Digital transformation in finance is often framed as a technology challenge. But the real challenge lies in managing complexity.
The Association for Financial Professionals reports that more than half of FP&A professionals rely on eight or more planning tools and nearly ten reporting systems each quarter. This highlights just how fragmented the financial technology landscape has become. And in 2026, this complexity is now a top concern at the leadership level. According to Gartner, 42% of CFOs say unifying finance function, technology, and AI strategies is one of their biggest challenges. These inefficiencies slow performance and impact the day-to-day workflows of the teams managing these processes. This contributes to frustration, disengagement, and lost productivity.
As the leaders responsible for overseeing the financial performance and technology investments of their organisations, CFOs play a critical role in helping to reduce workflow complexity. Addressing this challenge requires more than just implementing new tools. It means eliminating fragmented systems, adopting automated workflows, and ensuring that teams are supported in every step of the way.
CFOs who take a people-first approach to automation not only streamline processes and reduce friction but also unlock strategic value and set their teams up for long-term success.
Automating the right processes in a Digital Transformation
Medius’ 2025 global survey found that finance professionals spend more than three and a half hours each day on repetitive tasks that could be automated. Over a year, that adds up to more than twenty-three working weeks lost to manual work. Which is time that could be spent on higher-value activities such as forecasting, analysis, and strategic planning. With fragmented systems consuming so much time, CFOs’ most immediate opportunity is to identify the processes that automation can help to simplify.
Much of this inefficiency comes from disconnected workflows. These require teams to manually transfer, reconcile, and validate data across multiple systems. This friction slows operations, increases the risk of errors, and contributes to frustration among finance teams.
CFOs should begin by identifying which processes create the most friction and where automation can have the greatest impact. Tasks that are repetitive and span multiple systems – like invoice processing, matching, and reporting – are often where automation can deliver the fastest, measurable results.Targeting these bottlenecks head-on can help eliminate unnecessary steps and make the finance function more agile.
Realising the Power of AI
Adopting an AI-powered accounts payable solution, for example, enables finance teams to centralise invoice and payment workflows that previously spanned multiple platforms into a unified software suite. This approach reduces manual data transfers, improves accuracy, accelerates approvals, and enhances cash flow visibility. It also allows finance teams to detect discrepancies earlier, before they escalate into larger issues.
Beyond improving efficiency, this shift also enables finance teams to operate more collaboratively across the business. With a unified software suite, finance teams can more easily collaborate with suppliers, procurement, and other internal stakeholders, improving visibility and coordination across workflows. This more connected approach helps streamline processes, reduce miscommunication, and strengthen relationships across the broader financial ecosystem.
Even as technology drives efficiency, human expertise must remain central. Automation should support judgment and strategic insights rather than replace them. By guiding teams through adoption, CFOs can simplify workflows, minimise errors, and ensure strategic impact.
Putting People First in Automation
Identifying the right processes to automate to reduce complexity is only half the challenge. What really sets CFOs apart is how they support their teams through adoption. Automation and AI are effective only if finance professionals at all levels of the organisation trust the technology, understand its purpose, and feel confident using it.
Introducing new technology can create uncertainty. Especially when past automation initiatives have been associated with layoffs or restructuring. Transparency is crucial in all communications surrounding AI. CFOs must communicate clearly why new systems are being implemented, how workflows will change, and what this means for individual roles.
Successful AI adoption also requires meaningful investment in training. Teams need hands-on support to see how new tools reduce friction in their daily work, not just how they support long-term transformation goals. Experiencing the benefits firsthand makes employees far more likely to embrace change, boosting engagement, productivity, and retention.
This approach also reinforces a key point: automation is meant to complement human expertise, not replace it. Finance professionals bring judgment, context, and strategic insight that technology cannot replicate. Keeping that expertise at the center ensures automation frees teams from repetitive, low-value tasks while empowering them to focus on critical decision-making.
By leading with this people-first mindset, CFOs can streamline operations to reduce errors and unlock greater value across the finance function.
Turning Automation into Strategic Impact
Automation and AI can transform finance operations, but only if CFOs lead with intention. By focusing on the right processes and keeping people at the centre, leaders can reduce complexity, free teams from repetitive work, and create real strategic value.
How CFOs can tackle complexity and drive value through automation:
- Communicate purpose and impact: Explain how each initiative simplifies workflows, reduces friction, and benefits both the business and the team.
- Invest in training and support: Give teams hands-on guidance so they can use new tools confidently and efficiently.
- Reframe workflows around expertise: Let automation handle repetitive tasks while keeping human judgment at the center, reducing unnecessary complexity.
- Monitor adoption and adjust: Track usage, gather feedback, and tweak processes to ensure workflows remain streamlined and effective.
It’s also essential to make sure that employees see the benefits of automation firsthand. When finance professionals see how technology simplifies workflows and creates space for strategic contributions, they’re far more likely to embrace change, and engagement, productivity, and retention improve along the way.
CFOs who lead automation with a people-first approach can simplify operations, reduce errors, and unlock strategic value to bring the full benefits of digital transformation to their finance teams and the broader organisation.
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