Designing for Decision: Architecture, AI, and What Matters Now

When finance teams struggle with cash flow, reporting is rarely the real issue. The problem usually sits underneath in how the data is structured, how systems are connected, and how quickly teams can act on what they see.

Jeff Ryan, Senior Director of Growth, ERP at TydeCo™, explains how Sage Intacct supports this kind of practical, day-to-day finance work. He focuses on what matters most, getting the right data in place, using integration to reduce complexity, and making sure automation only happens once the process is solid.

In this interview, Jeff walks through what that looks like in practice. He covers improving collections, using AI tools, tightening intercompany workflows, and preparing for legislative shifts. It is not about features. It is about building systems that actually help teams manage better.

Data Architecture: The Backbone of Financial Clarity

Question: You’ve emphasised that good data architecture underpins cashflow clarity. Practically, what does great data architecture look like inside an ERP like Sage Intacct, and why does it matter?

Jeff Ryan: Data architecture is quite a broad term, but really it’s about having the data available that you need. That’s different for every business. The great thing about Sage Intacct is it allows you to have the data in the format you require. There’s two forms: visibility around predicted income, like the accounts receivable side of things, and making that available in real time makes it easier for the business to see whether they can spend now. Intacct is great for visibility with dashboards and reports that give real-time access to what’s happening in accounts receivable and bank accounts. The direct bank feeds into the system help with cash flow perspective.

You want your accounts payable to be as understood as possible. How many payments are going out at the end of the month? How much is due or overdue? Sage Intacct with real-time dashboards gives you that visibility. Combining all these elements gives a quick look at cash flow and helps manage it. It also frees up opportunities to invest short term and gain interest on the cash flow before paying it out to suppliers or accounts payable. Intacct allows businesses to manage cash flow better with dimensional reporting, statistical accounts, and drive sales strategy to increase cash flow short term. It’s really helpful in managing cash flow based on the data architecture you put together.

“Intacct allows businesses to manage cash flow better with dimensional reporting, statistical accounts, and drive sales strategy to increase cash flow short term.”

Beyond Reporting: Improving Liquidity

Question: Cashflow management typically focuses on reporting and visibility. But beyond these, what do you feel CFOs should focus on practically, right now, to improve liquidity?

Jeff Ryan: Most people focus on cash flow from a reporting perspective, knowing where they are from a cash flow standpoint. Practically, there are many things businesses can do to improve cash flow. The biggest is improving the collection process. With data visibility, knowing where the aging is and which customers are delaying, you can enhance collection efforts. Operational effectiveness involves quick invoicing; if an invoice hasn’t been received by the customer, there’ll be a delay in payment. Automating this process, as offered by Sage Intacct, allows recurring billing to go out automatically. Without manual invoicing, time to collect reduces.

Operational efficiencies improve cash flow by reducing collection time. Automating reconciliation processes also aids payment collection. Small operational changes using system capabilities can make a big difference. I haven’t discussed artificial intelligence and machine learning within these systems, which offer deep insights into background processes, improving daily cash flow management.

“Operational efficiencies improve cash flow by reducing collection time.”

AI and Predictive Analytics: A Game Changer

Question: Sage Intacct has introduced powerful AI and predictive analytics features. How should finance teams practically use these tools to anticipate—and not just react to—cashflow challenges?

Jeff Ryan: From a cash flow perspective, the GL outlier tool is significant. Based on predetermined limits, it highlights suspicious or abnormal transactions. This aids proactive cash flow management, helping avoid post-spending reconciliation. Simple changes like this make a significant difference.

There’s also AI and machine learning within AP automation. Automating AP and using AI to extract supplier invoices reduces manual tasks and errors. These are cash flow-saving activities, freeing finance staff for more valuable tasks. I’m excited about what AI will bring to Intacct going forward, especially around cash flow. Current system improvements already provide major enhancements.

“Automating AP and using AI to extract supplier invoices reduces manual tasks and errors.”

Integration Platforms: Simplifying Complexity

Question: Integration platforms and iPaaS have replaced custom coding for many ERP projects. What should CFOs be looking for in these integration platforms to best protect cashflow and avoid unnecessary complexity?

Jeff Ryan: Upon joining the organization, I shifted focus from custom integration development to using integration platforms as a service (iPaaS). This approach avoids issues of custom development, like responsiveness and maintenance difficulties. With custom development, changes to integrated solutions often require unnotified developments, failing to offer adequate responsiveness or resource availability to manage this.

