Why automated accounting controls are the unsung heroes of business resilience

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the turbulence felt unprecedented. Fast forward to 2025, and turbulence is now the norm rather than the exception.

Whether it’s the impact of economic policies on global stock markets, disruption from emerging technologies or environmental events, barely a month goes by without a new headline event.

From entrepreneurs building a growing business to enterprise leaders charting a path forward, this constant turbulence does not offer ideal business conditions.

In this era of uncertainty, leaders can focus instead on building resilience in the one area they can control: internal operations.

Let’s explore why automated accounting controls are the unsung heroes of business resilience.

Business continuity is a must in 2025

Despite the ongoing wave of external challenges, the unfortunate reality for business leaders is that there is no pause button.

Whatever headline-grabbing turn occurs, companies must continue paying suppliers and employees, upgrading infrastructure, and serving customers.

While this is true across all areas of operations, accounting controls stand out as an often-overlooked domain—straightforward to implement and highly impactful for improving business resilience and continuity.

For instance, the rise of GenAI has sparked excitement about saving time and money on marketing campaigns and revolutionizing reach on social media. However, this area is full of external variables, making true automation complex to achieve. Moreover, results rely heavily on continuous human input to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.

In contrast, accounting systems and processes are far more formulaic, making them ideal candidates for automation. A company can project critical dates years in advance—such as tax deadlines, supplier payment schedules, and invoice due dates.

These tasks also fall into the quadrant of being both urgent and important. Failing to submit a tax return or file an invoice can have serious negative consequences. That’s why automating this area of operations is a strategic move for business resilience.

Why manual accounting puts resilience at risk

In this era of uncertainty, agility and capital preservation are critical. Digital solutions are helping businesses manage accounting controls more efficiently, enabling stable and reliable access to capital while keeping the business solvent.

Yet data shows that accounting teams still rely on manual processes. To illustrate, 56% of accountants use legacy systems and more than half of accounting and finance processes are still being fulfilled manually, with high dependence on traditional Excel spreadsheets.

From a resilience standpoint, this introduces significant risk. Excel files can become corrupted or may store vital financial data on an individual employee’s desktop, making it difficult to track progress or ensure financial solvency.

It also increases the risk of missed tasks, such as sending invoices to suppliers—potentially delaying income. Automated accounting should form the backbone of a resilient business in 2025.

The contractual nature of B2B agreements may reduce the urgency for real-time settlements, but digitization is accelerating. Many suppliers may welcome faster settlement if it guarantees quicker access to capital.

Applying automation software reduces risk, ensures reliable access to capital, and allows companies to manage year-end reporting more efficiently. Modern accounting automation systems offer tools for repetitive tasks such as invoicing, bank reconciliation, data entry, and tax calculations. These features save time, reduce human error, and increase the speed and accuracy of financial processes.

Put simply, automating your accounting controls yields an outsized impact on business resilience—making this area of operations one of the best in terms of ROI.

The strategic role of accounting and finance

Today’s finance leaders are more than number crunchers—they are strategic partners guiding the company through turbulent times. With uncertainty narrowing margins and challenging growth, the CFO holds critical oversight of the company’s financial health.

From this vantage point, CFOs can anticipate risks that may threaten undercapitalized businesses or those in vulnerable stages of growth. Strong accounting controls and digital tools ensure CFOs have access to accurate, real-time insights.

By embracing modern solutions, optimizing the office of the CFO, and investing in secure, trustworthy partnerships, businesses can better navigate the challenges of today’s economy.

Article author: Shagun Malhotra, Founder of SkyStem