For many business owners, finance and administration functions are the silent engine room – vital to smooth operations, but often resource-hungry and time-consuming. The good news is that advances in AI and automation are making it possible to reduce manual effort, cut costs and gain real-time insights that support smarter decisions.
The challenge is knowing where to start. Below are five practical steps you can take to identify and implement AI and automation opportunities in your business.
Map out your repetitive tasks
The best place to start is by examining the activities your team performs daily or weekly. Accounts payable, payroll processing, expense approvals and reconciliations are common culprits. Other time sinks we regularly see in SMEs include manually entering supplier invoices into accounting systems, chasing overdue debtors and re-keying employee expense claims from spreadsheets into payroll.
Today’s automation tools, often powered by AI, can scan and code invoices automatically, generate payment reminders or even predict which debtors are most likely to pay late.
Simply asking staff what tasks they find most repetitive or least valuable will quickly highlight where AI and automation can create an immediate impact.
Plan early and get the right advisors
AI and automation are evolving quickly and with so many specialists’ appearing in the market, it can be hard to separate proven expertise from trial and error. Planning early and choosing the right advisors is just as important as selecting the right tools. Referrals from peers, case studies of work done in businesses like yours and a demonstrated understanding of accounting and compliance processes are good signs you’re speaking to someone credible.
This is new territory for everyone, so working with trusted advisors who bring both technical knowledge and practical business insight will save you from costly mistakes and false starts.
Prioritise by impact, not complexity
Not every AI or automation project will deliver the same value. Focus on the quick wins that deliver real productivity gains with minimal disruption. Examples include switching on automated invoice reminders in Xero, using AI-powered bank feeds for faster reconciliations or linking payroll directly to time-sheeting apps.
These types of projects can often be achieved in a cost-effective manner in days, not months and demonstrate to staff the tangible benefits of AI and automation before you move to larger-scale changes.
Choose tools that grow with you
The marketplace is full of apps, plug-ins and ‘AI solutions,’ but more isn’t always better. Before buying new software, check what’s already available in your existing systems – many cloud platforms now include AI-driven features, such as cashflow forecasting or expense recognition, that businesses simply haven’t activated.
Where you do need additional tools, select ones that integrate seamlessly with your current systems and can scale as your business grows. This avoids the cost and disruption of frequent system changes while ensuring you can take advantage of new AI capabilities as they mature.
Put people at the centre of the process
AI and automation will only deliver productivity gains if your people adopt them. Engage staff early, explain how the technology will reduce low-value tasks and appoint someone to act as a process champion to oversee rollout and training. By framing AI as an enabler, not a replacement, you’ll build support and ensure new systems actually get used.
Where to next?
AI and automation aren’t about replacing people; they’re about allowing them to focus on higher-value activities such as customer relationships, strategy and innovation. They will also assist in managing growth without needing to increase headcount. By mapping tasks, engaging trusted advisors, prioritising quick wins, leveraging existing tools and investing in your people, you can create immediate productivity gains and set the stage for long-term efficiency.
At William Buck, we help SMEs identify and implement AI and automation strategies that deliver practical results. If you’d like to explore where technology could create more time and capacity in your business, your local William Buck advisor can guide you through the first steps.
