Welcome to 2025! We are now officially a quarter of the way through the 21st century – and isn’t that a crazy thing to wrap your head around?
We’ve survived a lot in the last 25 years. The early 2000s saw the dotcom bubble, the Enron scandal, and passage of the SOX Act. By 2010 the world was deep in the Great Recession and working hard on recovery. More recently we suffered the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent market instability.
From recessions to booms and everything between, the finance landscape has changed immensely since the turn of the century. We’ve seen incredible technological advancements that have produced business and financial reporting tools that streamline processes, create efficiencies, bridge skills gaps, and position organizations to react to an ever-increasing pace of market change with agility and confidence.
In just the last few years the swift migration to remote work, rapid adoption of cloud technology, and the growing pressure of market factors like inflation and economic disruption have steered the finance function in unexpected directions. 2025 is forecast to be as impactful as any of the last few years, with continuing advancements in financial and business reporting technology promising to help organizations enhance their operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Let’s delve into the biggest financial reporting trends that we expect to define the year.
Artificial Intelligence
The benefits of AI, such as accounting support, anomaly detection, and financial analysis are undeniable. However, due to factors like insufficient use cases, lack of necessary technical skills, low-quality data, and a general reluctance to embrace new technology, the finance industry has been slow to adopt AI.
Some finance teams have already begun adopting AI in their day-to-day processes, but 36% of finance leaders say that lack of AI expertise is a major hurdle to adoption. If the finance industry as a whole wants to experience success in the age of AI, finance teams everywhere need to start investing in automated financial reporting software. Deploying automation tools will serve as a launchpad, equipping finance teams with the necessary skills to handle AI workflows.
ESG in Finance
With 95% of large companies now disclosing ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) information, 2025 will see ESG reporting initiatives gaining increasing importance. ESG holds corporations accountable for their impact on environmental factors, social causes, and corporate governance. As ESG regulations grow more complex and evolve globally, businesses will be under increasing pressure to collect and manage diverse ESG data consistently and accurately.
insightsoftware research highlights that 98% of finance teams already face significant challenges in aligning ESG with financial reporting. This trend is unlikely to fade, making streamlined solutions a necessity. With over 70% of business leaders acknowledging the potential of automated ESG reporting tools to enhance efficiency and accuracy, 2025 will likely see a surge in adoption of technologies designed to simplify ESG compliance and reporting workflows. Organizations prioritizing automation will be better positioned to navigate this evolving landscape.
Shaping the Future: Conquering Finance Challenges in 2024
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While cloud adoption isn’t a new trend at this point, it’s also nowhere near becoming old news. Organizations continue to gravitate to the cloud for superior data access, process automation, centralized data security, and reduced IT dependency. About 27% of organizations have fully moved to a cloud environment, while 62% operate in a hybrid setting that balances on-premises systems with cloud applications.
91% of cloud holdouts plan to migrate within the next two years, but remain hesitant due to fears about data security, migration costs, and integration challenges. These are valid fears, as companies that have already completed their cloud migrations reported integration challenges and user skills gaps as their largest hurdles during implementation, but with careful planning and team training, companies can expect a smooth transition from on-premises to cloud systems. Investing in user-friendly tools with outstanding data integration options will help make the transition seamless.
Measurable ROI
Finance teams are set to transform their financial reporting strategies this year, driven by a challenging economic climate. Teams will be focused on key performance metrics like return on assets (ROA), revenue growth rate, and gross profit margin. This shift underlines the escalating need for finance teams to optimize the use of existing assets and investments to maximize returns.
The ‘do more with less’ mentality will be at the heart of finance operations in 2025, as tighter economic constraints push teams to prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness. ROA will become a vital tool for measuring operational efficiency, assessing fiscal health, and guiding resource allocation decisions. By strategically mobilizing assets, finance teams will be able to drive stronger financial outcomes and navigate the complexities of today’s economic environment.
Process Automation
Finance teams everywhere know that manual processes consume a considerable amount of time. Manually inputting and exporting data from your ERP into a spreadsheet requires meticulous attention to detail, as it can also lead to inaccuracies that are hard to spot without careful review. Over half of organizations allocate at least 30 hours monthly to manual reporting tasks – precious time that could be better spent on valuable analysis and decision-making.
In 2025 finance teams will continue seeking solutions to automate tedious, time-consuming manual processes. By embracing automation for tasks like report generation and data integration, finance teams can drastically cut operational costs, enhance data accuracy, and reclaim precious time for strategic analysis.
Modern financial performance management platforms are stepping up with powerful tools to streamline workflows, foster seamless collaboration, and deliver real-time insights. These solutions empower finance teams to break free from repetitive tasks and focus on what truly matters: financial planning, risk management, and driving sustainable business growth. The future of finance is smarter, faster, and more strategic—and automation is leading the charge.
How to Embrace These Trends
The right software solutions are instrumental for your organization to confidently face the future of finance. insightsoftware is committed to helping finance teams overcome the challenges today’s market presents with solutions to elevate your team’s capabilities, improve efficiency, and drive better business outcomes. With Spreadsheet Server, our Excel-based reporting powerhouse, you can automate processes while creating the reports your organization needs, all within Excel’s familiar interface, and without IT involvement.
With its ability to integrate with more than 140 ERPs and other data sources, Spreadsheet Server is designed to simplify operational and financial reporting by automating routine tasks, enhancing data accuracy, and providing a platform for deeper financial analysis. Gain the power of real-time, refreshable reporting directly in Excel’s familiar interface with drag-and-drop, self-serve reports, you can create your own custom reports in minutes without IT involvement.
Spreadsheet Server enables you to:
- Automate manual processes with interactive, accurate, and refreshable reports straight from your ERP.
- Ease your cloud migration by creating a secure, real-time ERP connection that will transition to the cloud with you.
- Drill down into the details and access data from the GL, payables, receivables, etc., without ever leaving your Excel spreadsheet.
- Access exclusive AI tools via the insightsoftware Platform – your one-stop shop to become a truly connected finance function.
- Create custom reports in minutes without technical skills or IT expertise.
Ready to see how Spreadsheet Server will help your organization stay ahead of the curve in 2025? Download the brochure now.
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