Process automation for accounting and finance teams

Automating finance processes is mostly about three things: capturing data once, routing approvals with context, and keeping a clean record of who approved what.

Four processes worth automating

1. Invoice capture and matching. Invoices arrive in a shared inbox, data is read from the document, and the amount is matched to the purchase order and goods receipt. Within tolerance, it moves on. Outside tolerance, it goes to a person with the mismatch highlighted.
2. Approval routing. The approver gets the invoice, the coding and the match result in one message, with reminders. Above a set limit, a second approver is added automatically.
3. Month-end reconciliations. Bank and ledger exports are compared by rule, leaving only unmatched items for review.
4. Client document chasing for practices: a checklist per client, reminders that stop when the document arrives.

The accounting map shows the first two with their rework loops, which is where the real effort sits.

Controls we build in

• No one approves an invoice they entered.
• Approval limits are held in one table, not buried in flow logic.
• Every step is logged with a timestamp and user.
• Changes to supplier bank details always go to a person.

Where it does not fit

If the ledger is a desktop system with no import route, you have two options: change the system or use RPA to key the final step. We lay out the cost of each. Work through process consulting first if you are unsure which processes are worth the effort.

For an example, read invoice approval for an accounting firm and the walk-through from 7 steps to 3.

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