California-based platform for service businesses, Certinia, has announced a suite of enhancements to its Services-as-a-Business platform, which will include advanced AI capabilities. This is set to revolutionise enterprise-level operations by significantly improving efficiency and providing precise forecasting. The company, which also has global offices including one in Sydney, Australia, is poised to redefine business operations for service-oriented industries.
The latest feature, known as Certinia AI, integrates advanced predictive modelling across the entire portfolio, catering specifically to service businesses. It predicts 'days to pay' for Cash Flow Forecasting, optimises margins in Services Delivery and provides valuable insights for project delivery to minimise risk. As part of its ongoing commitment to innovation, Certinia is already developing new use cases to streamline service business workflows and operations even further.
Certinia's pragmatic approach is mitigating the risks often linked with AI adoption. It achieves this by embedding AI directly into existing business processes and training models based on individual customer data. Over time, the model's predictions and actual outcomes increase the accuracy and reliability of results. This enables professional service teams to harness AI capabilities more confidently. They are then able to tackle practical, scalable, real-world issues in finance and other professional services.
Diverse improvements, primarily aimed at Financial Controllers and Analysts, have also been designed to streamline accounting workflows. These developments, including enhancements to reporting processes, allow more efficient compilation and dissemination of reports to stakeholders. Consequently, accounting teams' efficiency is set to boost, and their ability to influence strategic business outcomes is expected to strengthen.
Changes in financial planning will offer CFOs a comprehensive overview of an organisation's financial health. By transitioning from Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to Extended Planning and Analysis (XP&A), Certinia provides a holistic view of operations, sales, HR, and other critical functions. The inclusion of advanced 'what-if' scenario forecasting and a range of templates in the latest release bring this to the fore.
For project managers, crucial visibility earlier in the process for more accurate project estimates has been enabled through a revamped Hours Breakdown interface and new Estimate Phases feature. The improvements also include enhancements to the Task Board and a new Delivery Tracker, providing managers with better visibility, control, and improved project efficiency.
Mickey North Rizza, IDC Group Vice-President Enterprise Software, commented, "Certinia's latest release represents a significant step in the ongoing evolution of the services industry." The integration of AI and focus on user experience and operational efficiency aligns with current market trends. "The use of AI, time-saving enhancements in accounting, improved forecasting accuracy, and advancements in resource management and project delivery reflect a shift towards intelligent, automated, and user-friendly solutions. These developments offer substantial value to service organisations, enabling them to navigate complexities with greater agility and insight," added Rizza.