The hospitality industry is currently undergoing a resurgence as more businesses bounce back from international market disruptions and supply chain issues. The global market value is expected to reach $6715.27 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. Positive projected growth means that businesses are going to require technology and tools now more than ever before.
Financial management software leverages the latest innovations to streamline accounting processes, allowing companies to smoothly navigate common challenges like cost pressures, staffing, and preventing project overruns. But how do you know which solution will work for your business? Which features are necessary across the board for hoteliers, restaurateurs, and travel agencies?
This blog will walk you through seven features you need to prioritize in your next hospitality financial management software upgrade. However, if you’re looking to take your financial transformation one step further, this blog will provide you with the ultimate guide to choosing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
1. Cloud-hosted data management
According to Gartner, by 2024, more than 45% of IT spending will shift to the cloud. This will include financial management and accounting software in many cases, so take advantage of mature software architecture that boasts multitenancy and cloud computing. These advancements allow your company to minimize errors and streamline data management with master records that update in real-time, significantly reducing turnaround during month-end and year-end.
Further reading:
- 10 best practices in data management for finance teams
- Whitepaper | The finance leader’s playbook for financial transformation
2. Comprehensive reporting capabilities
With data at your fingertips, comprehensive reporting transforms numbers into actionable outcomes. AI-based predictive analytics, dashboards, and rolling forecasts enable you to optimize cash flow, improve financial controls, and assess the overall health of your business. When you’re empowered to make data-driven decisions, your company can benefit from improved agility to quickly adapt to an ever-changing landscape.
3. Flexible billing and pricing management
Tools that support customizable billing options and quick pivots in your pricing strategy are indispensable components of thriving in a rapidly changing industry. Some leading companies are turning to subscription billing options to overcome massive disruptions. If your business is also considering introducing a subscription service, you’ll likely need to experiment with different pricing models and billing frequencies before finding the right fit.
Further reading: Whitepaper | The CFO’s playbook for SaaS transformation
4. Optimized supply chain and inventory requisitions
Manually tending to inventory management can waste valuable time and resources, and full visibility is necessary to overcome global supply disruptions. The right software will facilitate process automation, yielding rapid improvements to order fulfilment, receipt of goods, serial and lot value inputting, batch document delivery, and document consolidation processes.
5. Digitalized lease portfolio
There’s a lot of administrative work involved with managing property, plant, and equipment leases. If you rely on paper-based systems, it will be impossible to scale appropriately. Lease management software can mitigate the risk of several common pitfalls. Digitalizing your lease portfolio prevents lost documentation and helps you keep track of critical dates, so that you never make a late or inaccurate payment.
6. Enhanced security protocols
Businesses in the hospitality industry often handle sensitive data, sometimes across multiple entities. Therefore, a robust security setup is a non-negotiable feature of your system. Look for software that offers SSL encryption, advanced firewalls, two-factor authentication, and automated notifications for new sign-ins. It’s especially critical that multi-entity companies have a clear organizational structure and can centrally manage security role-based access levels.
7. Industry-specific regulatory compliance
Too often, companies will invent complicated workarounds to try to compensate for a system that can’t keep up with the latest accounting standards. When the average cost of non-compliance is around $15 million, three times higher than compliance, the risk is not worth it. Making it a priority to invest in hospitality financial management software that enables hospitality-specific regulatory compliance can save your accounting department from a financial nightmare and your company from hefty penalties.
Further reading:
- Revenue reporting and recognition with ASC 606 and IFRS 15
- Mastering ASC 842 and IFRS 16
- 4 things you should know for financial consolidation under IFRS 10