Building the Ultimate CFO Tech Stack: 16 Software Tools To Consider

When American Express surveyed CFOs in 2024, 75% said digital transformation was gaining momentum and becoming more strategically important to them.  

If you’re a CFO, that’s probably not surprising. Over the past five years, finance-enabling technology has moved from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘gotta get.’ It’s clear CFOs are looking for ways to stay agile to market volatility and maintain their business growth goals.  

“Sometimes CFOs in the past would look at their tech stack and say, ‘Well, I have all these other strategies that I'm trying to implement. I need to focus our money on those strategies,’” Stacy Brown, VP of FP&A Solutions and Close Management at Marcum Technology, shared in our episode, Navigating the Digital Transformation Journey.  

“I think in the last five years, we've had to forecast and reforecast because of the economy. And so, they've had to take a step back and say, ‘Okay, what do my analysts need to be able to get me those results more quickly?’” 

And what those finance leaders have realized they need is an integrated CFO toolset. One that may include financial planning and forecasting tools, accounting software and ERP solutions, as well as platforms for payroll and HR management, expense tracking and travel management, collaboration and compliance monitoring.  

Every business has different needs, so there’s no exact right software stack for all of us. But integration, scalability and automation are all key components to finding the right finance tech stack. 

So how do you choose the best finance tech stack for your team? Let’s look at some of the solutions in a modern CFO’s technology arsenal, what to look for and some top software platforms available today. 

Best CFO Software Stack: Quick Overview 

All-in-One CPM Platforms 

1. Vena  

2. Anaplan  

3. Planful  

ERP Systems  

4. Sage Intacct  

5. AccountMate  

6. Acumatica Cloud ERP  

Accounting Platforms 

7. Xero  

8. QuickBooks  

Payroll & Human Resource Platforms  

9. ADP Workforce Now  

10. Workday 

Travel & Expense Management Tools  

11. Expensify  

12. Zoho Expense  

Project Management and Collaboration Tools  

13. Microsoft Planner  

14. Asana  

Security and Compliance Tools  

15. Workiva  

16. MetricStream  

What To Consider When Building Out Your CFO Software Stack  

The best CFO software can streamline the processes you rely on, automate routine tasks and help your teams do more with less. But to fully experience all of the benefits technology offers, you need the right software stack for your unique needs.  

To get that right, Stacy told The CFO Show, there are a few things to consider: 

Budget and Scalability 

While budget is obviously critical in any technology investment, you don’t want to short-change your future self either, by choosing tools that won’t be able to keep up with your company’s growth trajectory. When you do that, you’ll find yourself having to add to or replace the solutions you choose or compensate in other ways. Instead, opt for a solution set that can scale with your business—something that will help you save money in the long run. 

Also consider how solutions overlap in their offerings—if you choose something more comprehensive for financial planning, for instance, you may not need something separate for operational planning. “Maybe you don't need as many softwares in this tech stack as you think you do,” Stacy points out. 

Integrations 

To save the time you’d traditionally spend on manual data entry and other routine tasks, and to fully maximize efficiency, it’s critical that your solutions can “talk” to each other, sharing data and working together to get the job done. And this is applicable not just to tools your immediate team uses, but to the other technologies used within the business that your finance tools may need to pull data from or work with.  

This makes integrations a key lens for making decisions when evaluating software tools. “You want these systems working together, not against each other,” Stacy points out.  

Industry-Specific Needs 

Every industry has its own unique needs—and those needs will affect what you require in your financial software. With that in mind, consider what sets your industry apart and look for solutions that cater to those requirements. 

For instance, says Stacy: “A startup may need something that's super flexible because every week's different. But potentially a nonprofit may not need that level of flexibility because there's not much change in their business.” 

Ease of Use and Adoption 

“I always tell clients, when they're implementing a tool, don’t boil the ocean,” Stacy points out. “That overwhelms everybody.” In other words, you aren’t going to get as much out of your platforms if you overwhelm users by attempting to do too much too quickly. Choosing solutions that have all the bells and whistles is all well and good, but at the end of the day your success hinges on your team’s ability to actually integrate the tools into the jobs they do every day. 

After all, if your team refuses to use a tool—or if it’s too complicated or difficult for them to learn—they’ll resist making it part of their routine. Rather, to ensure seamless adoption, look for platforms that are easy and intuitive to use for everyone—from finance users to the team members from other departments you collaborate with. 

