Every organization closes the books. But not every organization does it well. In fact, while some teams spend weeks wrangling spreadsheets and reconciling data, others finish in days with confidence, accuracy, and time to spare for analysis. The difference? It’s not just tools—it’s a combination of people, processes, culture, and the right technology. We call this progression the Financial Close Performance Curve—a modern framework that expands on the traditional maturity model to describe how finance teams evolve from reactive to strategic in their month-end close.
At this stage, the close process is largely manual and disconnected. Teams rely on sprawling spreadsheets, shared drives, and emails to consolidate data. Visibility is poor, and version control is a nightmare. Late nights, error-prone reporting, and a heavy burden on key individuals are the norm.
Organizations at this level have made meaningful progress. They’ve begun standardizing processes, often using some form of legacy consolidation software or bolt-on tools. There’s more structure and documentation, and the close is becoming predictable—but not yet fast, agile, or insight-rich.
These teams operate at the top of the curve. The close is integrated, automated, and aligned with broader business strategy. Teams spend less time collecting data and more time analyzing it. There’s confidence in the numbers, and the close process is both fast and transparent.
While people and process form the backbone of a strong close, technology is the accelerant. Without it, even the best teams struggle to scale. Modern financial close platforms like OneStream are purpose-built to enable high-performing finance functions.
It’s no surprise that companies using OneStream tend to fall into the Strategic Close category. They not only shorten the time to close, but also elevate the role of finance by enabling fast, confident decision-making.
Let’s be clear: Software alone won’t fix a broken close. A high-performing close requires:
But without the right technology, these efforts hit a ceiling. You lose automation, speed, accuracy, and insight. You trade business partnership for data wrangling.
That’s why the Financial Close Performance Curve places technology at the core—not as a magic solution, but as a strategic enabler.
Every finance team has room to move up the curve. Whether you’re stuck in the Reactive phase or plateauing in the Repeatable zone, a shift toward the Strategic Close can unlock major benefits—from faster closes and fewer errors to more time spent on driving business value.
If your team is ready to stop closing the books and start opening insights, the journey starts with evaluating your current position on the Financial Close Performance Curve—and choosing the right tools, mindset, and partners to climb higher.
We are a certified OneStream partner ready to deliver success and help your organization become a strategic closer with modern software. Learn More