From ERP Export to Monthly Report: Automating the Chain for SMEs

In many Swiss finance departments, the month-end closing follows a set ritual. It starts with exporting raw data from the ERP system, followed by manual processing in Excel. The final result is the monthly report for the management or the board of directors. This routine is often marked by tight deadlines and repetitive work. For controllers and CFOs, the question is how to automate monthly reporting from ERP export, a challenge particularly relevant for an SME. This recurring task is not only time-consuming but also a source of errors that can undermine confidence in the numbers.

The Manual Chain in Financial Closing

The path from raw data export to a meaningful report is a chain of manual steps. Data is exported from the ERP system — be it SAP, Abacus, bexio or another system — usually as a CSV or Excel file. This file is opened, and the work begins. Data is copied from one worksheet to another. It is enriched with formulas like VLOOKUP or SUMIF, summarised in pivot tables, and finally transferred to the final report structure. Manual adjustments and correcting entries, which exist only in the Excel file, are often added. Each of these steps is a potential source of error.

Manual data transfer is statistically prone to errors. Even in simple processes, the average error rate is around 1% per manual entry (Beamex 2021). In a month-end closing with thousands of cells and dozens of processing steps, this means that errors are virtually impossible to rule out. A single incorrect value, a wrongly copied formula, or an overlooked sign can call the validity of an entire report into question. The subsequent troubleshooting costs additional time and energy. Added to this is the risk of version conflicts when multiple people work on files like 'Reporting_final_v2_corr_JB.xlsx'.

Why Digitalisation in SMEs Often Stops at the ERP

Many Swiss SMEs have invested in modern ERP systems in recent years. These systems are the backbone of financial accounting and reliably map business transactions. Digitalisation appears to be on the right track here. However, the standard reports these systems provide often do not meet the specific requirements of controlling or management. What is missing are customised views, the consolidation of multiple companies according to a specific logic, or a direct comparison of actual figures with a detailed budget maintained outside the ERP.

This gap is currently closed by a manual layer in Excel. This is where the actual refinement of the raw data takes place. This situation partly explains why the adoption of digital technologies in SMEs still lags behind that of large corporations (Beck, Mathias; Dahlke, Johannes; Wörter, Martin 2023). The focus of investment is on the functionality of the core system, not on the processes that exist around it. Automation, therefore, often ends at the boundary of the ERP system.

The alternative would be to customise the ERP system itself. However, such projects are often associated with high costs, risks, and long project durations. They tie up internal resources needed for daily operations and create a new dependency on external ERP specialists. The concern of jeopardising the stability of the core system leads many companies to choose the pragmatic but error-prone path via Excel.

Automation That Doesn't Replace the ERP

The answer to manual report creation is not necessarily replacing or expensively customising the ERP system. Such a project is often oversized for solving this specific problem. Effective automation starts at a different point. It focuses on the processes that occur after the data export. Skopa automates precisely this Excel layer that exists around the ERP. The ERP system itself is not replaced. The process is not replicated in Excel but is replaced by a robust, server-based solution that makes the manual process obsolete.

Specific automations are already established in the finance sector. For example, providers like bexio enable the automatic reconciliation of bank transactions with open items, which greatly simplifies accounts receivable reconciliation (bexio 2024). This approach can be extended to the entire reporting chain. An automation solution takes the raw ERP export. It performs all necessary transformation, enrichment, and validation steps according to predefined rules. In the end, it delivers a finished, audited report or a data foundation for further analysis. Manual work in Excel is replaced by this structured process.

What a Robust Automation Chain Looks Like

Successful automation of reporting must have three key characteristics: it must be robust, traceable, and flexible. These features ensure that the solution not only works today but also delivers value in the future and enjoys the trust of stakeholders.

Robustness means that the process runs repeatably and reliably. Automation reduces the variability and error-proneness of manual interventions. Integrated validation rules, such as checking the balance sheet total or reconciling with prior periods, can further secure data quality. Traceability is essential for any finance department and its internal control system (ICS). Every step of data processing, from the raw file to the final value in the report, must be transparent and auditable. A good automation solution provides a clear audit trail that meets the requirements of internal and external audits.

Flexibility ensures that the automation can grow with the company. If the chart of accounts changes, a new company is added, or new key figures are required for management, the solution must be adaptable. Rigid programming that has to be redeveloped for every minor change creates new dependencies and costs. A well-designed automation chain is modular. Changes to business logic, such as assigning a new account to a report line item, can often be controlled via configuration files without modifying the core process.

What You Can Do This Month

The first step towards potential automation is a thorough analysis of the existing process. Without a clear understanding of current workflows, improvement is hardly possible. You can create this documentation yourself. It is valuable even if no immediate automation project follows, as it secures process knowledge and reveals weaknesses.

• Map the exact path of the data, from the ERP export to the finished report.
• Note down every single manual step: copying, pasting, formulas, pivot tables, formatting.
• Document the logic behind the adjustments. Why is a value corrected? Where does the data for enrichment come from?
• Measure the time your team spends each month on these recurring tasks.
• Identify the points in the chain where errors most frequently occur or where manual corrections are necessary.

With this assessment, you create a factual basis. You quantify the effort and operational risks of the current process. This allows you to clearly articulate the need for action to management and define targeted next steps to improve the quality and efficiency of your financial reporting.

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