AI, e-invoicing, digitalisation and automation: how the finance function is evolving and why the CFO is becoming a key driver of business transformation.<\/p>\n
The finance sector is undergoing a period of significant transformation. Traditionally focused on accounting, regulatory compliance and financial control, it is now expected to anticipate change, support decision-making, manage risk and drive business performance.<\/p>\n
The acceleration of this shift can be attributed to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), e-invoicing, process automation and data analytics. These developments are reshaping not only financial tools, but also the organisation, skills and strategic contribution of finance teams.<\/p>\n
For CFOs, the challenge is clear: move from reporting on what has happened to anticipating what comes next.<\/p>\n
In order to achieve this, reliable data, well-controlled processes, an integrated information system and effective governance are required. It is only in this way that technology can become a genuine driver of value creation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In a volatile economic environment, businesses face pressure on margins, changing payment behaviours, regulatory complexity and increasingly demanding decision-making cycles.<\/p>\n
Reliable accounting and compliant financial statements remain essential, but they are no longer enough. Management expects finance teams to identify risks early, assess financial performance and measure the impact of operational decisions.<\/p>\n
CFOs must be able to answer key questions:<\/p>\n
In order to respond to these questions, it is necessary for finance teams to link accounting, sales, operational, banking and forecasting data. Furthermore, this implies the reduction of time spent on repetitive tasks, enabling teams to focus on analysis and business partnering.<\/p>\n
In today’s business world, financial performance is contingent not only on accurate reporting, but also on the ability to translate data into informed decisions.<\/strong><\/p>\n In order to achieve this, standardised processes are required, along with greater automation, faster access to information and closer collaboration between finance and operational teams.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Three major developments are reshaping how finance teams operate: AI is expanding analytical capabilities, e-invoicing is transforming financial exchanges and regulatory processes, while digitalisation and automation are streamlining workflows.<\/p>\n AI is opening up new possibilities for financial operations, data analysis and decision support.<\/p>\n Its applications are already emerging across several areas:<\/p>\n The objective is not to delegate financial management to autonomous AI. It is to build an augmented finance function in which technology supports repetitive and analytical work, while professionals retain responsibility for decisions, controls and business judgement.<\/p>\n This requires appropriate safeguards, including human review of sensitive operations, traceability, data protection, access controls and ongoing assessment of AI-generated outputs.<\/p>\n The EU AI Act also introduces governance requirements, with a general application milestone on 2 August 2026 and specific provisions following different timelines. Businesses should assess their actual AI use cases and applicable obligations rather than assume that every tool is subject to the same rules.<\/p>\n The strategic question for CFOs is no longer simply what AI can do, but where it delivers measurable value within a controlled framework.<\/strong><\/p>\n E-invoicing is progressively becoming a new standard for business transactions. Driven by regulatory developments, tax transparency requirements and the modernisation of public administrations, it is changing how businesses issue, exchange, receive and process invoices.<\/p>\n This goes beyond replacing paper with digital documents. Invoices increasingly become structured data that can be transmitted, validated and processed directly by information systems.<\/p>\n At European level, the VAT in the Digital Age<\/em> (ViDA) reform, adopted in 2025, provides for changes to VAT rules and the introduction of digital reporting requirements for certain cross-border transactions from 2030. At the same time, individual countries are developing their own e-invoicing and transaction-reporting frameworks, each with potentially different timelines, formats and controls.<\/p>\n European Commission \u2013 VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA)<\/a><\/p>\n For international businesses, the challenge is to standardise financial processes while meeting different local regulatory requirements<\/strong>. This calls for a coordinated approach involving ERP systems, e-invoicing platforms, exchange networks, master data and accounting and tax processes.<\/p>\n Beyond compliance, e-invoicing can help reduce manual data entry, improve data quality, accelerate processing and strengthen traceability. More reliable invoice flows can also improve receivables monitoring, payment-term management and cash flow forecasting.<\/p>\n For CFOs, e-invoicing is therefore a cross-functional priority involving tax, IT, internal control and operational performance.