)
Finance is entering its second great technology shift. Excel moved teams from batch processing to interactive analysis and created FP&A. AI now moves finance from backward-looking reporting to augmented decisioning – where choices are made, not weeks after close.
That shift is now possible. Real‑time data, cloud ERPs, and AI compress month‑end into a continuous close. Variance analysis goes live. Forecasts update as signals change. Accounting and FP&A run as a single, always‑on cycle.
This is the new operating model for finance – forward‑looking by default, embedded where decisions happen, and measured by impact, not report volume.
At Spendesk, agentic AI is unlocking a new category for finance teams.
We call it SP&A (Spend Planning & Analysis): the discipline that turns everyday spend decisions into strategic advantages. A new function of our platform that will help finance teams spend smarter and work better.
The finance team transformation is underway
CFOs across Europe tell me the same story. Their finance teams are drowning in operational work: chasing receipts, closing books, and reconciling transactions. Accounting closes. Then hand it off to FP&A. Who spend a week figuring out what just happened.
It's backwards. It's slow. And CFOs have had enough.
What they want is clear. Teams focused on analysis, not administration. Modelling scenarios. Partnering with the business. Shaping strategy, not just reporting it.
AI is making this shift real. Finance AI adoption jumped from 31% to 56% in one year. That's not gradual change. That's an inflection point.
Most finance workflows are structured, rule-based, and standardised. Perfect terrain for AI automation. The vision finance leaders describe is consistent: a lean operational core orchestrates AI agents and validates exceptions, whilst most resources shift to FP&A and business partnering. Closer to decisions. Closer to growth.
SP&A: Turning spend into a strategic advantage
You know the problem. Standalone FP&A platforms are built for enterprises. Too complex. Too expensive. Too slow. SMBs and mid-market teams are left with spreadsheets and guesswork.
SP&A changes that. It brings sophisticated financial planning to companies that couldn't afford it before, embedded right where spending decisions happen.
The difference is timing. Traditional FP&A tells you what happened weeks after month-end. SP&A tells you what to do next, in real time. When you're evaluating a vendor. Approving a purchase. Negotiating a contract. Right when it matters.
You get AI-powered insights at the point of decision. Not hindsight. Foresight. Continuously, not once a month.
Less time explaining the past. More time shaping the future.
Why Spendesk is driving this category forward
We're not just participating in this transformation. We're leading it. Here's what that means for you.
Get intelligence where decisions happen. Spendesk delivers insights directly in your workflow, right when your team selects vendors and approves purchases. No waiting for reports. No separate logins. Intelligence arrives at the moment you need it – shaping the decision.
Real data, real benchmarks. We process €10 billion in annual spend across thousands of companies. Compare your software costs against real market rates. Benchmark contract terms against actual deals. Even spot vendor issues before signing. Richer data sharpens every decision you make.
Enterprise planning, accessible pricing. We bundle SP&A with Procure-to-Pay. You get sophisticated financial planning capabilities that were previously locked behind six-figure enterprise platforms. No separate tool. No separate budget.
We don’t simply automate tasks. We amplify intelligence. You don't just work faster. You decide smarter, backed by aggregated insights that get better as the network grows.
What SP&A will look like in practice
Here is a sneak peek at what we are building:
Our first AI agents will launch in 2026.
Work Better. Spend Smarter.
Finance is transforming. The old boundaries are dissolving. CFOs are ready. The technology is here. The business won't wait.
SP&A turns this transformation into a competitive advantage. Finance teams stop being operational bottlenecks and become strategic partners. Stop explaining what happened and start designing what's next. Stop working harder and start working better. Stop spending blindly and start spending smarter.
We're defining this category now because we have the data, the positioning, and the vision to do it right. And because the window won't stay open forever.
Work Better. Spend Smarter. This is the future of finance. We're building it with you.
)
)
)
)
)