Using integration platforms delegates these responsibilities to the platform itself, ensuring maintained connections with major systems and updates to APIs. This simplifies integration duties from a CFO perspective, allowing focus on broader integration possibilities, like CRM to financial systems, HR onboarding, or operational systems accessing legacy data.

Even single-use cases, like sales and finance integration, offer massive cost savings. Platforms typically involve low-code solutions, reducing integration steps to mapping data from one system and enhancing scalability as a business grows. Prioritize manageable platforms that scale with minimized maintenance costs. Consider risks of custom development without capable resources or security crucial in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Platforms offering secure data exchange greatly reduce CFO risks compared to custom development.

“Platforms offering secure data exchange greatly reduce CFO risks compared to custom development.”

Building Resilience with Sage Intacct

Question: South African finance teams are dealing with ongoing uncertainty around VAT and tariffs. Practically, how can Sage Intacct help CFOs build financial resilience into their reporting and forecasting?

Jeff Ryan: Sage Intacct’s legal and compliance department focuses on maintaining financial compliance, sending regular updates in response to legislative changes. With cloud-based systems like Intacct, four annual releases incorporate these potential changes. CFOs can manage and forecast efficiently, needing quick data access to understand legislation impacts, like tariff changes.

Sage Intacct uses a financial report designer, emulating Excel’s functionality, but with live data access, which Excel lacks. This facilitates prompt scenario modeling and forecasting without data extraction. Such capabilities allow dynamic, real-time response to unexpected changes, like a back rate shift or legislative uncertainty, leveraging system updates and live data to maintain visibility and manage unexpected scenarios effectively.

“Sage Intacct uses a financial report designer, emulating Excel’s functionality, but with live data access, which Excel lacks.”

Streamlining Intercompany Financial Management

Question: Intercompany cashflows often create friction in multi-entity groups. Can you share a practical approach finance teams should adopt with Sage Intacct to streamline intercompany financial management?

Jeff Ryan: Sage Intacct supports multi-entity management, automatically aggregating group-level reporting data. This includes consolidation models, handling financial accounting tasks like entity elimination and transaction exclusion. Fast money movement between entities based on forecasts is possible, easing intercompany loan and transfer management.

Visibility benefits robust intercompany financial management, utilizing dimension reporting and bank feeds directly linked to Intacct. This allows for quick money transfer to manage group cash flow better, improving business efficiencies.

“Visibility benefits robust intercompany financial management, utilizing dimension reporting and bank feeds directly linked to Intacct.”

The Future of Finance: E-Invoicing and Beyond

Question: Thinking beyond current capabilities, what specific feature or tool would you personally like Sage Intacct to introduce next, to genuinely improve how finance teams manage cashflow complexity?

Jeff Ryan: I’m excited about business potential advancements, particularly the introduction of e-invoicing. Going beyond current capabilities, connecting businesses in the supply chain, linking customers and suppliers seamlessly, automating invoicing, will drastically improve delivery and efficiency.

Global connectivity between businesses will be pivotal, enabling smarter, quicker, easier business operations, significantly enhancing cash flow—especially for small businesses. Automatic payment systems easing payment retrieval from clients will drastically enhance cash flow situations and significantly benefit small businesses. AI advancements will further facilitate cash flow management by streamlining processes and maintaining strict client terms.

“Global connectivity between businesses will be pivotal, enabling smarter, quicker, easier business operations, significantly enhancing cash flow.”

Integration Before Automation: A Strategic Approach

Question: We know integration should precede automation. In practice, what’s one concrete step finance leaders often overlook but should prioritise to make integration genuinely effective?

Jeff Ryan: CFOs typically rush to implement quickly. It’s crucial that automation follows integration of a better business process. The first focus when integrating systems should be: Why integrate these systems? What information syncs between them? Ensuring efficiency within the business process is key before integration. It’s surprising how often processes become redundant upon review.

Incorrect business process integrations can cause sales and finance system discrepancies. Careful business process knitting ensures correct controls and structures—the essential groundwork before integration and subsequent automation. Consider improving controls post-integration: Can external checks enhance accuracy? Integration steps should always precede automation, ensuring enhanced business efficiency.

“Integration steps should always precede automation, ensuring enhanced business efficiency.”