A staggering 73% of auditors still spend more than half their time in spreadsheets, struggling with reconciliations, data extraction, and outdated workflows, according to new research by Trullion, an AI-powered accounting and audit platform. Despite the abundance of Excel-based, manual workflows, only 33% of auditors say they currently use AI. Alternatively, these findings also show that 76% of finance and accounting leaders are already leveraging AI to drive efficiency and improve insights across at least some of their processes.
These reports highlight a stark contrast in how auditors and accounting teams are addressing inefficiencies.
Auditors’ busy season challenges:
- Nearly 50% cite reconciliations as their top challenge, with over 70% dedicating 5–20 hours weekly to this task.
- Manual data extraction from unstructured PDFs consumes more than 5 hours per week for 59% of auditors.
- Bottlenecks persist in audit review processes, with nearly 40% reporting review delays of two weeks or longer.
- While 79% leverage technology to automate at least some part of their audit workflow, only 33% have used AI.
“These findings reveal a profession at a crossroads”
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Finance and accounting leaders’ priorities:
- 59% of finance executives are exploring AI adoption, with a focus on automating insights for reporting and improving decision-making; an additional 17% have already launched pilot programs or begun scaling AI across their organizations.
- 60% believe AI will reduce manual workload and allow humans to focus on more strategic work.
- 25% plan to hire specialized AI expertise for AI implementation in the next year.
- 21% believe it’s too soon to track metrics around AI’s value, however, 66% are watching productivity, time efficiency, or cost reduction.
“These findings reveal a profession at a crossroads,” said Isaac Heller, Trullion CEO. “Auditors and accounting teams are bogged down by manual tasks that could be eliminated with modern technology, and these leaders are increasingly leveraging AI to drive efficiency and strategy. This isn’t to say that auditors aren’t ready to innovate, it just reveals how both sides are feeling the pain of labor shortages and complicated compliance changes. This is what Trullion has been hearing for years and is trying to bridge this gap.”
AI: A solution for all
While auditors report spending up to 20 hours a week on data reconciliation, Trullion’s research shows that AI-powered solutions can cut these time-intensive tasks by more than half. Meanwhile, finance leaders and controllers see AI as a path to achieving real-time insights, reducing manual errors, and elevating job satisfaction.
What’s next? Organizations need to train
Both reports signal that embracing AI and automation isn’t just a competitive edge—it’s essential. Finance leaders who prioritize digital transformation and upskilling their teams will position themselves to tackle inefficiencies head-on.
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