March 1, 2024
By Elinor Litwack, CPA, Partner, Outsourced Accounting and Advisory Services
Introducing Sage Copilot
One of the highlights of this year’s conference was the unveiling of Sage Copilot, an AI assistant integrated into Sage Intacct, designed to proactively assist users with tasks across the platform. Sage Copilot will allow users to ask questions like, “Who’s timesheet is missing for the last pay period?”, and then Copilot will automatically follow up with them. Or, a manager can ask questions like, “How much do I have left in the program supplies budget for FY24?” In addition to answering day-to-day questions that speed up the accounting cycle, the AI runs behind the scenes to pick up on key insights from the data, flag potential issues, monitor ongoing tasks, and identify other details that require prompt attention. Sage CTO Aaron Harris emphasized that while AI will not replace humans, those who use AI will surpass those who don’t.
Continued Dedication to the Nonprofit Community
Sage Intacct continues to invest in enhancements to the product that allow nonprofit leaders to focus on what matters most. SVP of Finance and Accounting at Operation HOPE, Mike Smith, noted that the automations in their accounting cycle with Sage Intacct allow his organization to drive their mission forward (and they allow him to focus on his most important role as a father to two daughters).
Sage’s 2024 nonprofit industry survey found that 70% of respondents were most interested in the ability to automate financial reporting, followed by the ability to integrate with other systems. With these features in mind, Sage’s roadmap includes enhancements to product features that allow nonprofit finance leaders to shift their focus from tactical to more strategic work.
Supporting Career Development and Worker Retention
Everyone is familiar with the challenges of retaining accounting and finance staff. With today’s workforce, companies across nearly every industry can leverage technology to create a meaningful workplace culture. As highlighted by Forbes, “outside of work, most people have grown used to finding a new home, getting pet care, and organizing travel all with just a swipe on their finger on the touchscreen.” They expect the same level of ease when it comes to the technology they use at work. Sage helps professionals excel their career, working smarter and in a more impactful way.
One session highlighted how today’s technology can be used strategically as a retention tool. The automations supported by Sage Intacct allow accounting and finance professionals to focus on more meaningful work and achieve greater job satisfaction. The tools also make it possible for teams to work seamlessly whether they work from home, in the office, or both.
Managing Grants with Sage Intacct
Practical demonstrations by Sage product specialists illustrated managing grants within Intacct, emphasizing the importance of a single source of truth for grant tracking. The newest release allows grant managers to adjust grant budgets within the grant record and allows for grant tracking and monitoring conveniently within the Sage Intacct ecosystem.
Continued Commitment to the Accounting Community
The event fostered powerful peer-to-peer networking opportunities within the accounting community. The partner track sessions covered topics ranging from cultivating a change-ready culture to the impact of AI on software platforms.
“Building Stronger Partnerships: Adding a Human Touch to Tech” emphasized the indispensable role of human expertise in optimizing technology. I was honored to serve as a presenter for this session where we paused among the sessions about AI and technology to reflect on the human aspect of our work that is critical to building valuable partnerships. Our experience as humans to form connections allows professionals to perfect use of the technology. We bring curiosity, empathy, proactiveness, connectedness, reliability, and communication to our jobs every day. It’s these traits, for example, which make the Sage Intacct dashboard a powerful tool because we influence how it’s built, presented, and analyzed. Attendees were reminded that no matter the level of automation, humans will always be accountable.
Conclusion
Sage Transform always includes fun and interactive ways to pique our interest in technology. This year, Major League Baseball hosted a booth where attendees could throw a pitch and see real-time speed and accuracy statistics on a dashboard. (As predicted, I was not cut out to be a pitcher!)
In conclusion, the 2024 Sage Transform conference offered a comprehensive exploration of AI integration, technological advancements, and the vital human elements essential for success in the evolving landscape of accounting and finance.
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