Manual work is sinking your treasury: How to stay afloat

Picture this: your treasury team spends over 26 hours a week, more than three full working days, on manual tasks like cash position monitoring, reconciliation, and tracking financial events. That’s nearly 1,400 hours a year lost to repetitive, low-value work. And yet, despite all this effort, businesses still struggle to gain full visibility over their cash flow.

Our latest Buried Treasury: Unearthing the Secret to Financial Stability report found that 51% of treasury teams say they can’t focus on business-critical work because they’re bogged down in manual processes. Instead of using treasury as a strategic tool to drive business growth, companies are stuck firefighting. 

Automation could solve most of these problems, but many businesses remain tied to outdated methods. The treasury function is evolving, and those who fail to adapt risk being left behind. 

Why manual treasury work is dragging businesses down

Treasury should be the financial nerve centre of a business, tracking cash flow, managing risk, and helping leaders make informed decisions. But instead, many treasury teams are drowning in admin.

Treasury teams spend an average of 26.4 hours per week on manual work, according to the report. That’s time that could be spent forecasting, scenario planning, or optimising cash reserves, yet instead, it’s wasted on tedious tasks like:

• Checking and updating cash positions across multiple accounts
• Tracking departmental spending, subscriptions and recurring payments
• Manually reconciling transactions and organising financial reports

Beyond being time-consuming, these processes are highly error-prone. Manually inputting data across spreadsheets or disconnected systems increases the risk of mistakes. Mistakes that could lead to cash flow miscalculations or missed payment deadlines. 42% of businesses admit they don’t feel financially agile enough to navigate the uncertainties ahead, and much of that comes down to inefficient treasury practices.

And then there’s visibility — or lack of it. Treasury teams are meant to have a bird’s-eye view of financial health, but according to the report, only 30% of finance leaders feel they have ‘very good’ visibility over their cash flow. That means the majority are making critical financial decisions without access to real-time, accurate data.

Why automation is the life raft for treasury teams

For treasury teams to step up and deliver real value, they need technology that does the heavy lifting. Automation isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about enabling treasury teams to focus on high-impact financial strategy instead of admin.

Here’s how businesses can start making the shift:

Get a single, real-time view of cash flow

A centralised treasury dashboard changes the game. Instead of manually pulling data from multiple sources, treasury teams can have one real-time view of all accounts, transactions and cash flow patterns. This allows finance leaders to make faster, data-driven decisions rather than relying on outdated reports.

70% of finance leaders say a single overview of all accounts, currencies and wallets is essential for complete visibility.

Automate cash flow forecasting and reconciliation

Treasury management systems (TMS) can automate key tasks like forecasting, reconciliation and financial reporting, turning hours of work into minutes. Instead of manually updating cash positions, businesses can set up real-time tracking and alerts that flag potential cash shortfalls before they become a problem.

66% of companies want their excess cash to work harder for them, but without clear forecasting, many businesses don’t even know how much surplus they have.

Eliminate digital overload and streamline treasury tools

Ironically, while businesses have adopted more digital tools than ever, many treasury teams are struggling with too much tech. The report found that treasury teams use an average of four different systems to manage finances, many of which don’t integrate properly.

Nearly 49% of finance leaders say tool fatigue has forced them back to traditional methods like spreadsheets.

It’s all about choosing the right tech. Businesses need to consolidate their treasury systems into a single, integrated platform that brings together cash management, forecasting and reporting into one place.

Automate approvals and financial workflows

Automation can fix bottlenecks caused by slow processes by setting up rule-based workflows that speed up approvals, all while staying in control. Instead of manually reviewing every transaction, finance teams can use pre-set criteria to approve routine transfers automatically.

24% of finance leaders say implementing a treasury suite of digital tools is key to improving control.

How to start automating treasury today

Digital transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but the first step is recognising that manual treasury work is no longer sustainable. Here’s how businesses can get started:

• Audit your treasury processes: Identify the biggest time-wasters in your current setup — where are teams losing the most hours each week?

• Invest in a modern treasury management system: Look for a solution that integrates with your ERP and accounting tools to create a single source of truth for financial data.

• Set up automation rules: Use AI-powered tools to automate cash flow tracking, risk alerts and approvals, so treasury teams can focus on high-value financial strategy.

• Reduce tool clutter: Consolidate your treasury systems to reduce complexity and digital overload; one integrated system is better than four disconnected ones.
  
  
• Train your finance team: Make sure treasury teams are equipped to adopt automation-friendly workflows and move away from manual processes.

The future of treasury is automated

With economic challenges ahead, financial agility is more important than ever. The question isn’t if businesses should automate their treasury, it’s how quickly they can start.

Ready to transform your treasury function? Check out Pleo’s cash management solution and take control of your cash flow today.