UK CFOs face ‘automation deficit’ amid fragmented systems

Corpay has reported a gap between UK finance leaders' automation ambitions and the practical limits of fragmented finance systems and manual processes.

The company described the gap as an "automation deficit". It linked the issue to disconnected tools, approval delays and limits on real-time oversight of finance operations at a point in the year when CFOs focus on forecasting, cost control and cash flow.

Survey findings

Corpay based its findings on independent research with 150 UK CFOs and senior finance leaders across retail, wholesale and manufacturing. The survey found that 47% of respondents cited integration challenges as the biggest barrier to automation. It found that 41% cited resistance to change. It also found that 37% raised concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy.

The research suggested broad intent to automate, but uneven progress across organisations. Corpay said 99% of organisations surveyed had some level of automation planned. It also said legacy systems, manual processes and siloed workflows continued to slow implementation.

Real-time visibility featured as a central issue in the findings. Corpay said 94% of CFOs surveyed rated real-time oversight of finance and payments as important or very important. It said fragmented systems prevented many finance teams from achieving that oversight in practice.

The company linked the lack of visibility to challenges in day-to-day finance management as firms approach year end. It said the situation increased difficulty in managing forecasting, cost control and cash flow.

Risk factors

Corpay also pointed to operational and fraud risks tied to manual processing and disconnected systems. It cited KPMG research referenced in its report. Corpay said that research found 57% of executives experienced core system flaws every week. It also cited UK Finance data that it said showed 3.31 million fraud cases recorded in the UK in 2024.

The survey identified priority areas for automation in finance functions. Corpay said CFOs highlighted Accounts Payable, expense management, cross border payments and fraud detection among their top priorities. Corpay also said those areas remained exposed to manual work and delayed visibility.

Corpay's Vice President of Products described the operational impact of fragmented systems on finance teams.

"Finance leaders are clear about what they want to achieve, but the day-to-day reality inside many finance teams tells a different story. Fragmented systems slow down approvals, introduce unnecessary risk and make real time visibility difficult to achieve. This is the automation deficit in action. It prevents CFOs from moving at the speed they need, particularly as organisations head toward the end of the financial year when accuracy and control are non-negotiable," said Piero Macari, Vice President of Products, Corpay.

Product response

Corpay positioned its product roadmap around the same themes. Macari linked the company's Corpay Complete product to the gap between automation plans and execution.

"Corpay Complete was designed to close this gap. By unifying payments, Accounts Payable, expenses and supplier management into a connected automation layer, finance teams can replace manual effort with clarity, control and confidence," said Macari.

Corpay said Corpay Complete provides a mobile first platform. It said the product integrates with ERP systems. It said the platform consolidates Accounts Payable, domestic and international payments, expenses and supplier management.

The company said the platform reduces manual workload. It also said it improves visibility across transactions.

Finance stack

Corpay said its report set out a view of what a "modern finance stack" should look like for UK organisations. It said that model connected ERP systems with automation and real-time data. It also referenced continuous governance.

Corpay said the approach improved visibility and reduced operational friction. It also argued that connected systems changed how finance teams spent their time, with more attention on strategic work rather than repetitive tasks.

Corpay said its UK survey responses indicated that integration remained the main obstacle, ahead of organisational resistance and security concerns. It said finance teams continued to balance automation programmes with day-to-day workloads and the need for control across payments and approvals.

Corpay Complete has been launched in the UK. Corpay said it will focus on connecting payments and back office finance workflows in a single product offering.