The Business Value of SAP Financial Close Solutions by BlackLine
This is an IDC Business Value snapshot that summarizes the key findings from the larger 2025 IDC white paper. SAP and BlackLine co-sponsored this effort. Download the Document
This is an IDC Business Value snapshot that summarizes the key findings from the larger 2025 IDC white paper. SAP and BlackLine co-sponsored this effort. Produced by IDC Custom Solutions | IDC #US53204425 | Research by Kevin Permenter, Megan Szurley
This IDC material is licensed for external use and in no way does the use or publication of IDC research indicate
IDC’s endorsement of the sponsor’s or licensee’s products or strategies.
©2024 IDC. Reproduction is forbidden unless authorized. All rights reserved. CCPA
Business Value Snapshot, sponsored by SAP and BlackLine | February 2025
SAP and BlackLine customers are achieving significant value leveraging SAP financial close solutions
by BlackLine to support their financial operations, based on findings from IDC-conducted interviews.
Through the benefit of numerous staff efficiency gains, IDC estimates that interviewed organizations
achieved benefits worth an annual average of $7.9 million that resulted in a three-year ROI of 621%.
The Business Value of SAP Financial
Close Solutions by BlackLine
CUSTOMER QUOTE (OIL AND GAS):
“The greatest benefit of SAP financial close solutions by BlackLine is definitely the efficiency
that we have gained through automation. This has led to greater accuracy because we are
using fewer manual processes. It saves our teams from having to rework a lot of tasks.”
• 25% more efficient finance teams
• 47% less time spent creating reports
• 25% greater report accuracy
ACCOUNTING EFFICIENCY BENEFITS
• 35% more efficient accounting teams
• 28% more efficient auditing teams
• 22% less time required to close period end accounting
FINANCE EFFICIENCY BENEFITS
$7.9 million
average annual benefits per
organization
$193,000
per 10 users average annual benefit
12-month
payback on investment
621%
three-year return on investment
KEY RESULTS
The project included 7 interviews with organizations that use SAP financial close solutions by BlackLine and
have experience with and/or knowledge about the benefits and costs of using SAP financial close solutions by BlackLine.
RECONCILIATION AND JOURNAL ENTRY EFFICIENCY BENEFITS
• 43% fewer substantiation errors
• 41% fewer days required for substantiation
completion
• 45% fewer days required for journal
entry completion
• 35% of journal entries automated
• 33% more efficient compliance teams • 19% more efficient AP/AR/Payroll teams
ADDITIONAL STAFF BENEFITS
This IDC material is licensed for external use and in no way does the use or publication of IDC research indicate
IDC’s endorsement of the sponsor’s or licensee’s products or strategies.
©2024 IDC. Reproduction is forbidden unless authorized. All rights reserved. CCPA
Business Value Snapshot, sponsored by SAP and BlackLine | February 2025
SAP and BlackLine customers are achieving significant value leveraging SAP financial close solutions
by BlackLine to support their financial operations, based on findings from IDC-conducted interviews.
Through the benefit of numerous staff efficiency gains, IDC estimates that interviewed organizations
achieved benefits worth an annual average of $7.9 million that resulted in a three-year ROI of 621%.
The Business Value of SAP Financial
Close Solutions by BlackLine
CUSTOMER QUOTE (OIL AND GAS):
“The greatest benefit of SAP financial close solutions by BlackLine is definitely the efficiency
that we have gained through automation. This has led to greater accuracy because we are
using fewer manual processes. It saves our teams from having to rework a lot of tasks.”
• 25% more efficient finance teams
• 47% less time spent creating reports
• 25% greater report accuracy
ACCOUNTING EFFICIENCY BENEFITS
• 35% more efficient accounting teams
• 28% more efficient auditing teams
• 22% less time required to close period end accounting
FINANCE EFFICIENCY BENEFITS
$7.9 million
average annual benefits per
organization
$193,000
per 10 users average annual benefit
12-month
payback on investment
621%
three-year return on investment
KEY RESULTS
The project included 7 interviews with organizations that use SAP financial close solutions by BlackLine and
have experience with and/or knowledge about the benefits and costs of using SAP financial close solutions by BlackLine.
RECONCILIATION AND JOURNAL ENTRY EFFICIENCY BENEFITS
• 43% fewer substantiation errors
• 41% fewer days required for substantiation
completion
• 45% fewer days required for journal
entry completion
• 35% of journal entries automated
• 33% more efficient compliance teams • 19% more efficient AP/AR/Payroll teams
ADDITIONAL STAFF BENEFITS