Finance Teams Under Pressure

Finance teams across every sector are under strain. They are facing rising costs, tighter budgets, and growing compliance demands. Expectations are climbing, but resources are not. The result is simple. More work, less time, and far higher risk of mistakes.

Accounts payable teams in particular feel the squeeze. Instead of driving strategy, they are stuck in manual invoice processing, chasing approvals, and firefighting errors. The phrase finance teams under pressure has never felt more accurate.

The Daily Grind of Finance Teams

In most organisations, finance teams spend hours on low-value, repetitive tasks.

• Invoices arrive in different formats: email attachments, PDFs, paper scans.
• Data is rekeyed manually into finance systems.
• Approvals get delayed as paperwork bounces around inboxes.
• Payment deadlines are missed, costing discounts or damaging relationships.
• Compliance checks are rushed, creating risk for audit or tax reporting.

It is not glamorous, but it is the reality. And it is expensive.

The Rising Pressure

The pressure is only increasing.

• The volume of invoices is growing with business activity.
• Regulators demand better transparency in VAT, audit trails, and fraud prevention.
• Finance leaders are told to cut costs while doing more with fewer people.
• Staff turnover is high as teams burn out from endless manual work.

It is a cycle that leaves teams constantly firefighting and never stepping back to focus on strategy.

The Cost of Manual Processing

Research from APQC shows that manual invoice handling costs between £10 and £15 per invoice. With automation, that drops to between £1 and £2. For an organisation handling 50,000 invoices a year, that is a potential saving of over half a million pounds.

The hidden costs are just as damaging. Missed early-payment discounts, late-payment penalties, and reputational damage with suppliers all add up. Manual processes are simply unsustainable for finance teams under pressure.

How AI Can Help

This is where AI-driven Intelligent Document Processing, or IDP, makes a difference.

• Extraction: AI pulls the key data from invoices automatically, regardless of format.
• Validation: It checks details against purchase orders and contracts.
• Workflow: It routes invoices for approval with no need for email chains.
• Compliance: It logs every step for audit and tax reporting.

The result is faster, more accurate, and less stressful invoice management.

The ROI Case

The ROI for AI in finance is clear. By reducing manual costs, errors, and delays, savings can be significant. If each invoice drops from £12 to £2 in processing costs, the finance function not only covers the cost of AI but frees up budget for growth projects.

Beyond savings, the strategic benefits are bigger. Finance teams gain time for forecasting, scenario planning, and advising leadership. They shift from cost centres to business partners.

The AskElie Advantage

AskElie’s module intELIEdocs is designed for finance teams facing this reality.

• It is trained on invoices, contracts, and purchase orders, not just generic documents.
• It integrates with existing CRMs, ERPs, and procurement systems.
• It delivers compliance evidence automatically, making audits smoother.
• It scales easily from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of invoices.

Instead of patching the process with spreadsheets, intELIEdocs creates an intelligent workflow that is secure, accurate, and auditable.

The Human Impact

Finance teams often fear that automation means job cuts. The opposite is true. By taking away the repetitive rekeying and chasing, AI allows staff to focus on analysis, reporting, and supplier relationships. These are the areas where humans add the most value.

In many cases, staff satisfaction rises once AI takes on the grind. People can see the bigger picture and contribute to strategy rather than spending their day firefighting.

Risks to Watch Out For

Adopting AI in finance is not without challenges.

• Poor data quality can slow learning and reduce accuracy.
• Over reliance on AI without validation can create compliance risks.
• Change management is needed to reassure staff and encourage adoption.

These risks are manageable. The key is to start with a clear plan, validate outputs carefully, and build confidence step by step.

Real-World Scenarios

Picture a large council that processes tens of thousands of invoices a year. Before AI, staff spent days checking and rekeying. After deploying intELIEdocs, 80 percent of invoices were handled automatically. Staff now spend their time resolving exceptions and managing supplier performance.

Or think of a mid-sized manufacturer. Finance staff were losing discounts because approvals took too long. With AI-driven workflows, invoices move instantly to the right approver. The company now captures early-payment savings worth hundreds of thousands each year.

Even small businesses see the benefits. A consultancy with a lean finance team used to drown in manual work. AI now handles the bulk of the process, freeing staff to focus on client billing and growth planning.

Why Finance Teams Under Pressure Need AI Now

The case for AI in finance is stronger than ever. Inflation, regulatory pressure, and tight budgets all add to the strain. At the same time, AI tools have matured and are more affordable and accessible. The barrier to entry is lower, while the cost of doing nothing is rising.

Finance teams under pressure cannot afford to keep relying on manual methods. The longer they wait, the harder it becomes to keep up.

Closing Thought

The future of finance teams under pressure will be defined by how quickly they adopt automation. AI offers a practical, proven way to cut manual invoice chaos, reduce errors, and save thousands.

The ROI is clear. The human impact is positive. And the compliance risks can be managed with the right approach.

AskElie’s intELIEdocs is built for exactly this challenge. It gives finance teams the tools to move past firefighting and into strategy. Instead of being a cost centre, finance becomes a driver of value.

The future belongs to finance teams that embrace AI to handle the grind and focus on growth.