The Highly Automated Firm
What it looks like in practice, and how to achieve it with AI.
The Opportunity
The firms pulling ahead are already highly automated.
The time for taking a "wait-and-see" approach to automation and AI adoption is over. Today's highly automated firms are achieving new levels of efficiency and significantly expanding their revenue margins by adopting a range of automation tools and AI capabilities to streamline and standardize their workflows.
AI + Automation in practice
of leaders at top-performing firms limit G/L accounting software to 3 or fewer systems, standardizing their tech core for maximum efficiency.
Source: CPA.com & AICPA PCPS CAS Benchmark Survey
of top-performing CAS practices use automated accounting workflow tools, 10% more than their peers, to track and rate their engagements.
Source: CPA.com & AICPA PCPS CAS Benchmark Survey
What Sets Leaders Apart
The 4 Pillars of the Highly Automated Firm
Firms that have implemented financial operations automation have gained advantages that remain out of reach from their less-automated peers. Here are the key elements that set them apart.
Pillar 01
Proactive AI Adoption
Workflow Automation
Firms invest in tools that accelerate bank reconciliations, transaction coding, and month-end close, reallocating capacity toward advisory and analytics work.
Generative AI for Research & Decision Support
LLM-powered tools transform knowledge work, from surfacing precedent-based tax advice to summarizing complex legislation, reducing research time and producing nuanced insights when paired with human judgment.
Agentic AI for Autonomous Task Execution
AI agents capable of acting across multi-step workflows help prepare returns, reconcile books, and generate variance analyses, with human oversight as a key requirement throughout.
Pillar 02
Standardized Technology Core
Benefits of a Standardized Stack
Fewer G/L systems enables firms to simplify training, streamline client onboarding, standardize processes, manage multiple clients more effectively, and develop custom automation tools for reporting.
Plug-in Flexibility
Highly automated firms stay flexible enough to integrate additional best-in-class technologies as they're adopted, without disrupting a consolidated, cross-functional platform built on leading-practice standards.
Pillar 03
Integrated Processes
AP/AR as the Starting Point
Accounts Payable involves large numbers of manual processes frequently repeated client-to-client, making it a prime target for automation. Financial operations automation in AP and AR is widely viewed as a high-return entry point.
AI in Action
When AI tools start uncovering duplicate invoices, identifying potentially missing bills, collecting W-9 data, and automatically coding expenses, the impact on workload, efficiency, and accuracy is immediately measurable.
Cloud-Enabled Integration
A cloud-based automation stack accepts data from a wide range of inputs, auto-populates standard forms, and triggers intelligent "nudges" that prompt decision-makers to act on incoming client data.
Pillar 04
People-First Design
The Human Oversight Imperative
Highly automated firms know they need the insights, oversight, and guidance of humans at every step. AI-enabled systems flag transactions and surface insights; accountants act as reviewers and decision-makers.
Staff Freed for Advisory-Level Work
With less time spent on mundane, repetitive tasks, staff focus on higher-order challenges requiring more insights and critical thinking, delivering greater value to clients and improving revenue margins.
Recruitment & Skills Evolution
Highly automated firms are perceived by potential hires as more innovative and desirable places to work. As manual processes are automated, firms develop capacity for advisory-level services requiring skills that go beyond traditional accounting.
Self-Assessment
Where Does Your Firm Stand?
Answer 5 quick questions to see how your firm's automation maturity compares to top performers.
Question 1 of 5
How many G/L accounting software programs does your firm currently use?
The Roadmap
The Automation Curve
Three phases. One clear path. Your firm's roadmap to becoming highly automated.
Phase 01
Plan
Map your current services and processes. Set automation goals. Evaluate technologies. Assess your talent and readiness for change management.
- Map current services and processes and how they connect
- Identify and prioritize opportunities for automation and technology requirements
- Review your client list and strategies for fit with automation
- Set goals for automation and evaluate technologies
- Review current talent to determine recruitment and training needs
Phase 02
Pilot
Identify test clients. Build standardized processes. Launch with pilot clients. Gather data. Monitor how automation handles work previously done manually.
- Start with a comprehensive project plan
- Identify test clients for the new automated process
- Develop standardized processes across client engagements
- Connect with stakeholders on your change management plan
- Launch new technologies with pilot clients and gather insights and data
Phase 03
Pivot
Customize your solution. Focus customization efforts where they have the biggest impact: Reporting, Dashboards, Internal Controls, and Mobile Applications.
- Identify where the automation solution should be customized for your firm's specific needs
- Customize Reporting to deliver client-ready insights automatically
- Build Dashboards that surface real-time operational and client data
- Strengthen Internal Controls with AI-assisted monitoring and exception flagging
- Expand Mobile Applications to enable anywhere access for clients and staff
The Bottom Line
Change is coming. Will your firm change on its terms?
Or be changed by competitors who already have?
Client and talent expectations are rising daily with new tools and technologies at their disposal. AI capabilities are finally mature, proven, and ready for widespread adoption. Firms that act now will set the standard; firms that wait will find themselves chasing it.
