When it comes to financial automation, one of the biggest challenges isn't the technology, since there are plenty of tools readily available. The real issue is knowing where to begin. Companies often operate under tight deadlines, juggling fragmented data, manual workflows, expensive systems and expert time wasted on repetitive tasks.
So the key question becomes: what should you automate first to achieve the fastest results in terms of time savings, data quality and cost-efficiency?
Accounts payable is still a black hole in many organisations, so better start automating it now
In many companies, invoice handling is still where efficiency disappears. Invoices are circulated manually, approval chains are unclear and accounts often end up assigned to the wrong cost centers.
With automation, the entire process - from receiving to approval to accounting - can be redesigned.
This isn't just digitizing the existing workflows. It's an opportunity to build a better one: invoices arrive in electronic format, approvals happen on mobile and postings go automatically to the correct accounts.
When Greenstep partnered with A. Ahlström on such a project, the results were clear. A multi-team process was streamlined, control improved and employee satisfaction increased, with long term impact across the business.
Expense reports and receipts no longer need to be a manual nightmare
If your organization still prints PDF forms or spends time in Excel managing receipts, you're essentially paying to waste time.
Bezala, a travel and expense app, was built to solve this problem. Users can snap photos of receipts on their phone, and the app suggests the correct cost center and VAT treatment. Expense claims, mileage allowances, and per diems are posted directly to accounting, while reminders for missing receipts are handled automatically, so there is no need for your finance team to chase them down.
For expert organizations where mobility is part of everyday work, automating expense reports is a concrete way to restore peace of mind - both for employees and accountants.
Automated account coding saves time and improves accuracy
Account coding doesn’t seem like a major issue, until you spot an error during an audit or have to spend a day fixing it for monthly reporting.
Even small coding mistakes can distort your financial picture, and no one wants to make decisions based on unreliable data.
Automation doesn’t mean handing everything over to a machine. It means your system learns from previous data and business logic to suggest the correct accounts. This shifts your accountant’s role from repetitive input to expert review and exception handling.
For example, Bezala uses rule-based logic and account suggestions that improve over time. The result? Fewer errors, faster month-end closes and no need for major system overhauls.
Group reporting automation delivers the transparency your leadership expects
With increasingly complex group structures, subsidiaries in multiple countries, and various accounting systems, group reporting often becomes one of the most labor-intensive tasks for finance.
Automated group reporting goes far beyond collecting data into a spreadsheet. It means merging, harmonizing, and enriching data in a way that actually supports the business, with real-time dashboards, comparable reports and transparency across the organization.
This level of visibility is only possible if data collection and processing is automated from the start. Manual Excel merging may soon be a thing of the past for your business, too.
Automate compensation and income register submissions without the headache
Freelance contracts, one-time payments, and honoraria often require surprising amounts of admin work. You need to collect tax cards, handle withholdings and submit information to the income register on time.
Many companies still rely on email, manual forms and Excel to manage this. With automation, the entire process becomes digital: the employee fills out a form, the system checks the tax percentage and transfers the information directly to payroll and the national income register.
Greenstep’s solution via Bezala ensures the process runs smoothly and without delays or confusion that could lead to penalty fees.
Finance automation doesn’t have to mean a massive system overhaul
What do these five processes have in common? They're concrete, well-defined and repetitive, making them perfect candidates for automation. Most can be improved using existing tools, with no need for large-scale IT projects.
Start where the manual pain is worst. Test. Measure. Expand. At Greenstep, we can help you find the right starting point and move forward with agility - without compromising quality.
Let’s talk about how finance automation can serve your business goals.
Published 21.08.2025