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Today’s world moves fast, markets wobble, regulations shift, and tech changes at lightning speed. CFOs who drag their feet risk getting overtaken by the pack. KPMG puts it simply: “Market volatility, evolving regulations, and the changing pace of technology, those who don’t adapt, are at risk of being overtaken by change itself.”
Managing finances isn’t just about number crunching anymore, it’s about making smart moves in real time, making sure stakeholders trust your moves, and staying ahead of the game.
So,waiting might feel safe, but really, putting off investing in finance systems is the riskiest thing you can do for your company.
Why delaying investing in finance systems quietly hurts?
For CFOs, waiting isn’t neutral, it’s expensive. Delayed payments can erode liquidity, create reconciliation blind spots, and weaken your ability to forecast with confidence. Here’s how to spot those risks early and reduce the drag on working capital.
Teams are drowning in manual work
A recent survey by Zuora found that a whopping 79% of finance leaders say their teams are “swamped” with manual tasks, this is finance group burnout in full swing. And if you’re in SaaS? That number jumps to 97%.
Reconciliation time eats strategy time
According to a KPMG survey, 87% of teams spend more time wrestling with data mismatches than turning insights into action. That’s strategy on pause.
Automation delivers massive speedups and accuracy
Finance automation isn’t just nifty, it’s a game changer. It can make processes 30-85× faster, cut reporting errors by 90%, and deliver ROI within 6-12 months.
Forward-thinking platforms like Forwardly, already apply this by scheduling payments automatically, and syncing directly with accounting systems for automatic reconciliation, turning what used to be manual busywork into reliable, hands-off accuracy.
AP chores are done in a blink
Manual invoice processing often means just 5 invoices per hour. But automation boosts that to 30 per hour, slashing time spent by up to 80%.
It’s not just about clunky tools, it’s about what they cost you. When CFOs are buried in endless reports, business growth turns into guesswork instead of strategy. Slow closes, messy data, and missed deadlines don’t just frustrate teams, they shake investor trust and drag down valuations. And while sticking with old systems feels safe in the moment, it quickly turns into regret when competitors pull ahead with real-time dashboards and AI-driven insights.
What’s driving the delay? Common CFO hurdles
If every CFO knows modern finance systems are important, why do upgrades keep getting pushed down the to-do list? The reasons are less about money and more about mindset:
Looking only at short-term ROI
Many CFOs evaluate tech like they’re buying office supplies: “Will it save me money right now?” The problem is, investing in finance systems is long-term infrastructure. They create efficiency, scalability, and resilience, but those benefits don’t always show up in the first quarter. Focusing only on immediate ROI means leaders miss out on bigger strategic wins, like faster closes and stronger investor confidence.
Resistance from teams and culture
New systems feel disruptive. Finance teams already under pressure worry about more complexity, while CFOs worry about rocking the boat. This cultural pushback often delays adoption. Ironically, the longer teams wait, the more outdated processes pile up, and the harder change becomes.
High stress and tech fatigue
Mid-market CFOs today face “tool overload.” Every vendor promises a silver bullet, every demo looks outdated six months later, and the sheer evaluation process feels heavier than the actual implementation. Add that to the daily grind of manual tasks, and it’s no wonder burnout is real. Some CFOs even admit they’ve thought about leaving their roles because the job has become less about strategy and more about firefighting.
What happens when you finally invest in finance systems? The payoffs
Upgrading your finance systems isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” The payoff shows up fast, and it hits the areas CFOs worry about most: speed, trust, and growth.
Efficiency that pays for itself
A mid-market company running manual AP might process 5 invoices an hour. With automation, that jumps to 30 invoices an hour, a 6× boost. Multiply that across a month, and you’re not just saving time, you’re reclaiming thousands of dollars in staff hours.
A faster, cleaner close
By adopting AI-powered financial close automation, a large hotel chain slashed its month-end closing time by about 75%. At the same time, they automated 95% of reporting, freeing up hundreds of person-hours per month and giving CFOs confidence, not caveats.
Data that actually makes sense
When data lives in silos, you get three versions of “the truth” and nobody knows which is right. Modern systems centralize spend, vendor, and cash flow data so CFOs can make one confident call instead of debating spreadsheets.
Resilience during growth moments
Fundraise? Audit? Acquisition talks? These are the moments when weak systems break. Companies that invested early in modern stacks report smoother audits and better valuations, because investors trust their numbers from day one.
Why spend visibility and control can’t wait?
Too many CFOs are still looking in the rearview mirror when it comes to spend. Without real-time tracking, problems only show up after the money’s gone. The risk grows when data lives in disconnected tools expenses in one system, contracts in another, approvals somewhere else. That kind of fragmentation creates blind spots.
Forwardly flips the script by pulling everything, spend, vendors, approvals, into one live view. Instead of reacting late, CFOs can act early, cut waste, and steer budgets with confidence. In today’s economy, if you can’t see spend in real time, you’re not really in control.
How to start now? A CFO’s roadmap to strategic system investment
Upgrading or investing in finance systems doesn’t have to mean ripping everything out at once. The best CFOs start with the areas that matter most, prove quick ROI, and then expand. Here’s a practical roadmap:
Audit your current bottlenecks
Don’t just list your tools, map out how work actually flows today. Where does the close slow down? How many hours are wasted on reconciliations, invoice approvals, or manual data entry? If spreadsheets are the glue holding your finance team together, that’s the first red flag.
Prioritize systems with measurable outcomes
Shiny dashboards are tempting, but they don’t always pay the bills. Focus first on areas that directly impact cash flow and efficiency.
- AP automation: Cuts invoice processing times.
- AR automation: Speeds collections and improves cash predictability.
- Cash flow tools: Provide visibility into liquidity before it becomes a boardroom crisis.
Choose integration over isolation
The number one mistake? Buying “best-of-breed” tools that don’t talk to each other. Modern ERP and finance platforms should integrate seamlessly with HR, tax, payroll, and billing. Without this, you’ll just create new silos that repeat old problems.
Secure buy-in across teams
Tech fails when people resist it. Involve IT, operations, and even department heads early. Show them how the system removes pain points (like fewer approval emails or easier reporting), and adoption will follow naturally.
Make timely decisions
CFOs often get stuck waiting for the “perfect” system. But perfection kills momentum. Moving quickly, even with an 80% solution, delivers more value than waiting months for the ideal setup. Finance leaders who act decisively see ROI faster and build credibility inside the business.
The real price of delay is far higher
Delaying finance system upgrades might feel like the safer choice, but in reality, it’s the most expensive one. Every extra month of waiting adds more hours of manual work, more blind spots in spend, and more missed opportunities to act on data. Those costs don’t just weigh down the finance team; they slow deals, weaken valuations, and erode investor trust.
Modern finance systems aren’t just about efficiency; they’re about building a business that can move faster, make smarter decisions, and scale without breaking. The question isn’t “Can we afford to invest now?” It’s “How much longer can we afford to wait?”
Don’t wait until inefficiencies cost you growth. Modernize your finance systems now with Forwardly and give your team the tools to scale with confidence.
