OneStream is the only enterprise finance platform that seamlessly unifies all financial and operational data, embeds AI to boost productivity, and adapts to fit your unique needs. Microsoft Partner of the Year and five-time leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, we know that finance teams need AI powered by verified data and trusted sources, ensuring full transparency and security.
Join OneStream’s upcoming webinar: “Finance AI in Practice: From Forecasting to Faster, More Confident Decisions”. Register now and prepare to lead in the Finance AI era.
The CFO role faces incredible pressure. Internally, the CEO and board are demanding more strategic leadership. Externally, nearly 80% of investors won’t commit capital unless CFOs show they’ve got the full package: technical expertise, operational insight, and a clear strategic vision.
AI is just the latest complication reshaping how finance teams operate. In our Finance 2035: Return to Investment report, CFOs and CEOs clearly recognised the importance of AI in finance. Nearly 70% of them believe any company not investing in AI, modern technology, and future-ready skills today risks being obsolete within 5 years. CFOs need to cut through uncertainty and focus on the practical steps that will modernise the finance function and put the organisation on a path to resilience, relevance and long-term growth. In this guide, you’ll learn how to do exactly that.
Discover how organisations are using explainable, purpose-built AI by joining OneStream’s upcoming webinar: Finance AI in Practice (16 April, 11:30AM SAST). Connect with AI experts for a live SensibleAI, demo showing how AI is being applied across finance to drive transparency and strategic growth. Register now.
The real roadblocks to progress
Even with the best intentions outdated tech, disconnected departments, and a culture that’s slow to adapt often get in the way of transformation. Structural, technological and cultural roadblocks can make even the smartest strategies hard to execute. These barriers not only slow progress, but erode the strategic influence of the finance function.
Customer Story: VodafoneZiggo
VodafoneZiggo cut month-end close time in half and transformed its finance function. “We are faster. We have one repository where we have one single version of the truth, which is non-financials and financials. The biggest value is that the business is less dependent on manual intervention of running the reports. The data is timely available for the business.”
Unlocking the opportunity with AI
When integrated thoughtfully into financial operations, AI can directly address the very issues holding back organisations in Europe.
1. Navigating regulatory complexity
AI streamlines compliance and enhances audit readiness, enabling finance teams to stay ahead of evolving regulations while improving transparency and investor trust.
2. Using real-time scenario planning
From economic volatility to climate risk, AI-driven modelling allows finance teams to generate and iterate scenarios faster – guiding decisions with agility and precision.
3. Employing predictive forecasting
AI reduces the latency between signal and action. By accelerating reforecasting cycles and predicting trends, finance teams can optimise cost structures, improve efficiency and maintain performance during disruption.
4. Building trust through transparency
Modern AI tools now offer explainability. By implementing AI ethics frameworks, finance teams can ensure compliance, mitigate bias, and align AI-generated insights with corporate values and stakeholder expectations.
Role-by-role transformation: focus on what matters
One-size-fits all approaches don’t work. To modernise effectively, organisations must tailor efforts to the unique needs and responsibilities of each role within the office of finance.
CFO: The strategic navigator
CFOs are no longer just financial stewards, but strategic operators navigating a volatile world of market shifts, investor scrutiny and tech disruption.
Key priorities:
- Lead through uncertainty by investing in agile planning tools and resilient forecasting models.
- Shift from steward to strategist by developing business acumen and cross-functional influence.
- Modernise the tech stack to unlock unified data and AI-powered analytics.
- Inspire investor confidence by highlighting finance as a driver of innovation and growth.
- Drive operational resilience through scenario planning and supply chain risk management.
- Automated to elevate the team – focusing time on strategy, not spreadsheets.
Next step: Build a business case for continuous AI investment – grounded in measurable ROI and operational efficiency.
Controller: The guardian of accuracy
Controllers face relentless demands to close faster, maintain precision, and ensure compliance – all while managing data chaos.
Key priorities:
- Accelerate the close with AI-driven workflows and automation.
- Ensure timely, accurate data by collaborating more closely with business units.
- Standardise data inputs to reduce inconsistencies and consolidation errors.
- Strengthen controls through multi-point validation and audit trails.
- Report with confidence using AI to flag anomalies and automate reporting prep.
- Stay ahead of regulations by simulating compliance risks with AI scenario models.
Next step: Delegate with intention. Train your team to trust AI tools, and shift the team’s focus to quality assurance and continuous improvement.
FP&A leader: The architect of insight
FP&A is moving from reactive planning to proactive performance management – with AI as the enabler.
Key priorities:
- Simplify annual planning with repeatable, AI-assisted processes.
- Improve forecasting accuracy with real-time data modelling.
- Eliminate manual drudgery to focus on strategic value creation.
- Ensure trust in data through governance and consistent data pipelines.
- Master scenario planning to steer the organisation through complexity.
- Deepen collaboration with business units to improve data timelines and relevance.
Next step: Become a trusted advisor by translating insights into strategy and aligning forecasts with cross functional goals.
OneStream’s three pillars: built for finance, ready for the future
Modernising finance isn’t just about adding new tools - it’s also about choosing the right foundation. That’s where OneStream comes in. From day one, our platform was designed to help finance teams move faster, work smarter, and stay ready for whatever comes next.
| ONE PLATFORM. ONE TRUTH | BUILT TO EVOLVE | BAKED-IN AI |
| With OneStream, everything lives in one unified platform. This means no stitching together data from different systems. Instead, you get a single source of truth that’s easier to manage, trust and built to scale with you. |
As new challenges pop up (e.g. ESG or new regulations), we build solutions right into the platform, ensuring you’re always ready. | We’ve been building AI into our platform for over a decade. From predictive forecasting to anomaly detection, our AI is purpose-built for finance. It’s smart, explainable and aligned with your values. |
Get ready to lead in the Finance AI era: Register for our upcoming Finance AI webinar or contact us today.
