8 Accounting Tasks Accountants Should Automate Before 2027

In manual setups, accounting teams need to spend a significant amount of time on repetitive work. From entering details of invoices to matching payments and checking transactions to categorising expenses, and preparing routine reports may be necessary. In this era, many of these underlying processes can be systematised through accounting automation.

Accounting software can actually cover parts of these processes through automated accounting while accountants continue to review results, handle exceptions, and make decisions that require expert judgement. So, the question is not whether every accounting task should be automated, but which accounting tasks AI can automate. For businesses planning their accounting process automation before 2027, the following eight areas are worth considering.

Which accounting tasks should accountants automate before 2027?

The most basic accounting tasks to automate can be the repetitive tasks and high-volume tasks where information follows defined rules, and the results can be checked easily. To automate accounting tasks, there are eight practical areas:

1. Invoice data entry and processing
2. Bank transaction entry and bank reconciliation
3. Expense capture and categorisation
4. Accounts receivable and payment matching
5. Accounts payable and purchase matching
6. Recurring accounting entries
7. GST reconciliation and data checks
8. Routine financial reporting

Accounting tasks automation does not mean removing human involvement from these processes. In most cases, the software can handle the initial processing while an accountant reviews the result before it is finalised.

How do you decide whether an accounting task should be automated?

Tasks where automation can save time without removing an important layer of professional judgement can be the best fit for accounting workflow automation. Consider these factors before automating a process:

• High volume: Tasks performed hundreds or thousands of times are likely to offer greater time savings.
• Repetitive: If the same steps are followed for most transactions, it may be easier to automate bookkeeping.
• Rules-based: Tasks governed by clearly defined conditions are generally more suitable than those requiring subjective decisions.
• Structured data: Consistent information makes it easier for software to capture, compare, and process records.
• Frequent errors: If manual data entry regularly results in avoidable mistakes, automation may reduce some of that risk.
• Low judgement requirement: Routine processing is a better candidate than tasks that require accounting, tax, or business interpretation.

It is also essential to consider the risks involved. If the task saves time but can create serious consequences when processed incorrectly, it may require stronger controls and more frequent review. The right choice, therefore, is not simply the tasks that take the most time. They are tasks where time savings, repeatability, data quality, and manageable risk come together.

8 Accounting tasks worth automating

Below are tasks that can reduce repetitive manual work, improve consistency, and give accountants more time for higher-value financial activities. 

1. Invoice data entry and processing

Invoice processing means transferring information from documents into accounting records. Automating these tasks means reducing this repetitive data-entry work by capturing relevant details and preparing information for review. Depending on the software, an automated workflow may extract information such as:

• Supplier name
• Invoice number
• Invoice date
• Amount
• Tax details
• Line-item information
• Payment-related information

Instead of manually entering every field, an accountant can review the extracted information and correct anything that does not match the source document. Automation can also help create draft accounting entries from captured invoice information. However, the draft should not automatically be treated as correct simply because the information was extracted successfully. 

The accountant may still need to check the supplier, amounts, tax information, account classification, and supporting documentation. This makes automation invoice processing useful for reducing repetitive entry while retaining a review stage before the transaction becomes part of the final accounting records.

2. Bank transaction entry and reconciliation

Bank reconciliation can be quite time-consuming, especially when the accountants have to compare large numbers of bank transactions with entries in the accounting system. Automation can help by importing or processing bank transaction information and identifying potential matches.

For example, a system may compare a bank transaction with an existing receipt, payment, invoice, or other accounting entry based on available information such as amount, date, description, or reference. Instead of manually checking every transaction, the accountant can focus on:

• Transactions that do not have a potential match
• Differences between amounts
• Duplicate entries
• Unusual transactions
• Items requiring further investigation

This approach changes the nature of reconciliation work. Rather than spending most of the time searching for straightforward matches, the accountant can spend more time reviewing exceptions. The automated match should still be checked according to the business's controls. A similar amount does not necessarily mean that two transactions relate to each other, particularly when several payments or receipts have similar values.

