SAP Advanced Financial Closing (AFC)

SAP AFC is a cloud-based solution designed to revolutionise and automate the financial close process, integrating seamlessly with SAP S/4HANA and other ERP systems. It provides a centralised task management framework for period-end close, dramatically reducing close times and increasing process transparency.

Platform Capabilities

Key Features

Powerful capabilities designed to transform your business operations

Centralised Task List Management

Create, assign, monitor, and execute all closing tasks from a single cockpit. Define templates with dependencies, ownership rules, and escalation paths to standardise the close process across all entities.

Task ManagementAutomationTemplates

Real-Time Close Status Visibility

Live dashboards provide up-to-the-minute visibility into close progress by entity, region, and task owner. Identify bottlenecks before they become delays and proactively manage exceptions.

MonitoringDashboardsTransparency

Automation & Standardisation Engine

Automate repetitive closing activities including journal entries, allocations, reconciliations, and accruals. Configurable business rules enforce standardised processes across all subsidiaries and legal entities.

AutomationStandardisationRules Engine

Compliance & Audit Readiness

Maintain comprehensive documentation of all close activities with time-stamped audit trails, approval records, and supporting evidence. Built-in controls and segregation-of-duties support regulatory requirements.

Audit TrailComplianceControls

Multi-Entity & Group Close Coordination

Manage the close simultaneously across dozens or hundreds of legal entities. Parent-child task dependencies ensure group close milestones are met only after all subsidiary tasks are complete.

Multi-EntityGroup CloseConsolidation

SAP & Non-SAP Integration

Native integration with SAP S/4HANA, SAP Group Reporting, and SAP Analytics Cloud. Open APIs allow connection to non-SAP GL systems, enabling unified close management across a heterogeneous ERP landscape.

S/4HANAIntegrationAPI
Business Value

Business Benefits

Drive measurable value and achieve strategic objectives

1

Dramatically Shorten the Close Cycle

Eliminate manual coordination overhead, handoffs, and status-chasing emails. Automated task dependencies and real-time notifications accelerate progression through the close cycle significantly.

  • 30-50% reduction in close cycle time
  • Automated task kick-off and escalation
  • Parallel processing of non-dependent tasks
2

Increase Close Process Quality & Accuracy

Standardised task templates and automated validation rules prevent errors from entering the financial statements. Mandatory checklists and reviewer sign-offs enforce quality at every step.

  • Reduction in post-close restatements
  • Systematic validation at each close step
  • Consistent process across all entities
3

Enhance Cross-Team Collaboration

Finance, accounting, tax, and audit teams work in a shared, structured environment. Real-time commenting, document attachments, and review workflows replace fragmented email chains.

  • Unified collaboration workspace
  • Structured review and approval flows
  • Centralised supporting documentation
4

Achieve Regulatory Compliance with Confidence

Comprehensive audit trails documenting every action, approval, and override provide regulators and auditors with the evidence trail they need. Segregation of duties controls are enforced systematically.

  • Full audit trail for external auditors
  • SOX-ready control documentation
  • IFRS and local GAAP compliance support
5

Scale to Any Organisational Complexity

Whether managing 5 or 500 legal entities, AFC provides the same visibility and control. Role-based access ensures local teams see only their responsibilities while group controllers maintain full oversight.

  • Supports 500+ entity close programmes
  • Hierarchical visibility by region/country
  • Configurable for any organisational structure
6

Eliminate Manual Spreadsheet Tracking

Replace fragile Excel-based close tracking with a purpose-built system. Eliminate version conflicts, formula errors, and the risk of overwriting critical close data.

  • Elimination of Excel close tracking
  • No data loss from version conflicts
  • Centralised single source of close truth

Common Use Cases

See how organisations leverage SAP Advanced Financial Closing (AFC)

1
Month-End & Year-End Financial Closing

Orchestrate all recurring close activities — accruals, reconciliations, provisions, and reporting — through structured, automated task sequences that drive consistency each period.

2
Multi-Entity Group Close Management

Coordinate close activities across subsidiary, regional, and corporate finance teams simultaneously, with parent tasks gating on completion of dependent subsidiary activities.

3
Audit & Regulatory Preparation

Use AFC's comprehensive audit log and evidence repository to prepare for external audit engagements. Provide auditors with direct access to documented close activities and supporting files.

4
Post-Acquisition Entity Integration

Rapidly onboard newly acquired entities into the group close framework by applying standard task templates. Reduce integration timelines for close processes from months to weeks.

5
Continuous Close Transformation

Use AFC as the foundation for moving from a month-end close to a continuous close model. Automate daily reconciliations and sub-ledger postings to reduce period-end workload progressively.

Why Choose SSR Fintech?

Our proven expertise and delivery methodology sets us apart

Delivered by SAP-certified AFC specialists with multi-industry close experience
Pre-built task templates for IFRS, US GAAP, and local statutory close requirements
Rapid deployment with phased rollout methodology minimising business disruption
Ongoing optimisation support including quarterly close health checks

Ready to get started with SAP Advanced Financial Closing (AFC)?

Schedule a personalized demo and see how it fits your organization.