{"id":14752,"date":"2023-10-30T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=14752"},"modified":"2023-10-25T12:03:36","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T11:03:36","slug":"financial-planning-software-deployment-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/financial-planning-software-deployment-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Financial planning software deployment: A step-by-step guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/category\/technology-innovation\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Technology &amp; Innovation<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFinancial planning software deployment: A step-by-step guide\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-10-30T10:00:00+00:00\">30 October, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Financial planning software deployment: A step-by-step guide\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/financial-planning-software-deployment-guide\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/author\/david-appel\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/10\/David-Appel-headshot-2023-1.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"david-appel-portrait\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">David Appel<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Life is always easier when someone shares what success looks like, how to get there, and what problems to avoid along the way.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, we\u2019ll help you create an effective rollout strategy\u2013from understanding the importance of a software rollout plan to key steps for a successful deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ll also provide quick tips for a successful software rollout and answer frequently asked questions about deploying accounting software. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Get ready to streamline your processes, increase efficiency, and confidently achieve your financial goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#why\">Why bother with accounting automation software?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#what\">What is a financial planning software rollout?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#understanding\">Understanding the importance of a software rollout plan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#key\">6 key steps for a successful software rollout process<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#financial\">Financial process automation FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#make\">Make a seamless leap to ML and AI in your department<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why\">Why bother with accounting automation software?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/sage-business-cloud\/intacct\/\">Financial planning software<\/a> is essential because it simplifies your financial tasks, improves your team\u2019s productivity, and provides a comprehensive view of your finances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It provides better organisation and real-time analysis of financial data, which is invaluable in an industry as fast-paced as SaaS. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With features such as budgeting, forecasting, capitalisation tracking and management, financial planning software covers all critical financial tasks for SaaS organisations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A manual approach to financial planning fails to provide access to real-time insights and forecasting capabilities, negatively impacting your ability to make informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, planning software equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) streamlines several vital workflows for SaaS companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some of the most important:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Revenue recognition that\u2019s almost on autopilot: <\/strong>Since SaaS companies use deferred revenue accounting, it\u2019s immensely beneficial to centralise your financial data and sync all updates in the cloud. Siloed data unnecessarily makes a mess of revenue recognition for SaaS companies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Optimised SaaS budgeting: <\/strong>Automated planning software gives your finance department immediate access to all the metrics you need for accurate, effective budgeting. Churn, monthly recurring revenue (MRR), MRR subsets such as downgrades and expansions, burn rate, and dozens of other SaaS budgeting metrics are available through automated planning solutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Simple yet robust SaaS forecasts: <\/strong>Forecast variance can seriously harm your company\u2019s financial performance. Automated planning software uses machine learning (ML) to build forecast models and AI to run advanced forecast types with a single click.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though the benefits of automated financial planning software are relatively clear, the software rollout process can still be daunting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why a rollout plan is crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\">What is a financial planning software rollout?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A finance planning and analysis (FP&amp;A) software rollout in a SaaS company is the methodical process of introducing and implementing new financial planning software in your organisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key word there is \u2018methodical\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since financial planning software and financial process automation impact every area of your company, following a well-defined rollout plan is especially important in these areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good rollout involves careful planning, early testing through a demo version if possible, and gradual adoption to minimize disruptions to your organisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s go further into why you need a rollout plan and what constitutes an effective one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"understanding\">Understanding the importance of a software rollout plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve all heard some version of the saying, \u201cIf you fail to plan, then plan to fail.\u201d That applies to the process of deploying any new business software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s briefly touch on two major risks of not making a well-considered deployment plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Delays can be caused by software incompatibility:<\/strong> If you rush into a software deployment, there\u2019s a strong chance you\u2019ll encounter compatibility issues with existing tech. Remember to prioritise cloud-native financial planning software and make sure that you\u2019re not relying on a lift and shift approach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of pre-deployment clarity blocks results:<\/strong> Neglecting to plan your rollout carefully can quickly stagnate the process. Instead of making headway, you\u2019ll spend the first phase of the rollout asking the questions you should have been asking earlier\u2013what specifically needs fixing, how will your team adjust to new workflows, and so on.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now we\u2019ll analyse the core components of a successful software rollout plan. After that, we\u2019ll go into more detail about setting rollout objectives, crafting your strategy, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key\">6 key steps for a successful software rollout process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a SaaS CFO, ensuring a successful software rollout process for your department starts with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, there are two sides to the equation when dealing with a planning software rollout: the human side and the tech-oriented portion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the key elements to include to cover all your bases in both areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. <\/strong>Clearly define objectives and goals for the software rollout, identifying specific SaaS metrics and outcomes to track and measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. <\/strong>Evaluate your organisation\u2019s readiness for software implementation, making adjustments and preparations beforehand instead of scrambling to do so post-deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. <\/strong>Develop a detailed project plan with timelines and milestones, creating a roadmap for the rollout process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4.