What is intelligent automation?

RPA

Intelligent Automation is an advanced technology that uses software robots, or “bots,” not only to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks that are typically performed by humans, but also to learn and make data-driven decisions. These bots can interact with various digital systems and applications much like a human would, yet they work faster and with no errors.

Intelligent automation offers versatile applications across finance and accounting functions, including simple tasks like invoice processing, journal entries, invoice creation, to more advance tasks like financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and ensuring tax compliance. By seamlessly integrating with advanced technologies such as AI, OCR, and ERP systems, smart automation enhances operational efficiency, accuracy, and overall outcomes, driving smarter and more streamlined workflows.

Intelligent Automation offers numerous benefits for businesses by automating repetitive, rule-based tasks. It enhances efficiency by reducing human error, speeding up processes, and ensuring consistent results. RPA can significantly lower operational costs by handling tasks that would otherwise require multiple employees, freeing up staff to focus on more strategic, value-added activities.

Intelligent Automation integrates seamlessly with existing systems without requiring major changes, improving scalability and adaptability across various industries. This results in better productivity, increased accuracy, and a faster return on investment.

Standardize, automate, integrate

Our Automation solutions focus on three key strategies: increasing efficiency, saving time, and enhancing quality.

The best part? It’s non-invasive – it integrates seamlessly with your existing software and workflows, eliminating the need for expensive system changes or lengthy IT projects. This makes implementing automation an easy, low-risk process that delivers value quickly.

Intelligent automation solutions with AI, enabling automation of complex tasks involving unstructured data, natural language processing and more.

How to get started with your first automation?

Start small and simple

Ready to unlock the benefits of automation but not sure where to start? Identify low-risk, repetitive task that everyone agrees is a hassle but easy to standardize—like copying invoice details into a spreadsheet or reconciling a simple ledger entry. This should be a process that’s straightforward and stable. The simpler it is, the easier it’ll be to trust the results.

Evaluate the benefits

Confirm that automating this task will free up valuable time, reduce errors, or speed things up. No need to rebuild or overhaul existing systems. Our solutions work on top of your current software, just as a human would. This ensures you won’t disrupt your proven processes – simply make them faster and more accurate.

Immediate, visible results

When you start small, you’ll see immediate benefits. Watch the automation do the heavy lifting freeing your team from tedious tasks, the near-perfect accuracy, and the improved team morale. These results speak louder than any brochure or presentation ever could.

Build on your success

Once you’ve scored that first win, you’ve got proof that automationworks. Use this success to scale your automation efforts, taking on bigger tasks and more complex processes, gradually transforming how your firm operates.

Empower your team

Your employees remain essential – our bots simply handle the grunt work. By streamlining routine tasks, we let your staff focus on higher-value work, boosting morale and productivity. Take the first step with us and discover just how straightforward and powerful your first automation project can be.

79%

of workers name increased productivity as one of the main benefits of using automation

23 min

it takes on average to refocus on a task after a distraction

91%

of employees admit that automation saves time and improves work-life balance

20 h

of manual work per month? That’s enough — automate it!

Benefits

Intelligent Automation offers numerous benefits for businesses by automating repetitive, rule-based tasks. It enhances efficiency by reducing human error, speeding up processes, and ensuring consistent results. Automation can significantly lower operational costs by handling tasks that would otherwise require multiple employees, freeing up staff to focus on more strategic, value-added activities. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with existing systems without requiring major changes, improving scalability and adaptability across various industries. This results in better productivity, increased accuracy, and a faster return on investment.

Efficiency

Bots work 24/7 without breaks, significantly speeding up processes and increasing overall productivity.

Scalability

Easy scalability for increasing workloads and high flexibility.

Quick ROI

It is non-invasive and can be integrated with existing systems without major changes, allowing for quick returns on investment.

Cost savings

High volume operations can be done cheaper by robots than humans.

Accuracy

Bots eliminate human errors and ensure tasks are completed accurately and consistently. They also maintain detailed logs of their activities.

Support

Relieving employees from simple, rule based tasks.

Potential automation value added areas

Over 80% of companies that already use bots report that automation meets their expectations, and the potential for intelligent automation is still far from fully realized. More than half of companies expect that internal resources for data processing will soon be insufficient.

The key to success lies in thorough process analyses and descriptions that are incorporated into the bot design concepts, known as Solution Design Documents.

