Consulting firm Ernst & Young and BlackLine that deals in cloud-based accounting software have formed an alliance that will expand EY process automation capabilities and finance services offered to clients, said a statement. Under this partnership, BlackLine is working with EY to help companies across industries automate their formerly manual and spreadsheet-driven processes and help finance transformation through BlackLine implementations.
Through the alliance, EY can help modernize enterprise business processes using BlackLine’s Continuous Accounting capabilities. The offering leverages emerging robotic process automation tools, traditional enterprise resource planning systems and the capabilities of BlackLine’s cloud platform.
Under the terms of the agreement, EY will provide its experience in data integration, finance and ERP technology and experience in audit, framework-as-a-service, tax, and finance advisory to develop an end-to-end solution and a sustainable foundation for continuous improvement. EY will also provide insights into product enhancements, alignment with EY digital transformation and intelligent automation initiatives and systems, integration, implementation and deployment support for BlackLine’s cloud-based portfolio.
“The BlackLine Strategic Alliances are an integral part of our go-to-market strategy. We continue to seek out and build relationships with leading organizations such as EY, whose software and services experience, deep technical skills and global reach complement our own. EY was one of the first consulting organizations we worked with, and we’ve collaborated on many joint projects over the years where EY’s in-depth experience and hands-on advisory services have helped us meet the strict requirements of global customers. In addition, EY is a leader in financial fraud advisory services, an area that we believe will become an increasingly critical resource for customers going forward,” said Therese Tucker, CEO, BlackLine.
“Finance process automation is a complex problem to solve and requires specialized tools to deliver a complete solution, especially with growing volumes of financial data that is increasing the strain on finance departments to manage and certify reported results. As customers embrace the digital future, they need solutions that deliver timely and accurate financial information without the costly maintenance of on-premises solutions. EY and BlackLine are uniquely positioned to help provide a foundation for continuous improvement that supports a company’s strategy and responds to rising competitive and regulatory pressures,” said Bill Thomas, Ernst & Young LLP Principal, EY Americas Financial Services Organization and executive sponsor of the alliance with BlackLine.