With that in mind, let’s look at the different software solutions to consider as you build your CFO tech stack—and the pros and cons of some of the top platforms available today. 

All-in-One CPM Platforms for the Office of the CFO  

Corporate performance management (CPM) software allows CFOs to analyze and manage performance and build out a single source of truth when it comes to financial and operational data. 

In doing so, CPM software empowers the methodologies, metrics, processes and systems that make up corporate performance management, automating reporting and analysis, optimizing performance and ensuring accuracy and consistency.  

1. Vena  

Featuring deep integrations with Microsoft 365—including Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, Power Automate, Azure AI Services and Power BI—Vena enables budgeting, planning, forecasting, financial consolidation and reporting. Its centralized database gives CFOs a single source of truth, while two AI tools—Vena Copilot and Vena Insights—provide AI assistance to enhance productivity, improve decision making and help get deeper insights.  

In BARC’s 2025 Planning Survey—based on the world’s largest survey of planning software—Vena was ranked number one for price to value, customer satisfaction, project success and implementer support. G2 reviewers give it a 9.0/10 for CPM. 

Pros  

• The native-Excel interface makes it easy and intuitive for finance professionals to use 

• Strong collaboration tools make it easy for cross-functional teams to coordinate  

• It’s easy to integrate with other systems  

Cons  

• There can be a learning curve during the initial setup  

• Large datasets have lower load times 

• It requires a structured implementation plan 

Best For 

FP&A teams looking for an Excel-based solution with expanded CPM functionality.  

2. Anaplan  

An enterprise-level business FP&A platform, Anaplan covers use cases across the business, from sales and marketing planning to workforce management. For CFOs, it has the power to connect data sources across the organization and streamline financial planning. Its Hyperblock technology offers real-time performance tracking. 

In BARC’s Planning Survey, however, Anaplan ranked at the back of the pack for customer satisfaction and project success. G2 reviewers give it an 8.3/10 for CPM.    

Pros  

• The platform is flexible across multiple use cases  

• Self-service options are available that empower users  

• It features granular access controls for team collaboration    

Cons  

• Performance can be sluggish when dealing with large datasets  

• Integrations are limited unless you purchase an add-on  

• Costs are higher than those of many competitors  

Best For  

Large organizations that require enterprise-level forecasting and access control.  

3. Planful  

Planful’s financial performance management platform specializes in automating FP&A processes, including planning, budgeting and forecasting. The drag-and-drop, low-code solution makes financial and operational data available in real time, while the AI-powered Planful Predict finds patterns in the data, automating forecasting and helping to reduce errors. 

G2 reviewers give Planful a 7.9/10 for CPM.  

Pros  

• The platform is easy to use and to navigate  

• It can handle large datasets 

• Users have access to customizable reports and templates  

Cons 

• Implementation can be complex  

• Some users report ERP integration challenges 

• It uses a fragmented database for planning and reporting 

Best For 

FP&A teams that need a scalable planning tool that handles large datasets.  

ERP Systems 

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is a key component of any CFO’s tech stack, helping you manage your core business processes, including financials, reporting and compliance. It centralizes critical processes for better visibility into your whole department, helps align teams and adds automation to create efficiencies that free your department up to focus on more strategic work.  

4. Sage Intacct  

A cloud-based ERP, Sage Intacct offers real-time financial insights. It features tools for accounts payable and receivable, as well as budgeting, financial reporting and general ledger solutions. Sage Intacct features pre-built dashboards for analytics and real-time access to financial data, with automated invoicing and transactions, advanced budgeting tools and multi-entity financial consolidation. It also integrates well with other financial applications.

G2 reviewers give Sage Intacct a 7.1/10 for ERP systems.    

Pros  

• It offers real-time data access for better cash flow management  

• Its automates workflows to reduce manual errors 

• It scales well with growing business needs  

Cons  

• It’s only available in a cloud-based format, which may require IT adjustments  

• It has limited industry-specific features  

• Subscription costs may be high for smaller businesses    

Best For  

Mid-sized businesses that need a scalable cloud-based ERP.  

