AI-Enabled Accounting Solutions
If your team is implementing, evaluating, or already live with an AI-powered close or reconciliation platform — and results are not meeting expectations — we can help.
Schedule an AI Readiness Conversation
The Problem We Solve
Finance teams adopting AI-powered close and reporting tools often struggle not because of the software — but because the accounting foundation underneath it is missing.
THE CORE INSIGHT
The tool does not fix your accounting problems. It inherits them. If your close process is not documented, the platform will automate your workarounds. If your reconciliation standards are inconsistent, the platform will encode that inconsistency. If your accounting policies are not written down, the platform cannot apply them.
The three gaps that cause most AI close implementations to underdeliver:
- Close process not formally documented — the team knows the close but it exists as tribal knowledge, not configuration-ready documentation
- Reconciliation standards are inconsistent or undefined — different preparers use different formats and different definitions of what 'complete' means
- Accounting policies are not written down — when the platform flags a judgment-heavy transaction, there is no policy to apply consistently
What We Do
Pre-Implementation Accounting Readiness
We build the accounting foundation your platform needs before you configure it:
- Close process documentation — task-level close calendar with named owners, deadlines, handoff points, and review checkpoints
- Reconciliation framework design — defined standards for each account type: format, frequency, completeness criteria, review process, and sign-off
- Accounting policy definition — written policies for revenue recognition, accruals, capitalization, leases, intercompany, and other judgment-heavy areas specific to your business model
- Platform configuration review — review of your planned configuration against your actual accounting requirements before go-live
- UAT support — test scripts and validation of accounting outputs, not just system functionality
Post-Implementation Accounting Support
For teams that are already live and seeing underwhelming results, we diagnose the root cause and fix it:
- Foundation gap remediation — rebuild the close process documentation, reconciliation framework, or accounting policies the platform was configured without
- Configuration review — identify where platform workflows, matching rules, or exception thresholds do not reflect your actual accounting requirements
- Policy gap resolution — document the accounting policies the platform is surfacing questions about but cannot resolve
- Ongoing accounting support — regular review of exception patterns, policy updates as new transaction types emerge, and reconciliation framework refinements
Implementation Accounting Workstream Support
For teams mid-implementation who need accounting expertise embedded in the project:
- Accounting requirements documentation for the implementation team
- Chart of accounts and reporting structure review
- Reconciliation template design and account-level standards
- Policy documentation in parallel with platform configuration
- Cutover readiness and Day 1 accounting checklist
Foundation vs. No Foundation — What the Difference Looks Like
The same platform produces very different results depending on whether the accounting foundation is in place:
Platforms We Support
Our work is platform-agnostic. We support finance teams implementing or using any AI-powered close, reconciliation, or reporting platform, including:
- FloQast
- Numeric
- BlackLine
- Workiva
- Sage Intacct
- NetSuite
- Oracle Cloud Financials
- Any other AI-enabled close, reconciliation, or reporting platform
The accounting foundation work is the same regardless of which platform you choose. The platform automates the process — we build the process worth automating.
Who This Is Best For
This service is a strong fit for finance teams that are:
- Evaluating an AI close or reconciliation platform and want to build the foundation before configuration begins
- Mid-implementation and realizing the accounting foundation was not ready — needing to address gaps in parallel with go-live preparation
- Already live with a platform and seeing low matching rates, high false positive exceptions, or a team that works around the tool rather than through it
- Preparing for an audit and need the platform evidence to hold up under scrutiny
- PE-backed or VC-backed and under pressure to modernize the close without creating accounting risk
Industries Served
- SaaS and subscription businesses
- Technology and cloud-enabled businesses
- PE-backed and VC-backed portfolio companies
- Professional services and managed services
- Multi-entity and acquisition-active companies
- Healthcare technology and healthcare services
- Energy services and industrial services
How We Work
Engagements are scoped based on where you are in the implementation cycle and what gaps exist. Most engagements follow this structure:
Step 1
Readiness Assessment — We review your current close process documentation, reconciliation standards, and accounting policies to identify gaps against what your platform needs to be configured effectively.
Step 2
Foundation Build — We document the close process, design the reconciliation framework, and write the accounting policies. Delivered in a format your implementation team can use directly for platform configuration.
Step 3
Configuration Review and UAT — We review the planned configuration against your actual accounting requirements and support UAT to validate that accounting outputs are correct — not just that the system clicked through correctly.
Step 4
Post Go-Live Support — We monitor exception patterns, update policies as new transaction types surface, and refine the reconciliation framework as the team builds rhythm with the platform.
Related Services
- Technical Accounting (US GAAP) — Accounting policy documentation and technical memos for judgment-heavy areas
- Audit Readiness and Close Optimization — Close process redesign and reconciliation standards
- Transaction Accounting and Systems Projects — ERP and systems implementation accounting workstream support
- Fractional Controller Services — Ongoing close leadership for companies scaling finance operations
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does this work apply to any AI close platform?
A: Yes. The accounting foundation work — close process documentation, reconciliation framework design, and accounting policy definition — is the same regardless of which platform you use. We are platform-agnostic.
Q: We are already live. Is it too late to fix the foundation?
A: No. Post-implementation foundation rebuilds are one of the most common engagements we do. The fix is more expensive than doing it before go-live — but it is absolutely fixable. The first step is diagnosing whether you have a foundation gap, a configuration issue, or a policy gap, because each requires a different fix.
Q: How long does a pre-implementation readiness engagement take?
A: Most pre-implementation engagements are completed in three to six weeks, depending on the complexity of the close and the number of policies that need to be documented.
Q: Do you work with the platform vendor or implementation team?
A: Yes. We work alongside your implementation team and can coordinate directly with your platform vendor's configuration team to ensure the accounting requirements are reflected in the platform setup.
Q: Do you only serve Houston companies?
A: No. VAO CPA is based in Houston and serves clients nationwide. Most engagements are completed remotely.
If your team is implementing an AI close platform, already live and underwhelmed, or planning to evaluate one — the accounting foundation is the place to start. VAO CPA can help.