Despite prioritizing AI, the new report shows finance and accounting leaders are still held back by manual, reactive work
Zuora, Inc., a leading monetization platform for modern business, released The Modern Finance Leader: How Technology Gaps Are Limiting Strategic Impact, new research from over 900 finance and accounting leaders. The report reveals how breakdowns in order-to-cash (O2C) processes and technology are impeding the strategic growth and efficiency of finance teams, particularly within Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies.
While the data shows that finance leaders are increasingly expected to be strategic advisors that drive business growth, they are too often constrained by manual, reactive work. Despite prioritizing AI in both technology investments and talent acquisition, finance teams are still bogged down by manual processes that AI was intended to eliminate. At the same time, mounting pressure to support complex transformations, such as shifting upmarket with sophisticated deal structures or experimenting with usage-based models, can create severe challenges. Identifying the right organizational structure and systems around O2C can help companies better respond at the speed business demands.
Along with new data across industries, the report zooms in on SaaS, often representing the epicenter of modern finance complexity. As early adopters of dynamic pricing models, usage-based billing, and hybrid revenue structures, SaaS companies stress-test traditional finance operations, making them a bellwether for broader industry challenges.
Catch more Fintech Insights : Enhancing Cybersecurity in Financial Services through Adversarial Exposure Validation
Key findings of Zuora’s 2025 Modern Finance Leader report include:
- Finance and accounting leaders are expected to be strategic advisors – but lack the tools to deliver: 89% of finance and accounting leaders (88% in SaaS) say they’re increasingly expected to act as strategic advisors, but 70% (and 92% in SaaS) say their current tech stack is hindering them from playing that role. In SaaS, 100% say manual data issues and reconciliation work are preventing strategic focus, with 42% saying it happens “often.”
- AI is a strategic priority in both technology and skillsets – but its impact has yet to fully materialize: Nearly all (93%) of finance leaders prioritize AI capabilities in technology investments, and 61% of SaaS leaders say AI fluency is a “very important” hiring consideration.
- Even with AI, manual tasks are still overwhelming teams, especially in SaaS: 79% of finance leaders say their teams are swamped with manual work, with 88% citing reconciliation as a blocker to strategic focus. In SaaS, this problem is more acute: 97% say they are bogged down by manual tasks.
- Lack of finance O2C system ownership puts growth, speed, and controls at risk: 82% of leaders say IT lags in system updates, and 82% of SaaS leaders say fragmented O2C ownership causes major operational challenges. Only 56% of SaaS companies have a dedicated finance systems team within the finance department – and in many cases, that team is owned by IT.
- Legacy finance systems are holding back pricing and revenue model experimentation: 74% of finance and accounting leaders say their current systems can’t support the complex pricing structures needed to stay competitive. In SaaS, 97% say their tech falls short, with 86% calling the lack of system adaptability a frequent issue. Additionally, 82% of SaaS leaders struggle with complexity due to hybrid revenue models, and 95% say usage pricing makes revenue forecasting more difficult.
“The most innovative companies are rethinking order-to-cash, and CFOs can no longer take a backseat,” said Todd McElhatton, Chief Operating and Financial Officer at Zuora. “Without clear ownership of this process, finance teams are too often held back, unable to experiment with pricing changes or launch new offerings as rapidly as the market demands. The right systems and a strong partnership with IT will enable CFOs to drive a more strategic organization, ultimately capturing new growth.”
Zuora commissioned an independent market research firm to survey over 900 senior finance leaders, including CFOs, CAOs, Controllers, and VPs of Finance and Accounting across North America, the United Kingdom, and France to analyze the current state of finance operations across industries.
Read More on Fintech : From Reactive to Resilient: 3 Practices to Help Financial Firms Thrive Amid Regulatory Change
[To share your insights with us, please write to psen@itechseries.com ]
