Delivering Value In Finance And Accounting Outsourcing

Keywords: finance, accounting, outsourcing, contract terms

Introduction

Finance and accounting ("F&A") functions were among the first business processes to be outsourced, and F&A remains one of the most robust outsourcing areas for business today. The most commonly outsourced F&A functions have included the order-to-cash, procure-to-pay and order-to-report cycles, payroll and travel and expense ("T&E") processing, and similarly transactional functions. However there is momentum to outsource more strategic activities, such as budgeting, internal auditing and strategic sourcing. Across this spectrum, customers can use contractual mechanisms to help secure commitments to deliver the anticipated value from the outsourcing project. This article will share some key insights and lessons that we have learned from handling dozens of F&A deals, including some of the largest ever attempted.