BlackLine Recognized in Enhanced Finance Controls & Automation Software Category in Recent Gartner Report

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackLine has been recognized as a Sample Vendor for Enhanced Finance Controls and Automation Software – a renamed category formerly called Close/Reconciliation Management by global technology industry research leader Gartner.  In its Aug. 26, 2014 report entitled IT Market Clock for Financial Management Applications 2014, Gartner analyzes product categories in several financial management software market segments and provides actionable insight for companies as they plan for and prioritize their IT investments in the year ahead.  The complete report can be downloaded here.

With regard to the renamed Enhanced Finance Controls and Automation category, the Gartner report states, "These solutions cover many of the functions required to automate the 'last mile of finance', that is, the processes required to finalize period-end accounts."  This is an arena in which BlackLine has traditionally dominated.  But then Gartner goes on to say, "The close/reconciliation management asset class has expanded over the last year to include a wider range of functionality that extends beyond the month-end close into a broader solution that can enhance the management and control of any finance process throughout the accounting cycle."

"With this renamed category, we believe Gartner has put a stake in the ground validating the huge need and market opportunity that exists for solutions to automate the whole gamut of accounting and finance processes," Therese Tucker, BlackLine CEO and Founder, said.  "The BlackLine Finance Controls and Automation Suite and Platform fit squarely within Gartner's new category."

The report goes on to state, "These [Enhanced Finance Controls and Automation] solutions can be deployed across multiple core financial and financial value chain applications, enabling organizations to improve and better control their finance processes without major investments in the underlying applications."

"We agree with Gartner's segmentation analysis and are gratified that a firm of Gartner's caliber and reputation recognized BlackLine as a sample vendor," Ms. Tucker added in a recent blog post.  "In announcing the renamed category, we believe Gartner has validated not only BlackLine's vision for finance control and automation technology, but our decision to collaborate closely with customers and partners to bring innovation to market in a timely fashion."

About BlackLine

BlackLine is the leader in Enhanced Finance Controls and Automation software and the only provider today offering a completely integrated cloud platform—built from a single code base that supports the entire record-to-report process, as well as a host of other key accounting and financial processes.  BlackLine's Finance Controls and Automation Platform increases business efficiency and visibility, while ensuring the highest degree of balance sheet integrity. 

Delivered through a scalable and highly secure cloud model, BlackLine empowers more than 900 global companies to reduce the time and resources required to execute month-end closing with unparalleled accuracy, fueling confidence throughout the entire accounting cycle.  With more than 150,000 users in over 100 countries, BlackLine complements existing Corporate Performance Management (CPM), Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. 

Although BlackLine is ERP-agnostic, the BlackLine Financial Close Suite for SAP® Solutions is an SAP-endorsed business solution – joining the ranks of fewer than 40 other software offerings globally that are endorsed by the enterprise application software leader.  BlackLine also is an SAP Gold Partner.  Company headquarters are in Los Angeles, with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, London, Melbourne, New York City and Sydney.  For more information, please visit www.blackline.com.  

Media Contact:
Kimberly Uberti
Director of Corporate Communications
BlackLine
[email protected]

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SOURCE BlackLine Systems