3. Expense capture and categorisation

Recording expenses means collecting receipts, reading relevant information, entering amounts, and assigning transactions to appropriate categories. For businesses that experience frequent expenses, these small tasks can consume a good amount of administrative time.

AI accounting automation can actually cover these tasks by capturing information from receipts or other expense documents and extracting details such as the date, merchant, amount, and applicable information. Some systems may also suggest a category based on previous records or available transaction information.

For example, if a business maintains a specific type of operating expense on a regular basis, the software may recognise similar transactions and suggest the same category. The accountant or authorised user here can simply then review the suggestion before accepting it. This is particularly useful when the business receives expenses through multiple channels. Rather than relying entirely on manual entry, the system can bring information into a consistent workflow.

However, one must not accept categorisation blindly. Expenses that are similar-looking may have a different accounting treatment depending on the circumstances. Automation of bookkeeping is therefore most useful for suggesting and organising expense information, while the appropriate person retains responsibility for reviewing the classification.

4. Accounts receivable and payment matching

Receivables in accounts often require accountants to decide which customer invoices have been paid and which amounts remain outstanding. When the volume of payment increases, matching receipts with invoices manually can become repetitive.

Accounting automation can easily compare incoming payments with outstanding invoices and identify potential matches. Where the information is sufficiently clear, the system may be able to associate a payment with the relevant customer or invoice. This can reduce the time spent checking straightforward payments and updating customer balances. The accountant can then concentrate on exceptions, such as the following:

• Part payments
• Payments covering multiple invoices
• Unidentified receipts
• Amount differences
• Duplicate payments
• Customer accounts requiring clarification

Such accounting automation is useful and valuable, as it does not replace the entire accounts receivable process. It can simply handle the predictable matching work and leave the less straightforward cases for human review. The result is a more focused workflow in which accountants spend less time identifying obvious matches and more time resolving transactions that genuinely require attention.

5. Accounts payable and purchase matching

Payables in accounts record supplier invoices, track amounts due, check supporting information, and monitor outstanding payments. Several parts of this process can involve repetitive comparisons. Automation can capture supplier invoice information and compare it with available purchase or accounting records. 

Where the relevant information exists, the system may help identify whether the invoice corresponds with an existing transaction or purchase record. It can also help bring outstanding supplier amounts into view, making it easier to identify invoices that are pending, due, or potentially unmatched. Accountants can focus their attention on exceptions such as:

• Differences between invoice and purchase information
• Missing supporting records
• Duplicate supplier invoices
• Unusual amounts
• Invoices requiring approval
• Supplier information that needs verification

This actually reduces the manual effort of checking every straightforward invoice while preserving human involvement where something does not match. The approval process should also remain appropriately controlled. Automation can identify and organise information, but an invoice should not necessarily be approved simply because the system has successfully matched its details.

6. Recurring accounting entries

Some of the entries in the accounting process actually follow an established pattern and occur regularly. When the amount, timing, and accounting treatment are predictable, these transactions can be suitable for automation. Recurring entries can reduce the need to recreate the same accounting information manually each time. Instead, the software can generate or prepare the entry according to the defined schedule or rules.

For regular transactions, this can be useful, such as certain recurring expenses or other routine accounting adjustments, depending on the business and accounting requirements. However, recurring does not automatically mean permanent. 

With changing circumstances, it may happen that an entry that was appropriate previously may no longer be correct. The accountant should therefore review automated recurring entries periodically rather than assuming that an established rule will remain suitable indefinitely. A useful approach is to automate the repetitive mechanics while retaining controls around the setup, review, and continuation of the recurring entry.

7. GST data checks and reconciliation

GST reconciliation and related accounting work often involve information that needs to be checked across different records. Automation can help accountants compare relevant data and identify discrepancies that require investigation.

