We have automated our billing and invoicing processes using third party software, but a recent technical glitch prevented hundreds of invoices from going out, and our Head of Finance and Head of IT are blaming each other for the failure. How do we assign ultimate accountability on our Chart for automated third party systems?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When third party software or automated systems fail, you cannot allow your team to blame the technology or each other. Every tool, software platform, and automated workflow used by your business must have a single human being accountable for its performance on your Accountability Chart™.

To resolve the finger-pointing between Finance and IT, you must look at who owns the operational outcome of the process, not just the underlying code. The Head of Finance is accountable for the overall billing and invoicing function. Therefore, they must own the ultimate outcome, which is ensuring invoices are sent and payments are collected.

The Head of IT or Technology is accountable for the integration and uptime of the systems. When a glitch occurs, the Head of Finance must lead the resolution because it is their department that is failing to deliver results. They must work with the IT department to get the system fixed, but they cannot abdicate responsibility.

To prevent future conflicts, make sure your Accountability Chart™ explicitly lists system monitoring and process verification inside the relevant operational seats. The team member in the Finance seat must have a regular process to verify that the automated invoices were successfully sent. This ensures that when technology fails, your team immediately focuses on solving the issue rather than shifting blame.