5. AccountMate 

AccountMate is an ERP and business management software with cloud and on-premise offerings available. Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, it’s cost-effective, with an intuitive interface and user-friendly accounting features. It simplifies navigation and data entry and automates accounting workflows—offering detailed reporting and analytics as well as customizable workflows and permissions. An optional inventory management module is also available. 

Capterra reviewers give AccountMate an average overall rating of 4.3/5   

Pros  

• The platform is easy to learn and navigate  

• It automates routine finance tasks 

• Drill-down financial reports provide deeper insights 

Cons  

• Add-ons are needed to access some features  

• There’s limited scalability for larger enterprises  

• Industry-specific customizations may be needed  

Best For  

Small to medium-sized businesses looking for an affordable and easy-to-use ERP.    

6. Acumatica Cloud ERP  

Offering cloud-based and on-premise ERP functionality, Acumatica Cloud ERP is ideal for mid-sized businesses. It offers CRM, sales and marketing integrations and collaboration features that make it easy to share data and orchestrate work across teams. The platform also provides multi-currency support for international businesses, as well as automated billing, real-time reporting and highly customizable workflows. It’s scalable and integrates well with other applications—from DocuSign to Power BI. 

G2 reviewers give Acumatica an 8.3/10 for ERP systems.   

Pros  

• The platform is cost efficient, letting you pay for what you need 

• It offers smooth integrations with existing tools  

• Highly scalable as your business grows  

Cons  

• The more complex features require training  

• The initial costs are higher compared to more basic ERPs  

• There’s less of an industry-specific focus  

Best For 

Growing mid-sized businesses needing a scalable ERP.  

Accounting Platforms  

Accounting software helps your finance teams manage the critical function of recording the business’s financial transactions such as accounts payables and receivables, revenue and assets.   

It adds efficiencies to their day-to-day processes through automation, improved accuracy and compliance—all while providing a clearer view of your accounting data. 

7. Xero  

A cloud-based accounting platform, Xero is designed for small to medium-sized businesses as well as accountants and bookkeepers, and is ideal for businesses with multiple users and those that need collaborative financial tools. The platform helps you manage your finances in real time, with automated bank reconciliation, professional invoicing and comprehensive financial reporting. Xero also supports multi-currencies and online pay runs, helping you stay on top of paying bills and payrolls.   

Capterra reviewers give Xero an overall score of 4.4/5.  

Pros  

• The interface is user friendly  

• The platform offers unlimited user access  

• The mobile app has extensive functionality  

Cons  

• There’s limited scalability for large businesses  

• The more advanced features are only available in higher-tier price plans  

• There have been occasional bank feed syncing issues  

Best For 

Growing businesses looking for efficient and accessible accounting features in a scalable solution—especially businesses across industries like retail, e-commerce and professional services, as well consulting firms and small manufacturing businesses.    

8. QuickBooks  

Intuit’s popular cloud-based accounting software, QuickBooks, is ideal for small- to medium-sized businesses, as well as accountants and financial services professionals. It gives companies robust reporting tools, with real-time financial management, automated bank reconciliation, invoicing, expense tracking and inventory management tools. In addition to financial insights and reporting, QuickBooks also offers bank-feed connections, multi-currency support and receipt capture and organization. 

G2 reviewers give QuickBooks a 7.9/10 for its accounting functionality. 

Pros  

• Features a user-friendly interface with a customizable dashboard  

• Offers extensive integrations with third-party apps  

• Has a mobile app with strong functionality  

Cons  

• More advanced features are only available in higher-tier price plans  

• There can be a learning curve for new users  

• It can be expensive for small businesses    

Best For 

Businesses looking for a comprehensive solution with strong reporting functionality—especially those in retail, e-commerce and professional services, as well as consulting firms and small manufacturing businesses. 

Payroll and Human Resource Platforms  

Payroll and human resource platforms—aka, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)—help CFOs keep track of payroll and benefits, while automating many of the workflows required to successfully manage your people. These platforms offer you key data on employee costs and performance that let you better manage labor expenses and plan future workforce budgets. 

9. ADP Workforce Now  

A comprehensive all-in-one HR solution, ADP Workforce Now is a human capital management (HCM) solution that helps manage payroll, HR and benefits for mid-sized to large businesses. Ideal for businesses with more complex HR or compliance needs, it features integrated payroll processing, HR management and compliance tracking, benefits administration and time and attendance tracking, as well as talent management tools and reporting and analysis. 

