Over 60% of Finance Teams Still Rely on Spreadsheets. What’s Changing?

Hi {{firstname|everyone}},   

Every accounting firm knows the struggle of consolidation across multiple entities. Different ledgers. Different systems. Endless spreadsheet versions that never fully align. 

I have seen firms lose entire days trying to tie numbers together across subsidiaries, only to discover that one posting error or missing entry has thrown everything off.  

The sad part is, most consolidation processes are still built on manual fixes and fragile spreadsheets. By the time the books finally close, trust is exhausted. 

AI-assisted consolidation is emerging as a catalyst in this equation. And it’s doing so not by replacing any accountants but replacing chaos with structure and guesswork with accuracy. Ultimately, freeing them from repetitive reconciliation and letting them focus on translating numbers into decisions. 

So how exactly is this transformation taking shape, and what can firms do to get ahead of it? 

Let’s get right into it! 

Traditional consolidation relies on copying, pasting, and reconciling data from multiple sources. Every adjustment brings a new risk of error. One missing journal or inconsistent account code can throw off the entire close. 

AI changes this by automating the data ingestion process. Generative systems can now read ledgers across multiple entities, match accounts intelligently, and flag inconsistencies automatically.  

Instead of spending hours fixing data, accountants can focus on reviewing insights. 

The time saved is now being redirected into financial planning, advisory, and strategic decision-making. 

The best part is that technology learns over time. The more data it processes, the smarter it becomes at spotting patterns and predicting mismatches before they occur. 

Even the best accounting teams struggle when data is fragmented across systems. Different software, different naming conventions, and different currencies can make consolidation a nightmare. 

AI-powered consolidation solves this by creating a single source of truth. It standardises charts of accounts, converts currencies automatically, and structures data for easy reporting.  

Research points this way too!  

Meaning, no more “final_final_v3.xlsx” files floating in email threads. 

When everyone works off the same dataset, firms gain real confidence in their numbers. Reporting becomes faster, cleaner, and more credible. And when management wants consolidated financials on demand, AI can produce them in real time, not days later. 

There is a misconception that automation removes the accountant’s role. In reality, it amplifies it. 

For the first time, accountants can see every adjustment, source, and link behind the numbers without digging through endless spreadsheets. 

AI tools are now being built with explainability in mind.  

Each consolidated figure can be traced back to its original ledger entry. That makes audits faster and gives finance leaders full confidence in what they are signing off. 

So, how do firms do that? 

All in all, AI will help strengthen professional judgment by giving accountants the clarity and control they never had before. 

We’ve lived the chaos of multi-entity consolidation ourselves, across clinics, accounting, and advisory. That’s exactly why we’re building our own AI-assisted engine inside Samera.AI. 

The goal is to build a system that understands how accountants actually work by explaining numbers, flagging anomalies before they snowball, and connecting ledgers without the usual reconciliation pain. 

We’re currently testing it in-house, refining how it learns from different bookkeeping styles and real close cycles. So when it rolls out, it’ll work where it matters, i.e., in the day-to-day of accounting firms and finance teams. 

See how we’re building smarter tools for accountants at: 

Cheers, 

Arun 

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