CFOs Face an Automation Reality Check as Manual Finance Processes Slow Performance, Corpay Report Finds
January 20 2026
Finance leaders are returning to work with renewed pressure to deliver efficiency, resilience and cost control, yet many remain constrained by what global S&P500 corporate payments company, Corpay, describes as an ‘automation deficit’. The term refers to the gap between the ambition CFOs have for automation and the fragmented reality of their current finance systems. Findings published in Corpay’s whitepaper, The Automation Deficit, reveal that despite strong intent to automate, manual work and disconnected tools still dominate core finance operations. The findings referenced in this release are drawn from Corpay’s independent research with UK finance leaders and are explored in detail in its Automation Deficit whitepaper.