AI-Powered Accounting Operations for a Leading Service Company
A leading Nordic service company, operating across several European countries, needed to modernize its back-office finance operations. Its Shared Services Center (SSC) was overwhelmed with manual accounting tasks, growing transaction volumes, and increasing compliance demands.
The CFO’s team saw the implementation of AI in accounting as the key to improving efficiency, reducing errors, and giving their finance team time to focus on higher-value work. However, they lacked the internal knowledge to choose the right use cases, implement automation tools, and stay aligned with financial controls.
Some of the main issues included:
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Time-consuming manual work in invoice processing, reconciliations, and month-end closing
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Data spread across multiple ERP systems and local tools
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Lack of visibility and auditability in AI-driven processes
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Resistance to change and no clear roadmap for AI in finance
To move forward, the company needed an expert who could lead the way—bringing both AI know-how and a strong understanding of finance operations. To do so, the company engaged Consultport to find an AI consultant who could audit current operations and modernize finance and accounting functions with Artificial Intelligence.
Within 48 hours, Consultport delivered a shortlist of vetted consultants. The chosen consultant offered:
- Over 7 years of experience in finance transformation and automation
- Previous project experience in implementing AI in accounting across a large European firm
- Hands-on knowledge of tools like UiPath, Power Automate, and AI-based OCR platforms
- Change management expertise in shared services environments
The consultant combined tech skills with finance experience—exactly what the client needed to succeed.
The consultant followed a clear, five-phase plan to deliver fast results and set the stage for long-term improvements.
1. Discovering Opportunities
The project kicked off with a full review of accounting workflows. The consultant pinpointed areas where AI could save time and reduce errors—like invoice classification, GL mapping, and accrual calculations.
2. Preparing Data and Building Models
They cleaned and unified data from ERP and local systems to train AI models. These models powered tasks like reading invoices and auto-coding transactions, all while meeting accuracy and audit standards.
3. Deploying AI and Integrating Systems
Once tested, the AI models were rolled out and connected directly to the company’s SAP system. This made invoice handling and journal entries faster and more accurate. Human review steps were built in for oversight.
4. Driving Adoption and Training the Team
The consultant ran workshops to get the SSC team on board. Staff learned how to use AI tools in their daily work and gained confidence in the new system.
5. Building a Scalable Roadmap
Finally, the consultant delivered a custom playbook showing how to expand AI in accounting across the business—from forecasting to reporting and procurement. KPIs were set to track progress and impact.
At the end of the project, the consultant successfully implemented AI in accounting functions, leading to significant improvements in accuracy and training.
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