<\/p>\n The goal is twofold: meet applicable requirements in each jurisdiction and use structured data to make financial processes more efficient and reliable.<\/p>\n E-invoicing should be treated not as an isolated regulatory obligation, but as an opportunity to rethink the entire invoicing process and the way business data flows across the organisation.<\/strong><\/p>\n For country-specific requirements and implementation guidance, explore our dedicated articles:<\/em><\/p>\n Digitalisation creates value when information flows seamlessly between people, processes and systems. For finance teams, several end-to-end processes offer significant opportunities.<\/p>\n These processes are interconnected. Inaccurate supplier data, for example, can delay invoice processing and payments, disrupt accounting and weaken cash forecasts. Conversely, reliable, shared data improves several stages of the financial cycle.<\/p>\n Automation should therefore be designed around the end-to-end process rather than implemented as a series of disconnected software projects.<\/p>\n Success should be measured through tangible outcomes: shorter processing times, fewer errors, faster closing, better visibility over commitments and improved cash management.<\/p>\n The objective is to move from fragmented manual tasks to integrated, measurable and well-controlled financial processes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n AI, automation and better access to financial data are changing not only the tools finance teams use, but also where they create value.<\/p>\n As routine processing becomes increasingly automated, teams can devote more time to analysis, anticipation and business support. Three priorities stand out.<\/p>\n Anticipate rather than react.<\/strong> Faster access to data and improved forecasting capabilities help CFOs model scenarios, identify potential liquidity pressures, monitor working capital and assess the financial impact of operational decisions.<\/p>\n Manage risk and protect cash.<\/strong> Accurate ageing reports, payment behaviour analysis and dispute tracking help identify collection risks earlier. Combined with structured follow-up processes and better visibility over expected receipts, these capabilities support stronger cash flow management.<\/p>\n Strengthen security and risk management.<\/strong> Digital financial flows increase the importance of access controls, segregation of duties, payment approvals and traceability. Faced with payment fraud, identity theft and cyberattacks, finance teams must work closely with IT to protect payment processes, banking exchanges and sensitive data.<\/p>\n The CFO’s role increasingly extends beyond financial reporting and control.<\/p>\n As a partner to executive management and operational teams, the CFO translates data into meaningful insights, supports business decisions and assesses their financial implications. This also means contributing to data governance through consistent KPIs, reliable master data, clear business rules and traceable processes.<\/p>\n Financial expertise remains essential, but it must be complemented by a stronger understanding of digital tools, data analytics and the risks associated with automation and AI.<\/p>\n The aim is not to replace financial expertise with technology. It is to apply that expertise where it creates the greatest value: interpreting results, challenging assumptions, anticipating change and supporting decisions.<\/p>\n Tomorrow’s CFO will do more than explain performance: they will help shape it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Financial transformation depends on a set of complementary technologies. The ERP provides the transactional foundation, connecting business operations and supplying accounting with data from purchasing, sales, inventory, production and projects.<\/p>\n Around this core, reporting, e-invoicing, receivables management, treasury and tax solutions address specific business needs. They extend analytical capabilities, streamline workflows and support regulatory and operational control.<\/p>\n The objective is not necessarily to consolidate every function into a single tool. It is to build a coherent, modular and scalable architecture in which each solution meets a clearly defined need and integrates with the wider information system.<\/p>\n This requires consistent master data, reliable interfaces, clear business rules, appropriate access rights and traceable transactions. Security, business continuity and the needs of different entities and jurisdictions must also be considered.<\/p>\n Technology selection should therefore go beyond comparing features. It should reflect the company’s operating model, organisational complexity and financial objectives.<\/p>\n As a Sage Platinum Partner, Deveho Consulting Group supports businesses through an ecosystem of complementary solutions designed to address their financial and operational priorities.<\/p>\n These solutions address different needs and can be combined according to each organisation’s size, maturity and operating model. Integration is key to ensuring that the various components support a common goal: more reliable financial information, better-controlled processes and more responsive performance management.<\/p>\n Technology delivers value when it is integrated into a well-governed architecture aligned with business processes and objectives.