'Building a modern finance function in 2026'
A word from Dan Wells, CEO of GrowCFO
"As we head into 2026, finance teams in growing businesses face a familiar dilemma: the demands on the function have outgrown the original spreadsheet-and-ledger world, but the leap to full ERP still feels too big, too slow and too expensive. For thousands of organisations running Xero or QuickBooks at the core, the real innovation is happening in the layers wrapped around that core: the finance tech stack.
At GrowCFO, we see this every day across our community. High-growth businesses with 20–500 employees are building powerful, modular ecosystems: close automation, AP and AR tools, consolidation, reporting and planning platforms, all stitched together around Xero or QuickBooks. The question is no longer “Should we go ERP?” but “How do we design a scalable, connected stack that gives us ERP-class outcomes without losing agility?”
As I often say: we no longer just buy systems; we design stacks.
This report, produced by the CFO Techstack community of more than 13,000 finance leaders, captures that shift. It highlights how modern finance teams are using app partners to shorten the close, strengthen controls, improve cash visibility and deliver investor-grade insight long before a traditional ERP becomes inevitable.
But technology is only half the story. The role of the finance leader is evolving just as quickly. Tomorrow’s finance leaders are architects of data flows, owners of automation roadmaps and conveners of cross-functional teams. They are expected to operate at board level on value creation and risk, while ensuring the day-to-day finance engine runs faster, safer and more predictably than ever.
Finance leaders who embrace an integrated, automated stack will free up the capacity to focus on what really matters: better decisions, stronger performance and sustainable growth.
I’m delighted that GrowCFO can support this State of the Stack 2026 report. I hope it helps you benchmark where you are today, spot the gaps in your own stack, and identify the next practical steps on your journey to a more connected, automated and influential finance function."
A massive thanks to Dan for his involvement in State of the Stack 2026.
In the report, you'll also have access to:
- App Map 2.0: a visual breakdown of how finance apps connect across accounting, reporting, operations and planning
- Featured Apps: which apps consistently show up in finance tech stack
- A look at the true cost of a best-in-class stack
- The 2026 Survival Kit
Sign up to the State of the Stack 2026 waitlist now!
.png?upscale=true&width=1196&upscale=true&name=Untitled%20design%20(42).png)
