--- title: "Future-Proofing Finance: Biggest Priorities for CFOs in 2025/26" description: Explore key CFO priorities for 2025/26 and learn how FP&A tools like Corporate Planner improve efficiency, data, and decision-making. image: https://www.account-ability.co.uk/hubfs/5-Strategic-Priorities-for-CFOs-in-202526.png --- [![JDRGroup-AccountAbilityLogo-SMS-AKM-16-Apr-24-V1-01](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/JDRGroup-AccountAbilityLogo-SMS-AKM-16-Apr-24-V1-01.webp?width=5000&height=1430&name=JDRGroup-AccountAbilityLogo-SMS-AKM-16-Apr-24-V1-01.webp "JDRGroup-AccountAbilityLogo-SMS-AKM-16-Apr-24-V1-01")](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/) [![header_logo AA](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/header_logo%20AA.webp?width=1200&height=343&name=header_logo%20AA.webp "header_logo AA")](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/) - [Higher Education](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/higher-education-reporting-software) - Sectors - [Engineering & Manufacture](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/engineering-and-manufacturing) - 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[Financial Consolidation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-financial-consolidation-solutions) - #### Corporate Planner Software - [Corporate Performance Management](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/cpm-software) - [Budgeting](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/corporate-budgeting-software) - [Integrated Financial Planning](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/integrated-financial-planning) - [Financial Consolidation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/financial-consolidation-software) - [Liquidity Management](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/liquidity-management) - #### Support - [CP Implementation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/implementation-training-and-support) - [CP Training](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/implementation-training-and-support#training) - [CP Support](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/implementation-training-and-support#support) - [Integrated Financial Planning Training](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/integrated-financial-planning-training) - 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Sectors - [Engineering & Manufacture](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/engineering-and-manufacturing) - [Higher Education](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/higher-education-reporting-software) - [Hospitality & Leisure](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/hospitality-and-leisure) - [Professional Services](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/professional-services) - [Law Firms](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/law-firms) - Solutions - [Budgeting, Planning & Reporting](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/business-budgeting-system) - [Balance Sheet & Cash Flow Planning](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/business-cashflow-forecasting-software) - [Sales Forecasting](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/sales-forecasting-software) - [Financial Consolidation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-financial-consolidation-solutions) - Corporate Planner Software - [Corporate Performance Management](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/cpm-software) - [Budgeting](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/corporate-budgeting-software) - [Integrated Financial Planning](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/integrated-financial-planning) - [Financial Consolidation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/financial-consolidation-software) - [Liquidity Management](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/liquidity-management) - Support - [CP Implementation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/implementation-training-and-support) - [CP Training](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/implementation-training-and-support#training) - [CP Support](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/implementation-training-and-support#support) - [Integrated Financial Planning Training](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/integrated-financial-planning-training) - [About Us](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/about-us) - Resources - [Blog](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news) - [Free Downloads](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/resources) - [Webinar Recordings](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/webinars) - [Case Studies](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/tag/case-studies) - [FAQs](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/faq-account-ability) - [Contact Us](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/contact) [ Book A Demo ](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/request-a-demo) [BLOG](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/tag/blog) # 5 Strategic Priorities for CFOs in 2025/26 [![Account Ability](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e)](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/author/account-ability) by [Account Ability](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/author/account-ability) 2 min read Nov 17, 2025 9:30:00 AM The [role of a CFO](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/role-of-the-cfo-in-digital-transformation-data-driven-decision-making) (Chief Financial Officer) is evolving rapidly. With increasing demands on agility, efficiency, and compliance, finance leaders in UK PLCs must adapt their processes to remain competitive and resilient. While the challenges are growing in complexity, they also present opportunities for forward-thinking CFOs to drive transformation and deliver exceptional value to their organisations. [![Request My FREE Demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/7457506/756d652a-3758-4eb2-a123-294cb00020f8.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/7457506/756d652a-3758-4eb2-a123-294cb00020f8) This article breaks down five key priorities for CFOs in 2025 and explores how implementing Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) tools like [Corporate Planner](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/cpm-software) can help finance teams modernise their operations, improve decision-making, and future-proof their strategies. ## **1. Moving away from spreadsheets and data silos** For decades, spreadsheets have been the backbone of financial operations. However, their limitations are increasingly detrimental as companies grow and [require a higher level of precision](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/indicators-that-budgeting-needs-to-be-updated) and scalability. [Filled with errors](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/05/how-excel-may-have-caused-loss-of-16000-covid-tests-in-england), slow to update, and difficult to collaborate with, finding solutions to the so-called ‘spreadsheet problem’ has been a pressing concern for decades. With FP&A, you can automate your workflows while gaining access to real-time metrics and reports. This eliminates manual tasks and empowers CFOs to focus on strategic decisions rather than operational troubleshooting. The results? Efficiency, accuracy, and increased ease of collaboration. ## **2. Optimising software usage and IT infrastructure** Many CFOs already invest in financial tools, but a significant portion of this technology often goes underutilised. With a worrying [77% of UK SMEs](https://university.open.ac.uk/scotland/news/leaders-skills) not using technology properly, the gap between potential and practical application can lead to lost productivity and missed opportunities. [Corporate Planner](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/blog-news/financial-planning-with-corporate-planner) offers accessible training resources and user-friendly dashboards tailored to your organisation's needs. Its automation features—including consolidated reporting and predictive budgeting—are designed to streamline daily operations while adding strategic value. ## **3. Standardising your financial tools** At Account Ability, we find that finance departments within many organisations typically operate multiple systems that fail to communicate effectively. Disconnected tools tend to increase costs, create inefficiencies, ultimately leading to poor data reliability. Standardising your financial tools can overcome these barriers and elevate operational performance. The results are a unified data framework, greater collaboration efficiency, and control over costs. ## **4. Improving your data management** Data is the foundation of each of your strategic decisions, but when it’s fragmented or unreliable, it undermines effective planning. CFOs need to prioritise building a centralised, accurate, and [transparent data environment](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318356577_Open_data_Accountability_and_transparency), but doing this via traditional spreadsheets can lead to a catalogue of accidents. With FP&A, you can reduce errors by establishing a Single Source of Truth (SSOT). You can also streamline your data integration while automating your validation processes, resulting in seamless, clean, and confident reliability. ## **5. Investing in new technologies** Sometimes, existing tools can only take you so far, but what’s the right type of upgrade? There are a few questions that can help, including: 1. Does it align with your strategic goals (e.g., cost reduction, growth planning)? 1. Can it integrate seamlessly with existing systems? 1. Does it offer scalability to adapt as your organisation evolves? At Account-Ability, we currently recommend Corporate Planner as standing out as an adaptable FP&A solution tailored to a wide variety of industries. We particularly like its future-proofed AI-powered forecasting and scenario planning functionalities, which give you the advanced tools you need to thrive in uncertainty. ## **Find out more** Explore the benefits of [Corporate Planner](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/corporate-planner/cpm-software) today to see how the platform can support your modernisation goals. [Contact us to schedule a consultation](https://www.account-ability.co.uk/contact) and discover tailored solutions that drive success across your organisation. 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