<\/strong> Thoroughly test the software in a controlled environment, addressing any issues or bugs before deployment. (Utilising demo offers is a great way to do this.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. <\/strong>Provide comprehensive training to your employees on effectively using the new software and making automation a part of day-to-day workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6.<\/strong> Maintain open communication with stakeholders throughout the process, informing them about your progress and results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following these important steps will increase your department\u2019s chances of a successful software rollout, improving efficiency, productivity, and overall business performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s cover some of the most critical steps in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Setting and tracking objectives and key results (OKRs) as a SaaS CFO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clear OKRs are vital for a successful software rollout plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They provide a roadmap for your team, allowing you to measure progress and define success objectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When establishing objectives, define specific goals and targets that align with why you\u2019re implementing new software in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Break down each objective into measurable vital results that can be tracked and evaluated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For instance, a broad goal might be reducing time spent on forecast assembly while raising forecast accuracy. The best way to ensure that gets accomplished is by tracking time spent on forecast creation and measuring it against forecast accuracy as you progress through the deployment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Likewise, if one of your broad goals is to cut revenue leakage, you need to set specific benchmarks before going live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach enables you to monitor the impact of the software rollout on your business processes, workflows, and overall financial performance, delivering greater transparency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Role-based dashboards and automated financial reporting represent important tools for maximising financial transparency and helping you track metrics in real time during and after the deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To ensure optimal communication and organizational alignment, share your OKRs with all stakeholders involved in the software rollout process, including employees, managers, and IT staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember to regularly review and update your OKRs throughout your rollout as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Understanding the upfront costs involved in your software rollout<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In general, you should budget for the deployment process for cloud-based planning solutions to cost about 1.5 times as much as the annual subscription rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is extremely useful for stakeholders to be aware of since it\u2019s a point that\u2019s easy to neglect initially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of those costs will be from routine setup assistance from the company\u2019s customer success team. They\u2019ll walk you through each deployment stage, sharing best practices and ensuring your day-to-day rollout process is seamless and efficient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another reason these upfront costs are more than worthwhile is that they\u2019re a one-time investment. Once you\u2019re up and running, maintenance costs on cloud planning solutions should stay close to nil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Identifying potential roadblocks and communicating clearly in your software rollout plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Identifying potential roadblocks in your software rollout is crucial for a successful implementation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we noted earlier, you should anticipate and address any challenges that might arise sooner rather than later in the rollout process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By thoroughly assessing your SaaS organisation\u2019s infrastructure, attitudes, and capabilities, you can make informed decisions and involve key stakeholders in the implementation process. Be sure to ask all stakeholders if they have questions or concerns specific to their department and address each one in turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, clear communication with employees about the benefits and goals of your software rollout will help get everyone aligned for long-term profitability and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Planning in-house FP&amp;A software training sessions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Planning in-house software training sessions is critical to a successful financial planning software rollout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually, this will involve one or more individuals from your software provider\u2019s customer success team acting as a liaison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To maximise the effectiveness and speed of these training sessions, it\u2019s important to first assess the unique needs of your team members and create a list of customised questions and concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few other best practices to be mindful of when it comes to training sessions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Developing or utilising additional training materials, such as video tutorials, to assist employees in navigating the new software\u2019s functionalities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scheduling multiple training sessions that align with your staff\u2019s availability, allowing everyone to get hands-on practice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notifying relevant employees of all training sessions using two or three channels: work email, another internal channel such as Slack, and then announcing session times at meetings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember to use your provider\u2019s additional customer success resources after the training period ends. These include a digital knowledge centre with blogs and articles, chatbot assistants, phone numbers, and emails for customer success agents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally, companies will happily assist you even after the rollout because they want you to succeed with their products. If you need help, you have nothing to lose by asking for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lack of clarity upfront equals pain later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gathering feedback for continuous improvement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gathering employee feedback is essential as you go through the implementation process for financial planning software. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should establish a robust system for collecting team feedback, leveraging methods such as surveys, user testing sessions, and regular check-ins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By fostering open and honest communication with your department, their valuable feedback can be effectively gathered and utilised\u2013often with profitable contributions far past the initial rollout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This feedback analysis becomes instrumental in making necessary updates and improvements to how your team interfaces with the software and adapts to new workflows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, too, that employee slip-ups with financial planning software can result in mistakes that ripple back to your end buyers, creating a poor user experience, such as a billing mistake, for instance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automated planning software is a true workhorse, but it\u2019s not foolproof or a magic bullet. You need to continuously gather feedback from your team to make sure they actually know how to use this new technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"financial\">Financial process automation FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Below are two questions SaaS CFOs commonly ask while rolling out a cloud-native FP&amp;A software solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Can I migrate my existing datasets, and they\u2019ll automatically be sanitised via AI and ML?