Rethinking ACFR: how Strada is simplifying Public Sector reporting
If you work in public sector finance, you already know that Automated Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) prep is anything but simple. Each year, teams across government agencies and municipalities invest hundreds of hours gathering data, formatting pages, checking for compliance, and reconciling version after version of the same report.
It’s time-consuming, complicated, and often full of friction. At Strada, we believe it doesn’t have to be. We’re not just automating ACFR prep. We’re rethinking the entire approach.
The status quo: Complex, manual, and risk-prone
Despite being a recurring responsibility, ACFR prep often feels like reinventing the wheel. It relies on:
- Manual data pulls across disconnected system
- Spreadsheets and Word docs that require constant formatting
- Long email threads to track down the right version or get last-minute updates
- Rigid timelines that leave no room for error
All of that effort is happening in silos. And it’s happening every single year.
A better way forward for ACFR
At Strada, we set out to fix this. We asked: What if public sector teams could manage their entire ACFR process in one place? What if formatting, version control, and compliance checks were already built in?
That’s exactly what we delivered with Automated ACFR, a new Built on Workday app launching in late summer 2025.
A more connected, less complicated ACFR
Our approach puts everything under one roof—inside Workday—so finance teams can work smarter and move faster.
Here’s how we’re simplifying the ACFR process:
- Automated formatting: GFOA-ready templates remove the need for endless adjustments and make award submission easier.
- Live data pulls: Real-time financial and statistical data from Workday and Adaptive
- Status tracking and version control: Teams always know what stage they’re in and which version is the most current.
- A centralized workspace: Everything needed for ACFR prep; data, formatting, collaboration, and visibility lives in one place.
The impact: Less time, less stress, more confidence
By reducing manual steps and bringing the full process into Workday, we’re helping public sector teams reclaim valuable time, improve accuracy, and get reports out the door with less stress.
Our users are seeing up to:
- 80% faster ACFR prep time
- 50% less manual effort
- Up to $160K in potential annual savings
Where we're headed with ACFR
Automated ACFR is just the start. We’re continuing to invest in simplifying government finance work with automation and intelligence that helps teams move forward with confidence.
Want to see how it works? Contact us to learn more.