Invoice entry, bank reconciliation, reminders: according to the IFEC 2024 barometer, more than 70% of accounting firms plan to automate at least one accounting process. Here’s how to achieve it.
An SME processing 300 supplier invoices per month spends between 40 and 75 hours of work, according to the consulting firm Veasio (February 2026). This time is absorbed by three repetitive tasks: entering invoices, reconciling bank statements, following up on outstanding payments. Accounting automation software eliminates these entries by synchronizing accounts and automatically reading documents.
Manual entry, the number one waste of time for accounting teams
According to the IFEC 2024 barometer, more than 70% of accounting firms plan to automate at least one accounting process, including data entry, bank reconciliation and reminders. France Num, the government’s digital support system for businesses, estimates the administrative time of a small business manager at 6 to 8 hours per week, of which accounting represents the most repetitive part.
Reducing accounting entry time requires going beyond simple dematerialization. Scanning a paper invoice into PDF doesn’t eliminate re-entry: someone still has to read the document, extract the amounts and enter them into the accounting software. Automation goes further: it extracts data from the file and injects it directly into accounting, without human intervention. It is this difference which determines the real time saving.
Entering invoices, bank reconciliation, reminders: the three most time-consuming tasks
Entering supplier invoices is the most time-consuming task in an SME. Each invoice received by e-mail or in paper format follows the same manual circuit: opening, reading, extracting data, entering into the accounting software, filing. Optical character recognition (OCR) automates this sequence by reading the document and automatically extracting structured data (amounts, dates, VAT numbers) without human intervention.
The bank reconciliation requires a second significant block of time. In a manual process, the accountant compares line by line the movements of the bank statement with the entries recorded in the software. Automatic bank synchronization eliminates this step: transactions are imported in real time from the bank account and automatically reconciled with the corresponding entries.
Customer follow-ups constitute the third time-consuming item. Identifying unpaid invoices, drafting reminders, sending them and monitoring them represents several hours per month in an SME with an active customer portfolio. Accounting automation software allows you to set up automatic reminders triggered according to the age of the invoice, without manual intervention at each due date.
| Stain | Monthly estimated time | Gain with automation |
| Entering supplier invoices | 40 to 75 hours (SME, 300 invoices) | Almost complete deletion via OCR |
| Bank reconciliation | 2 to 5 hours per closing | Automation of recurring entries |
| Customer reminders | 2 to 4 hours per month | Automatic triggering according to seniority |
How does accounting software reduce entry time?
Among the accounting software integrating an automation solution, we find solutions like Pennylane or Tiime, as well as Sage 50. Sage 50 is accounting and commercial management software published by the Sage group, listed on the FTSE 100, whose solutions are deployed in more than 20 countries. It natively integrates the Automation Pack which covers three distinct functions:
- Bank link: transactions are imported in real time from the bank account and entries generated automatically, for an unlimited number of banks, without manual entry of statements.
- Purchasing automation: supplier invoices received by email are read by OCR, the data automatically extracted and injected into accounting. The module supports up to 500 invoices per month.
- Sage Business Documents: accounting and commercial documents are centralized, organized and automatically archived in a 20 GB space, accessible remotely.
These three functions also cover the requirements of the electronic invoicing reform of September 1, 2026: Sage 50 integrates Sage Network, its approved platform definitively registered by the DGFiP on December 22, 2025, according to the official list published on impots.gouv.fr. For companies already using Sage 50, compliance with the reform of September 1, 2026 does not require migration to a separate tool, Sage Network being permanently registered by the DGFiP.
What ROI for an SME that automates its accounting?
According to the IFEC 2024 barometer, more than 70% of accounting firms plan to automate at least one accounting process, including data entry, bank reconciliation and reminders. Applied to the 6 to 8 hours per week that France Num figures for the administrative workload of a small business manager, this potential represents between 3 and 4 hours recovered each week, or half a day reinvested in management or commercial development.
The return on investment is also measured on the direct salary cost of manual entry. According to the Michael Page 2026 remuneration study, an accounting employee receives between 30,000 and 55,000 euros gross annually depending on their experience, i.e. a busy hourly cost estimated between 27 and 48 euros. Each hour recovered thanks to automation therefore represents a direct saving, whether the accounting is managed internally or entrusted to an external firm.
Accounting automation FAQ: your frequently asked questions
Does bank synchronization really replace manual entry?
Yes, for bank entries. Transactions are imported directly from the bank account and entries generated automatically according to configurable rules. The accountant only intervenes to process exceptions, which represents a fraction of the time spent on traditional manual reconciliation.
What ROI can you expect from an accounting automation tool for an SME?
According to the IFEC 2024 barometer, more than 70% of accounting firms plan to automate at least one accounting process. Applied to the 6 to 8 hours per week that France Num calculates for the administrative workload of a small business manager, this potential represents between 3 and 4 hours recovered per week.
Is accounting automation compatible with the 2026 electronic invoicing reform?
Yes, provided that the software integrates an approved platform definitively registered by the DGFiP. From September 1, 2026, all companies subject to VAT must receive their invoices via an approved platform. Software that covers automation and compliance simultaneously eliminates the need for a third-party tool.
What risks of error remain with automation?
Optical character recognition (OCR) can produce reading errors on poor quality documents or in non-standardized formats. Poorly configured reconciliation rules can also generate incorrect postings. The accountant remains essential to check exceptions and validate the entries produced automatically.
Does accounting automation require an in-house accountant?
No. The initial configuration is recommended in consultation with the accountant, who then accesses the file remotely for revisions and annual closings. The presence of an in-house accountant is not a condition for the daily operation of accounting automation software.
Can you automate your accounting without migrating to new software?
A migration is unnecessary if the software natively integrates automation modules (bank link, OCR, automatic lettering). Otherwise, it must be planned outside the accounting closing periods to avoid any disruption in invoicing flows.
Is accounting automation relevant for a micro-enterprise or a self-employed person?
Yes, from a certain transaction volume. Below around twenty invoices per month, the time saving remains limited. Beyond that, automatic banking linking and OCR recognition significantly reduce the data entry burden. Self-employed people subject to VAT also have an interest in anticipating the electronic invoicing reform of September 1, 2027, which also applies to their activity.
Sources
- IFEC — 2024 Barometer of the automation of accounting firms — ifec.fr
- France Num — government system to support the digital transformation of businesses — francenum.gouv.fr
- impots.gouv.fr — official list of approved platforms, consulted in May 2026
- Finance Law 2026 — LAW no. 2026-103 of February 19, 2026
- sage.com/fr-fr — Sage 50 Automation Pack, features and prices, consulted in May 2026
- Michael Page — 2026 remuneration study, accounting associate — michaelpage.fr