Automatic integration of data into spreadsheets
Processing of Excel data
User-friendliness/simplification of the software in use
Integration of checklists
Qualitative validations
Company-wide standardization of the data model
Project management function

Automated Bank Reconciliation

Context

Our Swiss client utilizes a cloud-based accounting platform for their bookkeeping and maintains multiple bank accounts with PostFinance. Accurate and timely recording of bank statements in the accounting system is a critical component of effective cash management. Currently, this process is performed manually: an accounting clerk downloads the bank statement from the e-banking system in CSV or Swiss-standard formats (camt.053/camt.054), uploads it into the cloud accounting tool, and manually assigns the transactions to the appropriate accounts in the general ledger, customer ledger, or AP ledger.

Proposed Solution

To optimize this workflow, we propose the implementation of a intelligent automation solution to fully automate the bank statement integration and reconciliation process. The robot will:

Automatically download bank statements from the e-banking platform and upload them to the cloud accounting system.
Match incoming payments to customer invoices using structured reference numbers. In cases where a reference number is missing, the robot cross-verifies the payer’s name against the customer ledger to determine the correct posting.
Process outgoing payments based on the accounts payable (AP) payment run, assigning them to the corresponding entries in the AP ledger.

Post all remaining transactions appropriately to the general ledger in accordance with the organization’s accounting structure.
Reconcile the closing balance recorded in the accounting system with the bank statement balance.
Upon completion of the reconciliation, the robot generates a verification report highlighting any discrepancies, which are then routed to the accounting team for manual validation.

At month-end, a comprehensive reconciliation report is delivered to the accounting department. This includes monthly bank statements, detailed reconciliation to the general ledger, customer ledger, and AP ledger. All supporting documents are archived in a secure repository for audit and compliance purposes.

Key Benefits

Up to 80% reduction in processing time and a significant decrease in error rates.
Human oversight limited to exceptions – typically fewer than 10% of transactions.
Reconciliation backup and bank statement copies are automatically archived as PDF files for audit readiness and future reference.

Systems Automated

Optimizing Order-to-Cash

Context

Our client distributes a wide range of wood products—including pallets, crates, and building and truss materials—across nearly all states in the U.S. Currently, the invoicing process is manual: invoices are created based on “completed load” reports from the dispatching system (Aljex) and sent to customers via email along with supporting documentation.

This manual workflow is time-intensive and prone to delays and errors. Moreover, data from the dispatching software (Aljex) must be manually reconciled with the accounting system, significantly increasing administrative workload.

Proposed Solution

To streamline operations and reduce manual effort, we implemented an automation solution using n8n, a flexible, cost-effective, and easily deployable automation platform. Key components of the solution include:

Automated Invoice Creation: Invoices are automatically generated in QuickBooks based on data received from Aljex via API integration.
Daily Confirmation Report: A bot generates a daily summary confirming that invoices have been successfully created for all completed loads.
Automated Email Dispatch: Invoices are automatically sent to customers. The system monitors for bounced emails and verifies that all messages have been successfully delivered.
Automated Reconciliation: Dispatch data from Aljex is automatically exported and reconciled with the accounting system to ensure completeness and accuracy.
Exception Reporting: A discrepancy report is produced, identifying any mismatches for further investigation.

Key Benefits

Up to 90% reduction in processing time with a significant drop in errors
Scalable and always-on solution – automation operates 24/7 without the need for manual intervention
Human oversight only where needed – employees focus solely on exceptions, typically less than 10% of the total volume

Systems Automated

Invoicing automation

Initial context

Our client processes between 80 and 100 invoices each month as part of their standard billing operations. The current process involves manually retrieving data from Abacus system (including billable hours, payroll counts, and fixed fees), preparing individual invoices in Excel, posting them into the Sage accounting system, and emailing them to clients. This repetitive and manual process consumes two full working days each month, carries a high risk of human error.

Proposed Solution

To streamline and optimize this process, VirtuDesk proposed the implementation of an attended solution that automates the end-to-end invoice workflow while maintaining human oversight at key control points. The robot will:

Retrieve relevant input data from Abacus and contract files to generate monthly Excel invoices and store them in a shared folder.
Post invoice entries directly into Sage, updating the customer ledger accounts and generating an activity log.
Create a reconciliation report comparing recorded invoices to posted entries, allowing for immediate review and validation.
Generate PDF versions of all invoices and send them to customers via a monitored functional mailbox.
Produce a report showing all sent emails, flagging any delivery issues such as bounced messages.
Provide intelligent insights, including revenue trends and variance analysis across periods, to support financial decision-making.

Key Benefits

The automation reduced manual effort by up to 80%, cutting the invoicing process from two full working days to just a few hours per month. It ensures improved accuracy and consistency, as all key actions are logged and reconciled. Human oversight is focused on reviewing discrepancies and validating outputs, allowing staff to shift attention to more strategic tasks. Additionally, the solution is fully scalable and audit-ready, with all documents and reports archived for compliance and future reference.

Systems Automated