cost of ownership and ensures the solution fits your budget long-term.
Maximizing your investment means choosing a tool that truly fits your business. The most cost-effective solution is one that aligns with your specific needs and is built to scale as you grow. Before you commit, make sure the software can integrate seamlessly with the financial systems you already use, like your accounting software or ERP. A tool that works well with your existing tech stack will save you headaches and extra costs down the road. By focusing on a solution that solves your core problems and offers flexibility for the future, you can ensure you’re getting the best possible value for your investment.
Adopting financial automation isn't just about getting tasks done faster—it's about fundamentally changing how your business operates and grows. When you automate your financial controls, you shift your team's focus from tedious manual work to strategic analysis. This move frees up valuable time and resources, allowing you to concentrate on scaling your business, improving profitability, and making more informed decisions. Automation creates a ripple effect, touching everything from daily operations to long-term strategy and giving you a solid foundation for sustainable growth. It’s the difference between simply keeping up and actively getting ahead.
The benefits extend far beyond simple efficiency gains. By automating routine financial tasks, you create a more accurate and reliable data environment. This improved accuracy strengthens compliance, reduces the risk of costly errors, and builds trust with stakeholders and auditors. It transforms your finance department from a cost center focused on bookkeeping into a strategic partner that provides critical insights for the entire organization. This is how you build a more resilient and efficient business that can adapt quickly and capitalize on new opportunities.
When your team is buried in spreadsheets and manual data entry, decision-making slows to a crawl. You’re always looking in the rearview mirror, trying to make sense of past data. Automation changes that by providing clean, real-time financial information. Instead of spending weeks closing the books, you get an accurate picture of your financial health on demand. This allows you to be proactive, not reactive. You can spot trends as they emerge, address potential issues before they become problems, and confidently seize new opportunities. With reliable data at your fingertips, your team can make smarter, faster decisions that drive the business forward.
Let's be honest—managing compliance can be stressful. Manual processes are prone to human error, and even a small mistake can lead to significant penalties and audit headaches. Financial automation tools reduce this risk by standardizing your workflows and enforcing your internal controls. By automating tasks like revenue recognition, you ensure that processes are followed correctly every single time, creating a clear and consistent audit trail. This not only helps you meet complex requirements like ASC 606 but also strengthens your overall security. You can schedule a demo to see firsthand how automation can make passing your next audit much less daunting.
Think about the hours your finance team spends on repetitive tasks like reconciling accounts, tracking expenses, or generating invoices. Automation takes over this work, freeing your team to focus on higher-value activities like financial planning and analysis. This isn't just a minor time-saver; it's a complete operational improvement. When your financial tools seamlessly connect with your other systems, you eliminate data silos and create a single source of truth. This level of efficiency, supported by robust integrations, allows you to close your books faster, improve cash flow management, and scale your operations without adding to your headcount.
Financial automation isn't standing still. As technology gets smarter, the tools we use to manage our finances are evolving from simple task-doers into strategic partners. The future is less about just automating what you already do and more about uncovering new ways to improve financial health and make smarter decisions. Keeping an eye on these trends will help you stay ahead and choose tools that will grow with your business. Here are the key developments shaping the future of financial automation.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are becoming the brains behind modern financial tools. Instead of just following pre-set rules, these systems learn from your data to become more efficient over time. AI is being integrated to offer features like intelligent workflow guidance and automated invoice processing, which helps reduce manual errors and frees up your team for more strategic work. Think of it as having a digital assistant that not only processes transactions but also spots patterns and suggests improvements, making your entire financial operation smarter and more responsive.
As financial data becomes more digitized, security becomes a top priority. Blockchain technology is emerging as a powerful solution for creating secure, transparent, and tamper-proof financial records. Modern automation platforms are prioritizing data privacy and security, and blockchain offers a way to create an unchangeable ledger for every transaction. This enhances data integrity, making it incredibly difficult for fraud or unauthorized changes to go unnoticed. For businesses, this means greater trust in your financial data and stronger protection against cyber threats, which is essential for maintaining compliance and stakeholder confidence.
The most exciting shift in financial automation is the move from reactive reporting to proactive forecasting. Advanced systems use AI to analyze historical data, learn from user actions, and make insightful predictive analyses. This means your software can help you anticipate future cash flow, identify potential financial risks, and model the impact of business decisions before you make them. By turning your historical data into a window into the future, these tools empower you to make strategic choices with confidence. Seeing how you can use your data to power these kinds of forward-looking decisions is a great first step, and you can schedule a demo to see it in action.
Will financial automation tools replace my finance team? Not at all. The goal of these tools isn't to replace people, but to handle the repetitive, manual tasks that take up so much of their time. This frees your team from tedious data entry and reconciliation so they can focus on more valuable work, like analyzing financial trends, developing growth strategies, and providing insights that help the business make smarter decisions. Think of it as giving your team a powerful assistant, not a replacement.
My business is still small. Do I really need a dedicated automation tool? Automation is valuable for businesses of all sizes. For a small business, it might start with a tool like QuickBooks or Xero to streamline invoicing and expense tracking. As you grow, your needs will become more complex. The key is to find a solution that solves your current challenges while having the ability to scale with you. The right tool will help you build a strong financial foundation from the start, preventing bigger problems down the road.
How do I choose between an all-in-one platform and a more specialized tool? This really comes down to identifying your biggest financial pain point. If you need help with a wide range of general accounting tasks like payroll, invoicing, and basic reporting, an all-in-one platform is a great choice. However, if your business struggles with a specific, complex area—like managing revenue recognition under ASC 606 or controlling company-wide spending—a specialized tool will provide a much more powerful and targeted solution.
What's the most important first step to take when implementing a new tool? Before you even look at software demos, the most critical step is to map out your current financial processes. Get a clear picture of your existing workflows, identify exactly where the bottlenecks and errors occur, and define what success would look like with a new system. When you have a solid understanding of the problem you're trying to solve, you'll be in a much better position to choose the right tool and ensure a smooth implementation.
Is it truly safe to trust a third-party tool with my company's financial data? This is a valid concern, but reputable financial automation providers build their entire business on security. These platforms use advanced measures like end-to-end encryption and follow strict security protocols to protect your information, often making it safer than keeping it in spreadsheets on various devices. When evaluating tools, look for providers who are transparent about their security practices and hold certifications like SOC 2, which confirms they meet high standards for data protection.
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.
Copyright © 2025 HubiFi | All rights reserved.
