Automating Compliance: A Controller’s Roadmap to Efficiency with AI

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Compliance in spend management is increasingly complex, and manual processes can’t keep up. Automation—especially when AI is involved—lets controllers achieve greater accuracy, speed, and control, reducing risks tied to human error and inefficiencies. Integrating advanced spend management solutions with ERP systems allows finance teams to focus on what actually adds value, rather than repetitive administrative work.

A preview image of an AI-enabled Controller's compliance e-book from Brex, illustrating digital finance automation

Why Automation and AI Matter in Compliance

With ever-evolving regulations, tax laws, and internal policies, controllers and finance leaders face daunting challenges in staying compliant. Relying on manual solutions for expense management, data reconciliation, and regulatory reporting often exposes companies to significant risks, from reporting errors to costly tax violations.

“Companies should be looking for tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, and prone to human error — tasks where there’s great risk and little value being added… the more that check those boxes, the more you’re going to want to figure out how to automate them.”
— Gary Meisner, Principal Value Management Consultant at NetSuite

Automation—especially AI-powered platforms—transforms these pain points into opportunities. Spend management tools can now:

Embed and enforce policy rules at the point of spend, automatically flagging or rejecting out-of-policy expenses.
Digitally capture, read (using OCR), and verify receipts to detect discrepancies or possible fraud.
Set up smart approval workflows that move quickly and minimize bottlenecks via digital notifications and reminders.
Deliver real-time compliance monitoring, alerting the team to anomalous transactions instantly—rather than weeks after the event.
Seamlessly synchronize with ERP systems (like NetSuite) for accurate, timely financial reporting and transparent audit trails.

Examples of How Automation and AI Drive Results

Leading organizations are already seeing clear payoffs. Integrating a spend management platform with an ERP slashes manual reconciliation hours each month, increases reporting accuracy, and reduces the risk of fraud.

“With Brex and NetSuite, we’re easily saving 10 to 15 hours every month on reconciliation. The integration also enables us to control the reporting our way.”
— Katherine Spillane, Controller at Avenue One

AI-enabled platforms act as a virtual assistant for each member of the finance team, amplifying human expertise by handling routine tasks quickly and precisely. Controllers, in turn, can focus on strategic initiatives and business insight—rather than chasing down expense violations or correcting data entry errors.

This next generation of control, thanks to automation and AI, empowers finance teams to: