As we step into 2025, the role of finance is experiencing a profound transformation. Once seen as a back-office function focused on reporting and compliance, finance is now emerging as a central driver of strategic insight, operational agility, and business innovation. The demands on finance leaders have never been greater. They are being asked to deliver high-value analysis, manage risk in real time, and lead digital transformation—often while navigating tighter budgets and increasing complexity.
According to new insights from The Hackett Group and echoed by organizations adopting advanced AP automation solutions, top-performing finance functions are honing their capabilities in:
- Efficiency
- Resilience
- Data intelligence
The expectations for finance have shifted. It’s no longer just about closing the books. It’s about driving outcomes that shape the entire enterprise.
What Are the Top Priorities for Finance in 2025?
Finance leaders in 2025 are focused on stepping beyond traditional responsibilities like cost control and compliance. The new mandate is about being a proactive, forward-thinking partner to the business. Across industries, finance teams are centering their efforts around several key objectives:
- Delivering predictive and forward-looking insights to anticipate trends and inform strategy
- Improving cost efficiency through smarter automation and streamlined workflows
- Enabling faster and better decision-making with real-time data access and scenario modeling
- Enhancing agility and responsiveness to pivot quickly during market or supply chain disruptions
- Accelerating digital transformation beyond isolated pilots and into core finance operations
- Strengthening business partnership capabilities to align finance with commercial and operational goals
- Advancing analytics capabilities to support data-driven planning and forecasting
- Reducing the cost of finance functions without compromising value delivery
- Speeding up close, consolidation, and reporting cycles to enable faster insight delivery
- Enhancing talent strategies by upskilling teams and hiring for strategic, analytical roles
These priorities reflect a fundamental shift. Finance is no longer simply tasked with tracking performance—it is charged with driving it.
The Role of Gen AI in Finance
One of the most disruptive forces in finance right now is generative AI. Rather than simply replacing manual tasks, Gen AI is enabling finance teams to fundamentally reimagine their roles. Intelligent assistants powered by natural language processing can help users execute complex tasks through conversational interfaces, while autonomous agents can operate independently to handle routine processes like invoice matching or variance analysis.
These technologies are not just about automation—they’re about elevation. By shifting transactional work away from human hands, Gen AI opens up time and space for finance professionals to focus on higher-value activities like planning, stakeholder engagement, and insight generation. As these tools mature, they’re becoming strategic assets—amplifying human intelligence and extending the reach of finance across the organization.
Why Are Predictive Insights So Important?
Delivering forward-looking insights is now the most urgent priority for finance leaders. In today’s dynamic business environment, relying solely on historical data is no longer enough. Instead, organizations are seeking the ability to model scenarios in real time, adapt forecasts on the fly, and use predictive analytics to spot risks and opportunities before they arise.
However, while the need for predictive insight is widely acknowledged, many finance teams are still developing the technical and organizational capabilities to deliver on it. This gap between what’s expected and what’s possible—the “insight gap”—is one of the biggest barriers to finance transformation. Closing it will require investment in both tools and talent, as well as a shift in mindset from reporting on the past to shaping the future.
Digital Transformation Is Now Operational
Digital transformation in finance is no longer a buzzword or side initiative—it’s a core part of daily operations. In 2025, finance automation is being implemented across key finance workflows, from period-end close to risk reporting and financial planning. Machine learning is increasingly used to streamline reconciliation, improve forecasting accuracy, and identify anomalies in real time.
But while some organizations are scaling these capabilities across the enterprise, others remain stuck in experimentation or pilot phases. The real challenge now isn’t innovation—it’s integration. Finance teams must move from testing isolated solutions to embedding them into consistent, enterprise-wide processes. Only then will the full benefits of digital transformation—speed, accuracy, and agility—be realized.
People Matter More Than Ever
As automation becomes more sophisticated, the human side of finance is growing more important, not less. With many transactional tasks now handled by systems, the focus is shifting toward hiring, developing, and retaining finance professionals who can think critically, communicate effectively, and partner with the business. Strategic thinking, data literacy, and collaboration are no longer nice-to-have skills—they’re essential.
Organizations are redesigning roles around analytics and advisory capabilities. At the same time, they’re investing in upskilling programs that empower teams to make the most of new technologies. The goal isn’t just to automate—it’s to elevate. And that requires a workforce that is confident, capable, and aligned with the mission of modern finance.
A Broader Lens: Industry Forces Reshaping Finance
| Industry Force | Impact on Finance Teams |
|---|---|
| Global supply chain disruptions | Made finance central to assessing vendor risks and planning for contingencies |
| Regulatory pressures (ESG, data privacy) | Added new layers of complexity |
| Demand for customer-centric strategies | Pushed finance to support insights that guide commercial decisions |
| Sustainability and transparent reporting | Require new metrics and frameworks |
| Data security and trust | Demand integrity in systems and data management |
These changes demand not just better tools, but a broader, more integrated vision for the future of finance.
The Bottom Line: Finance’s Moment to Lead
Finance in 2025 isn’t just adapting—it’s ascending. The tools are smarter, the data is faster, and the expectations are bolder. What separates the best from the rest is not just how well finance teams manage numbers, but how powerfully they translate them into decisions, direction, and impact.
This year presents a unique opportunity: to rethink legacy systems, reshape roles, and reimagine what’s possible. Finance has earned its place at the strategy table. Now, it’s time to lead with insight, drive with intelligence, and execute with precision.
Curious how your finance team could evolve in 2025? Request a demo and see what streamlined, insight-led finance looks like with SoftCo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Key priorities include delivering predictive insights, improving cost efficiency, accelerating digital transformation, and strengthening business partnerships to drive strategy.
Machine learning enhances forecasting accuracy, streamlines reconciliation, and helps finance teams identify anomalies in real time, improving decision-making and efficiency.
Generative AI supports finance teams by automating routine tasks like invoice matching and variance analysis, allowing professionals to focus on higher-value activities such as strategy and planning.
Predictive insights help finance teams model scenarios, adapt forecasts, and identify potential risks or opportunities before they arise, providing a strategic edge.
Digital transformation is driving automation in finance workflows, including period-end close, financial planning, and risk reporting, improving speed, accuracy, and overall agility.