Capterra reviewers give ADP Workforce Now an average overall rating of 4.4/5.   

Pros  

• There are strong reporting and compliance capabilities 

• It offers a user-friendly interface with mobile accessibility  

• There are automated workflows for HR processes 

Cons  

• It can be costly for smaller businesses  

• Users have reported occasional customer support challenges  

• There can be a steeper learning curve for the more advanced features  

Best For 

Mid-sized to large businesses—especially those in retail, professional services, manufacturing, healthcare and hospitality—looking for a comprehensive, scalable HCM platform with strong compliance features.  

10. Workday  

Featuring AI-driven engagement tools and workforce planning capabilities, Workday is a cloud-based platform that unifies HR and finance. The enterprise software solution offers comprehensive human capital management (HCM) and financial management functionality, including real-time analytics and reporting, payroll and time tracking, talent management and benefits administration.  

 G2 reviewers give Workday an average overall score of 4.1/5.  

Pros 

• It has a user-friendly interface with an intuitive design  

• It offers strong analytics and workforce planning tools  

• There are regular updates, with new innovations being added to the platform 

Cons  

• There are limited customization options  

• It can be expensive for smaller businesses  

• There can be integration challenges with some third-party systems  

Best For 

Medium to large businesses with complex HR and financial needs, looking for a unified HCM and finance solution—including businesses in financial services, healthcare and life sciences, higher education, manufacturing, retail and hospitality. 

Travel and Expense Management Tools 

Travel and expense management tools empower CFOs as they manage employee expense spending—letting you better monitor and control spending on travel, company credit cards and other expenses. This lets you ensure employees are spending according to company policies, optimize costs and ensure nobody’s committing fraud—all while allowing you to make reimbursements quickly and effectively.   

11. Expensify  

Expensify is a cloud-based travel and expense management solution for individuals and businesses of all sizes. It helps automate expense report creation, scanning receipts and extracting data, tracking mileage and automatically generating expense reports. It has policy enforcement and compliance tools, a travel booking platform and real-time expense tracking and analytics, with multi-level approval workflows and corporate card management. 

G2 reviewers give Expensify an 8.9/10 for expense management.   

Pros 

• Has user-friendly mobile and web applications  

• Offers integrations with accounting software  

• Is customizable to different expense policies  

Cons  

• The costs are higher if you want the more advanced features  

• The customization options are limited for larger enterprises  

• Some users have occasional syncing issues 

12. Zoho Expense  

Designed for businesses of all sizes, Zoho Expense’s cloud-based travel and expense management solution adds efficiencies to travel booking and expense reporting by automating the creation of expense reports and the booking and managing of travel. It has policy enforcement and compliance tools as well as real-time expense tracking and analytics, with corporate card management, multi-level approvals, mileage tracking and SmartScan technology for receipt processing.    

 G2 reviewers give Zoho Expense an 8.2/10 for expense management.  

Pros 

• The platform offers user-friendly mobile and web applications  

• It’s easy to integrate with other Zoho products and third-party apps  

• It offers multi-currency and multi-language support  

 Cons  

• There are only limited features in the free plan, with many advanced features only available in the higher-tier plans  

• There can be a learning curve for the more complex functionalities  

• Occasional syncing issues have been reported by some users  

Best For 

Small and large businesses looking for a flexible, scalable solution, including multinational corporations, companies with multiple locations and organizations looking for strong integration capabilities and customizable options. 

Project Management and Collaboration Tools 

CFOs today spin many plates, often working across their teams and with other departments to gather insights, build out business goals, plan for the future and stay on top of current financials.  

Collaboration tools help them ensure nothing gets dropped along the way, so that everybody knows exactly what’s expected of them, processes are automated and streamlined where possible, and information is shared with everyone that needs it.   

13. Microsoft Planner  

Microsoft’s collaboration tool, Microsoft Planner, is a cloud-based task and project management solution that is part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It helps both project managers and teams manage ongoing projects, unifying task management across Microsoft 365 apps. 

It features Kanban board-style task organization, integration with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint as well as various project views—including Lists, Grids and Timelines. Users can track progress, attach and share files, take part in team chats and collaboration and—as a premium feature—take advantage of AI-assisted planning with Copilot.  

