Financial Factory

Financial Services for Future Times

Top 5 Quick Wins in Finance Automation

Start your finance automation journey with quick wins that deliver clear value fast. These five common use cases are typically low to medium complexity, but offer significant time savings and error reduction.

1. Automated Invoice Data Capture

Many finance teams still enter invoice data manually into ERP or accounting systems. Automating invoice data capture (from email or PDF into your system) can dramatically reduce manual work and errors.

  • Typical tools: RPA, OCR, email integration
  • Benefits: Less manual entry, fewer errors, faster processing
  • Good fit when: High invoice volume, standardized formats, clear approval rules

2. Bank Reconciliation Support

Bank reconciliations often involve repetitive matching of transactions between bank statements and the general ledger. Automation can pre-match items and flag exceptions for review.

  • Typical tools: RPA, scripts, ERP integrations
  • Benefits: Faster month-end close, fewer manual checks
  • Good fit when: High transaction volume and clear matching rules

3. Automated Report Refresh and Distribution

Many finance reports are still updated manually in Excel and emailed to stakeholders. Automating data refresh and scheduled distribution saves time and improves consistency.

  • Typical tools: Power BI, Excel automation, RPA, scheduled jobs
  • Benefits: Less manual updating, always up-to-date reports
  • Good fit when: Reports are recurring and based on stable data sources

4. Expense Approval Workflow

Expense approvals can be slow and inconsistent when handled via email or paper. Automating the approval workflow ensures consistent routing, reminders, and audit trails.

  • Typical tools: Workflow platforms, Power Automate, RPA
  • Benefits: Faster approvals, better control, improved compliance
  • Good fit when: Clear approval rules and recurring expense volumes

5. Master Data Updates (e.g., Vendor or Customer Data)

Updating vendor or customer master data across systems is often manual and error-prone. Automation can standardize and synchronize changes across key systems.

  • Typical tools: RPA, integrations, data validation scripts
  • Benefits: Better data quality, fewer inconsistencies, less manual work
  • Good fit when: Frequent updates and multiple systems involved

How to Choose Your First Quick Win

  1. Start with a process that is visible, but not mission-critical for day one.

  2. Look for high manual effort, clear rules, and good data quality.

  3. Use our Automation Opportunity Checklist and Time Savings Estimator to compare options.

Need Help Selecting Your First Project?

Financial Factory can help you identify, design, and implement your first automation quick wins. Contact us for support.