Undocumented processes
Each person does it their way, so quality depends on who is on shift.
Processes, controls and automation
Business Process Improvement
Software only automates the process you give it. If the process is unclear, undocumented and dependent on individuals, the system simply records the confusion faster. We look at how work actually moves through the business, remove the steps that add nothing, put controls where risk sits, and then automate what is left.
Who this service is for
- Businesses where the founder still approves everything, and growth is blocked by one person's inbox.
- Finance teams spending most of the month on manual reconciliation and data movement.
- Companies with recurring errors — duplicate payments, wrong pricing, missed approvals.
- Organisations preparing for an ERP implementation, where process clarity determines whether the project succeeds.
- Businesses that have grown by adding people rather than improving how work is done.
- Owners who know work is slower and more expensive than it should be but cannot point to where.
The problems this addresses
Approval bottlenecks
Everything routes to one person, so work waits and control becomes a formality of rubber-stamping.
Manual handoffs
Data re-keyed between systems, emails and spreadsheets, with no audit trail.
Weak or absent controls
No segregation of duties, no approval limits, no reconciliation discipline.
Close cycles that take too long
Month-end measured in weeks because the process is sequential and manual.
Automation applied to bad processes
The most expensive mistake available: automating a process that should not exist.
Scope and deliverables
Process work is scoped by process or by function. Typical deliverables below.
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Process review and mapping
Documenting how work currently moves — order to cash, procure to pay, stock, payroll, expense, project billing — with handoffs, delays, rework and decision points identified. Output: as-is process maps with pain points marked and time or cost estimates where measurable.
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Approval and authority framework
Designing who can approve what, at what value, with what evidence, and what happens when they are unavailable. Output: a delegation of authority matrix.
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Internal control design
Controls placed against the actual risks: segregation of duties, matching, reconciliations, access rights, physical controls and system-enforced rules. Output: a control matrix linking each risk to a control, its owner and how it is tested.
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Standard operating procedures
Written procedures for the processes that matter, at a level of detail a new starter can follow. Output: an SOP set, version-controlled and owned.
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Finance process automation
Automating recurring journals, bank matching, invoice capture and coding, approval routing, reminders and reconciliation, using the capabilities of the platform in use. Output: configured automations with exception handling and a monitoring routine.
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Close process redesign
Rebuilding month-end as a parallel, scheduled process with a task list, owners and deadlines. Output: a close calendar and checklist with a target close date.
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Systems and access review
Reviewing user roles, permissions and approval configuration in the accounting or ERP system so that the system enforces the controls rather than relying on discipline. Output: a role and permission design with change recommendations.
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Implementation support
Supporting the change: training, communication, a trial period, measurement of the before and after, and adjustment. Output: an adoption review with measured results.
How the engagement works
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Select the processes
We start with the one or two processes causing the most pain or carrying the most risk, not everything at once.
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Observe and map
We watch the work being done and talk to the people doing it. What management believes happens and what happens are frequently different, and both matter.
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Identify and quantify
Waste, delay, rework, risk and cost are identified and, where possible, quantified so the case for change is clear.
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Design the improved process
With the people who will run it. A process designed without them will not survive contact with reality.
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Document and control
SOPs, approval matrix and control matrix, so the improvement does not decay when attention moves elsewhere.
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Automate
Only now. The remaining process is configured in the system, with exceptions handled rather than ignored.
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Measure and adjust
We measure against the baseline and adjust. If the improvement cannot be measured, it did not happen.
What we need from you
Preparation is where most engagements are won or lost. The more of this you can gather before we start, the faster the work goes and the more accurately we can scope it.
- Management sponsorship, visibly, from the person who owns the process.
- Time from the staff who do the work — including the informal workarounds, which are the most valuable information.
- Access to systems, documents and transaction samples.
- Authority to change approvals and access rights.
- Agreement on what will be measured before and after.
What you can reasonably expect
- Processes that run the same way whoever is doing them.
- Clear approval authority that does not depend on one person being available.
- Controls placed against real risks, tested periodically.
- Shorter, more predictable close cycles.
- Less manual data movement and fewer transcription errors.
- Documented procedures that make hiring and handover easier.
Improvement depends on adoption. We measure the baseline, support the change and review the result, but we cannot promise a specific reduction in cost or time before understanding the process.
What affects fees and timelines
We do not publish a price list. The drivers below vary too much between businesses for a published figure to be honest — and a price quoted before an assessment is usually wrong in one direction or the other.
| Factor | How it affects the engagement |
|---|---|
| Number of processes in scope | We recommend starting with one or two rather than a whole business review. |
| Number of sites and teams | Each location may run the process differently, and all versions must be mapped. |
| System capability | What can be enforced in the system versus what must remain a manual control changes the design and the effort. |
| Change appetite | Where approval authority has to move away from the owner, the change management effort is as significant as the design. |
| Documentation required | A control matrix for a funder or auditor is more formal than an internal SOP set. |
Process engagements are quoted per process or per phase after an initial assessment. Automation configuration may be quoted separately where it involves development work.
Software and industries this service applies to
Platforms we commonly work with for this service
Sectors we apply this service in
Retail & Distribution
Hospitality & Restaurants
Logistics & Business Services
Manufacturing
Professional Services
Frequently asked questions
Do we need new software to improve our processes?
Often not. A surprising amount of improvement comes from removing steps, clarifying approvals and enforcing controls in the system you already have. Where a system change is genuinely needed we will say so, and where it is not we will say that too.
How long does a process review take?
A single process review is typically a matter of weeks including observation, mapping, design and documentation. Whole-business reviews take longer and are usually phased. We scope against the specific processes you select.
Our people will resist change. How do you handle that?
By involving them in the design. The staff doing the work usually know exactly what is wrong; they are rarely asked. We also start small, prove the improvement on one process, and let the result make the case for the next.
What is a delegation of authority matrix?
A document that sets out who may approve what, at what value, with what supporting evidence, and who acts in their absence. It is one of the simplest and most effective controls a growing business can put in place.
Can you document our processes for a funder or auditor?
Yes. Where documentation is required for a specific external party, we scope to their standard and format, and we can support the questions that follow.
How do we stop the processes decaying again?
With ownership, a control matrix that is tested periodically, and system-enforced rules wherever possible. Controls that depend on memory decay; controls that the system enforces do not.
Let’s build a stronger financial foundation for your business.
Tell us what you are dealing with. We will tell you honestly whether we can help, what it would involve and what it would cost.