Why Finance Teams Still Leave NetSuite to Get Work Done

When we interviewed over a dozen finance teams, across industries and company sizes, a clear pattern emerged: finance work doesn't happen in a single system. Even with NetSuite as the ERP backbone, teams constantly jump between Salesforce for customer context, Slack for approvals, Drive for documentation, and spreadsheets to tie it all together.

The question isn't whether teams should work in NetSuite or outside it, it's whether their tools can orchestrate workflows across all these systems without the manual stitching.

If NetSuite is designed to centralize and automate financial operations, why are teams still reaching for workarounds? The answer lies in the gaps left by partial automation and complex workflows.

Why Finance Teams Step Outside NetSuite

Across the interviews, we saw the same root causes again and again:

1. Partial automation leaves gaps.

NetSuite can trigger key steps like invoice creation or payment posting, but follow-up tasks such as overdue reminders, dispute resolution, or multi-step approvals often fall outside the system. Teams default to spreadsheets to track what’s still pending. Even simple NetSuite accounts receivable (AR) automation or NetSuite accounts payable (AP) automation isn’t always fully implemented, leaving teams to fill the gaps manually.

2. Complex customization slows adoption.

To truly match a team’s workflow, NetSuite often needs tailored automation or custom records. That takes developer time or consulting dollars, which many businesses can’t justify for every process. Without embedded ERP automation, teams piece things together elsewhere.

3. Reporting that feels “just out of reach.”

Some users told us they could build the report they wanted in NetSuite, eventually. But when a deadline looms, it’s faster to dump the data into Excel or pull quick updates from email threads.

“Finding the right report is a recurring self-discovery exercise—I redo it every month.” — Controller, Waste & Recycling

4. A comfort factor that’s hard to break.

Even veteran NetSuite users revert to spreadsheets or Slack for “control.” It feels faster to color-code a cell or ping a colleague than to configure a workflow.

The Risks of Workarounds

While workarounds feel convenient in the moment, they create hidden risks that compound over time:

Version control headaches: Multiple copies of data are found living in different systems.
Data silos: Insights gained outside NetSuite often never get logged back into the ERP, leaving gaps in the official system of record.
Error creep: Manual entry and copy-paste across tools introduces inconsistencies that ripple into reports.
Audit stress: Tracking who changed what, and when, becomes difficult outside the ERP.
Cross-system drag: Even when teams get the right answer, they still waste time navigating multiple systems just to update the source of truth.

One finance leader summed it up bluntly:

“Cross-system navigation wastes time; people aren’t sure which version is the latest.” — Finance Leader, SaaS

These risks undermine the value of finance automation and ERP automation, slowing decision-making and increasing operational friction.

Closing the Gap With Embedded Automation

The solution isn’t to ban spreadsheets or Slack. Rather, it's to enable cross-system orchestration so teams can work wherever they're most productive. That's exactly what Legion’s NetSuite AI delivers.

Legion connects NetSuite to your broader finance stack, Salesforce, Jira, Drive, Slack, and more, so you can work in your preferred tools while workflows execute automatically across all systems.

AR automation: Trigger email reminders, create Salesforce tasks, send Slack notifications, and sync updates back to NetSuite, one workflow across multiple systems.
AP automation: Flag pending approvals, route notifications via Slack or email, and update payment status across NetSuite and connected tools automatically.
Cross-system visibility: Access AR, AP, and account data from NetSuite, Salesforce, and Drive in one unified view, wherever you're working.
Orchestrated workflows: Identify exceptions like disputes or short-pays and trigger resolution workflows that span NetSuite, CRM, ticketing, and collaboration tools.

When workflows span your entire stack automatically, you reduce risk, improve accuracy, and give your team back hours each week.

From Quick Wins to Enterprise Orchestration

Most teams start with Legion to solve a specific pain point: faster collections, cleaner reconciliations, or shorter close cycles. Legion's prebuilt workflows deliver immediate results, deployed in under 30 days.

But Legion isn't just a NetSuite add-on, it's an agent orchestration platform that scales from AR/AP quick wins to enterprise-wide automation. As your needs evolve, expand to custom workflows that orchestrate actions across finance, sales, operations, and more, all with the same security and governance trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Why This Matters

Spreadsheets, chats, and side channels aren't a sign of laziness, they're a sign that teams need orchestration across their tools, not just better features in one system. Legion closes that gap by connecting NetSuite to your broader finance stack, enabling workflows that span multiple systems while maintaining governance, audit trails, and data integrity across all platforms.

We're so confident, we guarantee 25% faster workflows in 90 days or refund your fees.¹ Request a demo of Legion for NetSuite to see how you can spend less time in workarounds, and more time moving your business forward.

More AI for NetSuite Resources

^{¹ 25% workflow improvement guarantee applies to prebuilt Legion finance workflows (e.g., invoice lookup, reminder email drafting, Salesforce task creation, cross-system account views). Based on time saved vs. manual execution within NetSuite and connected systems. Results may vary depending on adoption and configuration. Refund eligibility requires completion of standard Legion implementation and training. Refund requests must be submitted in writing within 90 days of contract start date.}