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Overview
What is BlackLine?
BlackLine automates the the processes required to finalize periodic closing of the books. Beyond close/reconciliation management the product includes capabilities to enhance the management and control of financial processes throughout the accounting cycle.In October 2020, BlackLine acquired Rimilia, an AR…
Recent Reviews
How BlackLine Differs From Its Competitors
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Popular Features
- Multi-currency management (28)8.989%
- Customizable Workflows (35)8.989%
- Detailed Audit Trails (51)8.686%
- Journal entries and reports (41)8.484%
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Digital Delivery Manager Finance
Coca Cola Hellenic (Consumer Goods, 10,001+ employees)
Pricing
N/A
Unavailable
What is BlackLine?
BlackLine automates the the processes required to finalize periodic closing of the books. Beyond close/reconciliation management the product includes capabilities to enhance the management and control of financial processes throughout the accounting cycle. In October 2020, BlackLine acquired…
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What is BlackLine?
BlackLine automates the the processes required to finalize periodic closing of the books. Beyond close/reconciliation management the product includes capabilities to enhance the management and control of financial processes throughout the accounting cycle.
In October 2020, BlackLine acquired Rimilia, an AR automation solution. Rimilia's capabilities are now part of the BlackLine platform.
In October 2020, BlackLine acquired Rimilia, an AR automation solution. Rimilia's capabilities are now part of the BlackLine platform.
BlackLine Features
Consolidation and Close Features
- Supported: Financial data consolidation
- Supported: Journal entries and reports
- Supported: Multi-currency management
- Supported: Detailed Audit Trails
- Supported: Reconciliation Automation
- Supported: Close Checklist
- Supported: Customizable Workflows
Additional Features
- Supported: Intercompany Non-Trade
- Supported: Intercompany Balance & Resolve
- Supported: Intercompany Net & Settle
- Supported: Compliance
- Supported: Financial Reporting Analytics
BlackLine Videos
BlackLine Introduction
BlackLine Competitors
BlackLine Technical Details
| Deployment Types | Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
| Mobile Application | Apple iOS, Android |
Frequently Asked Questions
FloQast, Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management, and Adra by Trintech are common alternatives for BlackLine.
Reviewers rate Multi-currency management and Customizable Workflows highest, with a score of 8.9.
The most common users of BlackLine are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Reviews and Ratings
(319)Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-4 of 4)Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
We implemented BlackLine in May 2017 after a significant deficiency in our Account Recs. We also wanted better clarity on the monthly, quarterly, and annual close and automation of our prepaid and other JEs. The initial installation included Account Reconciliations, Tasks, and Journal Entries. BlackLine made a huge impact in those areas within the first six months.
- The ability to determine which reconciliations should be auto-certified and the reasoning behind the decision.
- Prepaid reconciliations and automation of the monthly journal entries.
- Creation of automated journal entries from banking data in a high-volume environment.
- Decertification of completed reconciliations when GL balances change and the communication of such.
- Importing set up data for automated journal entries is missing. When ADJs are similar you have to go through the entire setup of each.
- Could use a daily summary e-mail to notify the status of month-end close combining separate areas of function.
- The user interface is wasting a tremendous amount of space for users with wide-screen monitors. Scrolling is a constant within the system.
- Some tasks are to perform journal entries (even automated) so a link between the two would help rather than certifying in separate places.
- Account Reconciliations
- Automated Journal Entries
- Transaction Matching
- Tasks
- Reporting
- Timeliness of the close process and certification mitigating deficiencies.
- Time-saving of prepaid reconciliations adding new items and the creation of monthly automated journals flowing back into the accounting system.
- Performing daily bank reconciliations with matched transactions saving two days over the previous manual process.
- Knowing that the organization is on the same page on how processes within BlackLine are being performed.
We did not evaluate other products when implementing BlackLine. The decision was made primarily by our Financial Controller who used BlackLine at a previous company.
20
Primarily accounting. Anyone who performs or reviews a rec, task, or journal.
2
The Director of Financial Systems is the subject matter expert for BlackLine and we identified one of our Financial Controller as the champion. Those roles are responsible for making BlackLine a success in the organization by making sure training and support are available and that the system is used to its fullest.
- Solving a previous significant deficiency
- Getting a handle on the close process and the ability to summarize and report the flow.
- Saving users time by automation
- Auto-certification of reconciliations where the balance is zero or did not change.
- Utilizing external data to automate journal entries.
- Variance module
- Additional automation of journals using data from front-end systems.
