4 questions to ask when evaluating treasury technology platforms

Asking yourself and your potential technology partners the following four key questions can get beyond “check-the-box” functionality considerations so you can select systems and partners that help your organization make the most of your technology and meet its objectives.

Question 1: How well does this technology integrate with our other platforms?

The rapid advancement of APIs and other connectivity tools makes it easier than ever to connect disparate treasury systems securely. This means you can select the best tools for each function and then integrate them, creating an end-to-end process. It’s important, though, to confirm the components of your treasury technology stack can connect seamlessly to other systems so data flows upstream and downstream between ERPs, cash management systems, risk management systems, trading platforms, accounting systems, general ledger accounts, and reporting tools. Seamless connections across your treasury technology ecosystem enable you to view all your information holistically for high-level strategic analysis and decision-making.

Question 2: Can the system grow with our treasury organization and its programs?

Whether you’ve got a complete end-to-end system or still rely on a patchwork of automated and manual processes, your technology tools should be ready to move beyond today’s identified needs and grow with you into the future. For example, if your growth plans include developing new global markets, make sure your financial risk management and hedge accounting system can handle the complexity of an expanded operational FX hedging program. Bringing in key finance and accounting stakeholders early in the process can ensure you choose a system that meets your operational requirements. Selecting a technology partner that continues to invest in product enhancement can ensure your system keeps pace with the changing financial and technology landscapes.

Question 3: What reporting capabilities does the product provide?

Amidst volatile markets, a changing business environment, and an increased need to communicate program effectiveness to stakeholders, flexible, holistic reporting that can drive strategic decisions and illustrate key findings is increasingly fundamental to a treasury platform. In a poll of Chatham corporate treasury and accounting clients, 48% of respondents cited improving the quality and timeliness of reporting as a priority and 56% viewed compiling period-end management reports as a time-intensive downstream activity. With many organizations pulling data from many systems and business units, automating reporting to aggregate data delivers needed efficiencies. And with senior management and boards of directors increasingly focused on program effectiveness, highlighting critical data with visualizations provides a valuable advantage.

Question 4: What type of support can we expect to receive?

If you’ve ever waited forever in a support queue or escalated your issue three times without reaching someone who understood your problem, you know that technology support can vary significantly between vendors. Understanding the team and resources available to support you is an important question to answer before choosing a technology partner. Is there a dedicated support person assigned to your account, or will you reach a random representative each time? Can you access subject-matter experts who understand your business and can answer your questions? Will your vendor listen to your feedback and incorporate it into product improvements? Answering these questions will help you select a partner dedicated to your long-term success.

Confidently manage financial risk with ChathamDirect

ChathamDirect is a groundbreaking financial risk management and hedge accounting platform that supports foreign exchange, interest rate, and commodity hedging programs. ChathamDirect provides a clear view of your entire hedging program, including cash flow forecasts, balance sheet exposures, and hedge requests — all securely available on a leading SaaS platform. ChathamDirect is backed by Chatham Financial, an employee-owned, independent market leader with a global team of capital markets experts, risk management advisors, CPAs, lawyers, quantitative analysts, and technology developers who serve more than 3,500 clients annually.