How finance teams can streamline operations without sacrificing control

Finance teams today are expected to do more with less—less time, fewer tools, and tighter budgets. But in many cases, the need for control and compliance can unintentionally slow things down. Manual processes, outdated tools, and disconnected systems make it harder to move quickly—and that affects teams across the business.

The answer isn’t adding more software—it’s simplifying and consolidating, while still maintaining the controls finance depends on. Here’s how forward-thinking teams are making it work.

Outgrowing legacy expense tools

Many traditional expense platforms were built for a different era. Complex workflows, limited mobile functionality, and clunky interfaces can create friction for both finance and employees. Teams end up chasing receipts, while employees spend time navigating outdated systems just to get reimbursed.

Newer platforms offer a more streamlined approach. Features like automated receipt matching, smart coding, and real-time policy enforcement help reduce manual work—and in many cases, remove the need for it altogether. And when these tools combine expense management with features like corporate cards and bill pay, they can replace entire categories of legacy software.

Note: Here are some guides on expense tool alternatives for Expensify and Concur to share visibility for additional software options.

Simplifying the stack without losing visibility

The average mid-size business uses more than 20 finance tools—from spend tracking and payment platforms to budgeting and forecasting software. While each tool serves a purpose, the result is often a fragmented view of spend. Expense data might live in one place, vendor payments in another, and subscriptions somewhere else entirely.

That’s why integrated expense management platforms are becoming essential. With a centralized place to manage cards, reimbursements, bill payments, and approvals, finance teams get a complete picture of spend without juggling multiple tools.

When these platforms connect directly to your accounting system, the benefits compound. Smart integrations help eliminate duplicate entry and reduce reconciliation errors—keeping your books accurate and up to date.

Managing SaaS spend before it gets out of hand

What starts as a few team subscriptions can quickly turn into dozens of tools—each with its own billing cycle, approval path, and owner. Without clear oversight, costs add up and redundant licenses can go unnoticed.

Finance teams are tackling this by investing in centralized SaaS management. That means tracking renewals, setting usage limits, and assigning ownership. Creating a system for SaaS tool management helps control costs and builds better visibility across departments.

Even more effective is tying SaaS tracking into the procurement process. When software purchases go through a centralized review, finance has insight from the start—not just when a renewal alert hits the inbox. Teams using procurement management software are better equipped to avoid duplicate tools, shelfware, and budget surprises.

Automating AP without switching ERPs

For teams using systems like QuickBooks Online, Xero, or NetSuite, it can feel risky to change core AP workflows. But modern tools don’t require a full system overhaul—they can layer on top of existing systems to streamline invoice intake, approval routing, and payments.

By routing vendor bills through a platform that connects directly to your accounting software, teams can reduce manual entry, speed up approvals, and flag issues early. If your team is on QBO, automating accounts payable can be done with minimal lift—and often delivers immediate results.

Building smarter categories and policies

Clarity is just as important as control. The ability to identify trends, prevent overspending, and make quick decisions depends on having well-organized, reliable data.

It starts with the way expenses are categorized. Aligning spend with budget lines and assigning owners helps build a structure that scales. If your categories are too broad or inconsistent, start with a review of how businesses organize expenses and make updates that reflect real-world spend.

You can also automate category assignments with rules or AI, which helps reduce manual work during close and makes reporting more accurate.

Fewer tools, smarter spend

Finance tools should simplify—not complicate—your operations. Whether you're consolidating software, modernizing approvals, or adding automation to reduce manual work, the goal stays the same: fewer tools, faster processes, and better visibility.