For instance, automated checks may help identify differences between recorded transactions and relevant GST-related information, missing entries, mismatched values, or records that require further review. Instead of manually comparing every record, accountants can use automation to highlight potential discrepancies and concentrate on resolving them. Useful areas for automation can include:

• Comparing relevant transaction records
• Identifying mismatched amounts
• Flagging missing or inconsistent information
• Checking records across accounting periods
• Preparing information for reconciliation
• Highlighting transactions requiring further review

The important point of differentiation is that GST data checking and reconciliation can be assisted by automation, but tax interpretation should not simply be handed over to software. Whether a particular transaction receives a specific tax treatment can depend on its circumstances and applicable rules. 

An accountant or appropriate tax professional may therefore need to review the underlying information and determine the correct treatment. Automation should make the checking process more efficient, not remove the professional judgement required for tax-related decisions.

8. Routine financial reporting

Preparing routine financial reports means collecting information repeatedly from accounting records, applying reporting periods, and presenting the resulting figures. Once the underlying transactions have been recorded correctly, much of this process can be system-driven.

Automated accounting processes can easily generate or update standard reports using the information already available in the system. Depending on the business, these may include:

• Sales reports
• Expense reports
• Receivables reports
• Payables reports
• Profit and loss reports
• Cash-flow-related reports
• Inventory reports

Thus, automation can reduce the time spent compiling routine reports manually. However, generating a report and interpreting it are different activities. An automated report can show that expenses increased, receivables changed, or revenue declined, but understanding why those changes occurred may require additional investigation.

Accountants still play an important role in reviewing the accuracy of the underlying records, understanding significant changes, and explaining what the reported figures mean for the business. Read some more of the top accounting tasks that AI can automate in 2027 to get a better idea of the process. 

Which accounting tasks should NOT be fully automated?

Not every accounting activity should be handed over to automation. Tasks involving professional judgement, unusual circumstances, interpretation, or significant financial consequences generally require human involvement. Some areas that should retain appropriate human oversight include:

• Judgement Calls 

Transactions that require an assessment of circumstances rather than a straightforward rule.

• Unusual Transactions 

Entries that do not follow the business's normal accounting pattern.

• Tax Interpretation 

Determining the appropriate treatment when the answer depends on specific circumstances or applicable tax rules.

• Exceptions

Transactions that the automated system cannot confidently match, classify, or process.

• Final Approvals 

Decisions that authorise payments, adjustments, filings, or other financially significant actions.

This does not mean these areas cannot benefit from technology. Software can collect information, highlight potential issues, or prepare information for review. The distinction is that assistance is different from fully automated decision-making.

Keeping a human review point also creates an opportunity to catch incorrect data, unusual circumstances, or changes in business conditions that a predefined workflow may not recognise.

How should accountants prioritise automation?

Accountants do not need to automate everything at once. A simple way to prioritise potential automation is to consider impact, repeatability, and risk together.

Start with tasks that are performed frequently, follow consistent steps, and have a manageable level of risk. For example, repeatedly matching straightforward transactions may be a better starting point than automating a complex process that requires significant accounting judgement. It is also important to consider the quality of the underlying data. 

Automation cannot reliably produce good results from incomplete, inconsistent, or poorly maintained records. Before implementing automation, define who reviews the output, how exceptions are handled, and what happens when the system cannot confidently complete the task. These controls are just as important as the automation itself.

What does the accountant's role look like after automation?

Automation changes the type of work accountants spend time on, rather than making their role unnecessary. When repetitive processing is reduced, more time can be directed towards reviewing information, investigating exceptions, and helping the business understand its financial position. An accountant's responsibilities may increasingly include:

• Reviewing automated entries and matches
• Investigating exceptions and unusual transactions
• Checking the quality of accounting data
• Interpreting financial reports
• Analysing business performance
• Supporting budgeting and planning
• Advising business owners and management
• Reviewing whether automated rules remain appropriate

This shift can make accounting work more analytical. Instead of spending a large portion of the day entering and matching routine information, accountants can spend more time understanding what the records reveal and where the business may need attention.

The most useful approach is not to view automation as a replacement for accounting expertise. It is a way to reduce repetitive work while allowing professional judgement to remain where it adds the most value.