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, no. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When moving to automated accounting software, you\u2019ll need to clean up your data before the migration process rather than after. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This ensures that everything slots in seamlessly, leaving your team ready to hit the ground running after hands-on training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Failing to clean up your data beforehand can result in post-deployment problems that could\u2019ve been easily avoided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. What benefits do other stakeholders expect, and how should I communicate results to them?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Establish clear goals and objectives beforehand to evaluate the success and effectiveness of your department\u2019s financial planning software deployment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of the best indicators of return on investment (ROI) to monitor and report back to stakeholders include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Time saved in financial planning processes and tasks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improvements in forecast accuracy and model flexibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inter-departmental support: is finance creating additional value for sales and marketing or customer success?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Team morale and performance. Do your employees seem calmer and less frazzled? Are fewer mistakes being made?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As long as you\u2019re strategic and mindful about your planning software rollout, it shouldn\u2019t take long to start seeing benefits like these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"make\">Make a seamless leap to ML and AI in your department<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Financial planning software equipped with AI and ML is truly a game-changer for SaaS organisations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From eliminating manual processes such as the monthly close and manual forecast assembly to streamlining revenue recognition and more, these tools pack a serious punch for SaaS CFOs and finance teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But you have to carefully and consciously pave the way to success when integrating this technology.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-53abbdcc-410c-4c8c-bf97-ca5c6982eebd\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/tag\/bookkeeping\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBookkeeping\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/tag\/business-finances\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness finances\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/tag\/workplace-technology\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWorkplace technology\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-17859 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accounting-102 tag-audit tag-bookkeeping tag-business-management tag-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/Sage_Cantelowes1444_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-13T11:11:45+01:00\">13 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/three-way-matching-in-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThree-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it matters\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tStruggling with invoice errors? See how 3-way matching in accounts payable ensures accurate payments, reduces risk, and improves efficiency. \t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-17843 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-business-finances tag-business-planning tag-business-strategy business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/budget-forecasting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-10T10:37:52+01:00\">10 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to create accurate budget forecasts: Methods, tools, and real-world examples\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-17838 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-free-guides-templates category-money-matters tag-business-finances tag-ecommerce tag-electronic-payments business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business industry-ecommerce\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/guide-to-subscription-billing\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1154410198-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1154410198-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1154410198-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1154410198-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M11.988 2.989a.75.75 0 0 0-.739.761v10.689l-1.72-1.72a.75.75 0 0 0-.957-.099.75.75 0 0 0-.315.776c.031.146.104.28.211.384l3 3a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06 0l3-3a.76.76 0 0 0 .231-.533.74.74 0 0 0-.22-.538q-.108-.106-.247-.164c-.139-.058-.191-.057-.291-.056s-.198.022-.29.061-.174.097-.243.169l-1.72 1.72V3.75a.76.76 0 0 0-.22-.541.76.76 0 0 0-.542-.22zM5.75 8.5C4.24 8.5 3 9.74 3 11.25v7C3 19.76 4.24 21 5.75 21h12.5c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75v-7c0-1.51-1.24-2.75-2.75-2.75h-3a.76.76 0 0 0-.537.216.74.74 0 0 0-.223.535.76.76 0 0 0 .223.535.74.74 0 0 0 .537.216h3c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v7a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25H5.75a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25-1.25v-7c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25h3a.76.76 0 0 0 .537-.216.74.74 0 0 0 .223-.535.76.76 0 0 0-.223-.535.75.75 0 0 0-.537-.216z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-10T10:12:46+01:00\">10 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">12 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tA guide to subscription billing\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-17834 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-security-fraud business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/3-way-matching-in-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-643644406-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T16:57:02+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThree-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it is important\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-17791 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-business-finances tag-cash-flow tag-payments business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/invoice-factoring\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1409751960-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1409751960-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1409751960-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1409751960-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T16:16:52+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is invoice factoring?\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Simplify your finance team&#8217;s workload with our guide to deploying financial planning software and harness the power of AI and machine learning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1433,"featured_media":14463,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"166","sage_membership_post_content_type":"article","sage_membership_post_featured_video_id":"","sage_membership_post_video_type":"trailer","sage_membership_post_featured_video_duration":"","post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[166],"tags":[105,107,160],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[211,249],"imagine_tag":[178],"coauthors":[492],"class_list":["post-14752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology-innovation","tag-bookkeeping","tag-business-finances","tag-workplace-technology","business_type-medium-sized-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"David Appel","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1369567969-1.jpg","imagine_tags":{"178":"Accounting software"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1433"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14752\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=14752"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=14752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}