What Modern CFOs Need from Their Technology
In today’s article, Conor Flanagan, ERP Team Lead at Storm, outlines some of the key features CFO’s need from their finance systems.
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The role of the CFO is evolving far beyond managing corporate finances. Modern CFOs are now expected to understand how to incorporate advanced technology, governance, and cybersecurity into their financial systems and processes – or risk falling behind competitors. To deliver on these expectations, CFOs need modern, adaptable technology at the heart of their financial operations. Below, we’ll explore the key capabilities modern CFOs require from their finance systems, and how D365 Business Central meets these requirements.
Regular Security Updates
Financial data is one of the most sensitive assets in any business. CFOs need peace of mind when it comes to safeguarding company information. D365 Business Central benefits from Microsoft’s enterprise-grade security infrastructure that offers:
Regular, automated security updates to protect against emerging threats.
Built-in compliance with global data protection standards like GDPR, as well as compliance with accounting standards like the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Role-based access controls to ensure sensitive information is only available to the necessary people within the business.
Integration with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) to control user authentication.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure an extra layer of system security.
Audit logs that track user activity and any changes to data within Business Central to help monitor and manage any potential security or compliance issues.
Enhanced security with data encryption.
This means CFOs can focus on strategy without worrying about potential system vulnerabilities or compliance concerns.
AI Capabilities
Storm’s 2025 Modern Workplace Report found that 71% of IT Leaders believe that failing to invest effectively in AI will cost their business market share or competitive advantage. Organisational leaders need to start looking at where AI can deliver real impact, and finance is no exception. AI has the potential to help CFOs enhance accuracy, unlock significant time savings, and surface valuable insights. D365 Business Central supports these objectives by allowing finance teams to harness AI to:
Automate routine tasks like invoice processing and handling sales orders.
Predict cash flow trends and identify potential risks before they escalate.
Use intelligent forecasts for smarter decision-making.
Built-in AI assistant, Copilot, can also help with tasks like bank reconciliation, data analysis, and more to further streamline financial processes. By leveraging AI, CFOs can drive productivity, automate tedious manual processes, and move from reactive to proactive financial leadership.
Advanced Reporting
Informed decisions require real-time, accurate data. D365 Business Central equips CFOs with advanced reporting and analytics, as well as real-time access to performance metrics across departments. Seamless integration with Microsoft’s Power BI provides CFOs with customisable reports and dashboards to visualise financial data and uncover deeper data insights.
As well as streamlining financial reporting, Business Central also helps support sustainability reporting and ensure compliance with ESG legislation such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). With features like the Chart of Sustainability Accounts and Sustainability Journals, CFOs can easily track, manage, and report greenhouse gas emissions according to the three scopes defined by EU standards.
These advanced reporting features empower CFOs to communicate clearly with stakeholders, back strategies with data, and adapt quickly to market shifts.
Integration Across the Business
Effective finance teams don’t operate in isolation, but with a consolidated view of business data. D365 Business Central seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools like Microsoft 365, Teams, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. This connectivity enables CFOs to break down silos between finance, operations, and sales to gain a more holistic view of business data. This allows CFOs to drive collaborative, data-driven decision-making.
Modern CFOs need more than just spreadsheets and static reports. They need technology that delivers enhanced security and compliance, access to advanced technology, real-time reports and data, and seamless integration with other business systems. Dynamics 365 Business Central offers all these capabilities, enabling CFOs to step into their role as strategic leaders and drive long-term business success with a future-proof finance system.
If you would like to learn more about D365 Business Central, get in touch with one of our experts today.
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