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n With so many technological and regulatory developments, the risk is to launch multiple projects without a clear order of priority.<\/p>\n A pragmatic approach can be built around five steps.<\/p>\n 1. Assess processes and risks.<\/strong><\/p>\n Map financial workflows, identify manual tasks, duplicate data entry, integration gaps and control weaknesses. Review data quality, regulatory requirements and user needs.<\/p>\n 2. Secure regulatory readiness.<\/strong><\/p>\n Assess e-invoicing requirements in each relevant country, including data quality, exchange processes and exception handling. Compliance should be managed as an ongoing operational process, not simply an IT project.<\/p>\n 3. Define the target architecture.<\/strong><\/p>\n Clarify the roles of the ERP, digitalisation, treasury, reporting and tax solutions. Establish integration principles, data ownership and security requirements.<\/p>\n 4. Prioritise high-value use cases.<\/strong><\/p>\n Start with high-volume, repetitive or error-prone processes. Define measurable objectives, a baseline, business ownership and clear success criteria for each initiative.<\/p>\n 5. Establish sustainable governance.<\/strong><\/p>\n Monitor performance indicators, regulatory changes, automated processes and AI use cases. Invest in employee training and continuous process improvement.<\/p>\n The approach should remain proportionate to the organisation’s size, complexity and resources. The most successful transformation is not necessarily the most ambitious: it is the one that delivers measurable, lasting results.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The future of finance does not depend on AI, e-invoicing or automation in isolation. It lies in bringing these developments together to provide reliable information, at the right time, to support better decisions.<\/p>\n Regulation drives more structured data flows. Digitalisation improves information exchange. Automation frees up time. AI creates new opportunities for analysis and forecasting. Yet none of these technologies removes the need for controlled processes, strong governance and clear business objectives.<\/p>\n For CFOs, the priority is to evolve the finance function without compromising its foundations: accuracy, control, compliance and trust in financial information.<\/p>\n This is where financial expertise, process management and a coherent information system come together to shape the finance function of tomorrow.<\/p>\n At Deveho Consulting Group, we help businesses navigate this transformation through our expertise in Sage business management solutions and complementary technologies. Our ambition is to help finance teams secure operations, improve efficiency and strengthen their ability to manage performance, today and in the future.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Finance: from accounting to smart business management AI, e-invoicing, digitalisation and automation: how the finance function is evolving and why the CFO is becoming a key driver of business transformation. The finance sector is undergoing a period of significant transformation. Traditionally focused on accounting, regulatory compliance and financial control, it is now expected to anticipate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aktualnosci"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n1. Artificial Intelligence: towards augmented finance<\/h4>\n
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2. E-Invoicing: regulatory change as a catalyst for transformation<\/h4>\n
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3. Digitalisation and automation: rethinking the end-to-end finance process<\/h4>\n
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The CFO of tomorrow: data architect and strategic business partner<\/h4>\n
Building a coherent financial information system<\/h4>\n
A portfolio of solutions for financial performance<\/h4>\n
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\n Area<\/th>\n Finance objective<\/th>\n Deveho ecosystem solutions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n ERP and financial management<\/strong><\/td>\n Structure operations, accounting and multi-entity management<\/td>\n Sage X3, Sage Intacct, Sage FRP 1000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Reporting and performance management<\/strong><\/td>\n Consolidate KPIs, analyse performance and support decisions<\/td>\n Sage Enterprise Intelligence (SEI)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Invoicing and digitalisation<\/strong><\/td>\n Streamline invoice processing, controls and approvals<\/td>\n Yooz<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Accounts receivable and collections<\/strong><\/td>\n Monitor receivables, structure follow-ups and help manage DSO<\/td>\n Eloficash<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Treasury and banking<\/strong><\/td>\n Improve cash visibility, forecasting and payment controls<\/td>\n Sage XRT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Tax management<\/strong><\/td>\n Support tax processes and applicable reporting obligations<\/td>\n Sage Fiscalit\u00e9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n