🧠 Automation & AI in Finance: What’s Next for FP&A Leaders?
Tejas Parikh (FCMA / ACMA, MBA)
Transforming FP&A for Accuracy & Agility 📊 |🔹Finance Digitalization & Automation ⚙️ | Strategic Reporting & Optimizing Budgeting & Forecasting for Smarter Decisions 📈 | 🚀 Enabling Data-Driven Decisions for Growth 💡
The Future is Now – And It's Intelligent.
From static spreadsheets to predictive insights, FP&A is undergoing a seismic transformation. Automation and AI are no longer future trends—they're today's competitive edge.
Here's what you need to know to stay ahead.
📊 1. FP&A is Going Autonomous
A recent Gartner report found that over 60% of finance departments are projected to use AI-driven forecasting tools by 2026. This shift is enabling teams to cut planning cycle times by up to 30%.
What this means for you: No more "rear-view mirror" analysis. AI is helping FP&A leaders make real-time, forward-looking decisions with scenario modeling, anomaly detection, and automated data ingestion.
🛠️ Tool spotlight: Vendors like Workday Adaptive Planning, Pigment, and Anaplan are now integrating AI natively for faster, smarter forecasts.
🔍 Example:
A global manufacturing firm integrated machine learning into its demand forecasting model, reducing inventory costs by 12% and improving service levels by 18%.
⏱️ 2. Automation = Hours Back
According to McKinsey, finance professionals can automate up to 40% of finance activities using current technology. This includes:
Result? Fewer hours on manual tasks = more time for strategic decision-making.
📉 Case in point: A leading tech firm reduced their monthly close time from 9 days to 3 by integrating RPA and AI into their FP&A process.
🔍 3. Predictive > Reactive
AI isn't just about automation—it's about augmentation. AI-powered FP&A teams are now:
📌 Stat to note: Organizations using predictive analytics in FP&A see 5–10% better accuracy in forecasting and budgeting.
🤖 What’s Next?
The next frontier: AI copilots for finance. Think ChatGPT, but trained on your ERP, BI, and FP&A tools. Imagine asking:
“What’s our projected cash burn if we lose our top 2 enterprise clients?” And getting an answer instantly.
🧬 These copilots will reshape:
🔮 4. Predictive Analytics & GenAI = Game-Changers
🔹 Predictive Analytics helps answer “What will happen?” 🔹 Generative AI answers “What should we do about it?”
FP&A teams are now combining both for:
📌 Stat to Know: Deloitte found that companies using predictive analytics in FP&A achieve 2x faster re-forecasting cycles and reduce forecasting errors by up to 50%.
🧠 Generative AI is now writing executive summaries based on live data feeds completely personalized, context-aware, and boardroom-ready.
🔐 5. Data Readiness is Your Competitive Advantage
AI is only as smart as the data it’s fed. The biggest blocker to successful automation? Data silos and inconsistencies.
📋 FP&A AI Readiness Checklist:
✅ Centralized data architecture ✅ Clean, structured historical data ✅ Clear driver-based models ✅ Defined KPIs across business units ✅ Integrated BI + Planning tools
💬 “Before adding AI, invest in data plumbing.” — CFO, Series C SaaS Company
🔒 Quick Tip: Focus on Data Hygiene
AI is only as good as your data. Before scaling automation, prioritize:
👀 Want AI-ready finance? Start with clean, connected data.
💡 Final Thought for FP&A Leaders:
AI won’t replace you. But FP&A leaders who embrace AI will replace those who don’t.
Curious about tools, pilots, or how to upskill your team?
Comment "Interested" below and we’ll reach out to book a quick 15-min call to discuss!
Recommended by LinkedIn
Thanks for reading!
🚀 The future of FP&A is not in the future—it’s already here.
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Incredible insights, Tejas! The shift from static to predictive planning is a game changer — especially when paired with AI copilots. Curious to hear your thoughts on how mid-sized finance teams can start embracing these tools without getting overwhelmed by the tech stack
I launch your B2B Podcast, you build a brand & get leads $$$.
3wI guess that's the question Tejas Parikh (FCMA / ACMA, MBA) I'm tempted to launch a (real) newsletter about AI in Treasury as well 👀
Founder and CEO: Analytics-Based Performance Management LLC; Expert in ABC, EPM/CPM, Profit Analysis, Budget, Analytics
3wThank you Tejas Parikh (FCMA / ACMA, MBA) for your LinkedIn post above. Very informative.