G2 reviewers give Microsoft Planner an 8/10 for task management.   

Pros 

• Has a user-friendly interface with an intuitive design, as well as a mobile app   

• Offers seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 apps  

• Features real-time collaboration and task assignment, with customizable templates for various project types  

Cons  

• The more advanced features require a premium subscription  

• The features are limited compared to other project management tools  

• There can be a learning curve for complex functionalities  

Best For 

Small to medium-sized businesses, as well as teams within larger businesses that are already using Microsoft 365 and need a straightforward collaboration tool that integrates well with other Microsoft solutions. 

14. Asana  

Asana’s work management and collaboration platform works well for teams of all sizes, offering task and project management tools with multiple project views available—including Lists, Boards, Timelines and Calendars. In addition to integrations with over 200 tools, it has embedded AI functionality to help automate and manage workflows and offer insights. There are team collaboration and communication tools, task creation and assignment functionality, project templates and custom workflows. You can track and report on progress in real time, manage goals and portfolios, track time and manage workloads. 

G2 reviewers give Asana an 8.9/10 for task management and an 8.6/10 for project management.   

Pros 

• Has a user-friendly interface with an intuitive design  

• There are versatile project views and customization options  

• There are robust integration capabilities  

Cons  

• Some users report occasional performance issues  

• More advanced features require higher-tier plans and may come with a learning curve  

• The platform can become cluttered in the case of large-scale use  

Best For 

Businesses of all sizes across industries, including teams looking for flexible, user-friendly project management tools and those wanting to improve collaboration and productivity.  

Security and Compliance Tools  

CFOs and finance departments in general are the ultimate data stewards. It’s Finance’s role to keep up with reporting standards, maintain data readiness and ensure everything stays compliant—all so that your business’s financial and operational data remains secure and ready to operationalize. 

15. Workiva  

A cloud-based platform for enterprise-level integrated reporting, compliance and data management, Workiva unifies financial, ESG, audit and risk reporting, integrating with multiple data sources and systems and offering strong security and compliance features. It provides real-time collaboration and data linking, automation and workflow management, with key features that include SOX compliance management, ESG reporting tools, financial reporting and SEC filing tools, audit and risk management.  

 G2 reviewers give Workiva an 8.6/10 for enterprise risk management. 

Pros 

• Has comprehensive security measures and compliance certifications  

• Features a user-friendly interface with real-time collaboration and robust data management 

• Has customizable workflows and automation features, with strong integrations  

Cons  

• The platform can be complex for smaller organizations, with a learning curve for more advanced features  

• The pricing may be higher compared to other, (however less feature-rich) solutions  

• Some users report occasional performance issues with large datasets  

Best For 

Medium to large businesses looking for a comprehensive, secure platform with strong collaboration features, including companies with strict compliance requirements and public companies with complex reporting needs.  

16. MetricStream  

MetricStream is a cloud-based integrated risk management platform offering governance and compliance solutions for businesses of all sizes. It centralizes risk, compliance and audit management, offering real-time analytics and reporting, workflow automation and customization, and integration with multiple data sources and systems—with strong security and compliance features. 

The platform empowers compliance management and automation, audit management and planning, cybersecurity risk management, vendor risk management and policy and procedure management. 

Capterra reviewers give MetricStream an average overall rating of 4/5.  

Pros 

• Has a user-friendly interface with customizable dashboards, as well as a mobile app  

• Offers robust data management and linking capabilities  

• Has strong integrations with other business systems  

Cons 

• It may be overly complex for smaller organizations, and more expensive than less feature-rich platforms 

• There can be a learning curve for the more advanced features 

• Large datasets can cause occasional performance issues, according to some users 

Best For  

Medium to large businesses looking for a platform with strong collaboration features and advanced analytics. 

Start Building Your CFO Tech Stack Today  

The best CFO software stack will optimize financial management, ensure compliance and empower better decision making. But building it out can also be intimidating—especially for finance professionals, who are more used to handling numbers than technology specs. So where do you start? 

“I tell clients what they should focus on are the things that take them the most time,” Stacy says. “If something is taking you a week to do, a couple days to do, those are things we need to create efficiencies for and decrease the amount of time that it takes for them.” 

From there, it’s about continuing to invest in the functionality that will continue to empower your finance and business goals—to streamline your processes and enable long-term success.