No
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
- Prior Experience with the Product
The most important factor was that our Financial Controller previously used BlackLine and raved about what it could do for our organization. She wasn't wrong - the return within the first year saved countless hours and gave us confidence that our close process was secure.
In retrospect, I would have reviewed other products that could have made the timing longer but we were in a hurry to mitigate a significant deficiency.
- Implemented in-house
Yes
We initially implemented account reconciliations and tasks to mitigate a significant deficiency and then moved on to journals. After a few years which were impacted by the COVID shutdown, we started using transaction matching.
Change management was minimal
- Determining how we wanted the system set up and the process flow within the organization.
- Determining the level of the accounts that we wanted to reconcile. We have multiple dimensions flowing in our ERP so we settled on the Company and Account for rec purposes.
- Evaluating what we wanted to list in our Task module. We found that the checklist used by our SEC team for their flow did not function well and kept the entire checklist as one task within BlackLine.
- Online Training
We purchased premium support to make sure as we added more functionality to the BlackLine system we had the availability of all of their online training and direct support when we needed it.
Yes
We found an issue when importing data for our bank transaction matching testing. The issue was identifying and solved with three to four days and did not hold up our process.
During the COVID shutdown, BlackLine made sure that the staff we retained were provided unlimited training through their support center which included online training and virtual one-on-one training. This was extremely unexpected during a time when we weren't sure whether or not our Vendors could perform at the same level during the shutdown.
- Certifying reconciliations, tasks, or journal entries.
- Writing useful reports from the internal report writer.
- Running automated journal entries.
- Setting up automated journal entries from matching data.
- Initial set up of the BlackLine system and importing of general ledger data.
Yes, but I don't use it
May 20, 2022
BlackLine Functionality
BlackLine is currently used by our corporate team who handles all the month end entries, reconciliations, variances and misc tasks. The use of Blackline has greatly improved the efficiency of our employee's workload. It has alleviated all the manual and massive spreadsheets we used to use for our reconciliations, journals, and task lists. There is less room for error with Blackline and we no longer have manual manipulation within spreadsheets that can hide errors and/or issues.
- The community is a great place to voice your concerns about the product and suggest improvements. Blackline does actually review and listen to what its customers say.
- Blackline support is available at all hours of the day.
- My customer success rep is awesome and always available and willing to help when needed.
- Blackline restricts users from changing account balances and historical support items that lead to manipulation in reconciliations which had been an issue with our previous excel version.
- Variance analysis is not as easy to maneuver around with teams and the dashboard. It should have the same feature as other modules.
- Variance analysis could be improved to group comparison periods year over year. This is the main way our company looks at variances.
- Within journals it would be nice if you could insert line items where you want then in the entry versus being forced to add a new line at the bottom. It would also be nice if the journals could be organized how we want them versus sorting. When using journal masters the lines can change from month to month.
- There should be an option to be able to link up an ADJ to a task.
- The reliable control structure that restricts a preparer from approver their own work.
- The audit trail function.
- The efficiency and reliability of the reconciliations.
- The visibility of work that is completed and still open to be completed.
- Blackline allows for us to reconcile accounts daily
- Blackline allows for us to track our tasks daily to stay on top of reporting
- Blackline has restricted users from manipulating balances and support
We have not used other products to be able to do a comparison
81
A combination of all modules from preparer, approver, review, CFO, business admin, and system admin.
4
Knowledge of the company and the product
- Reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts
- Tasks to track our monthly entries and things that need done
- Journals
- Automated journal definitions were a great way to save time
- The amortizable schedule has been a great feature that solved our manual process that had flaws.
- Possible use of the intercompany hub
No
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
We started with reconciliations and the features of how the product was going to automate many of our many processes, create efficiency and alleviate errors.
Nothing would change
- Implemented in-house
No
- Setting up the structure of our gl accounts
- Intercompany account structure
No we did not.
Yes
For one situation yes and for the other one no.
The support team was great in the first few years we started with the company. Each person was helpful and felt like they understood the products. They were able to resolve every issue we had timely. Within about the last 3 years the support team has drastically changed.
- Tasks are the easiest module to use
- The period selection, personal layout and profile setting are nice features were they are set up.
- Variances are always the top of the list of being cumbersome for users and admin to set them up and maintain.
- The new menu bar to the left was a big mistake and very annoying with the location.
Yes
I have not used it but from what I hear it is not very easy to use.
January 25, 2022
Automation, Transparency, Accuracy and Controllable
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
My A&F teams have been using BlackLine for Account Reconciliation, Journal Entries, and Task Management for a little more than three years. It saves us tremendous time during the closing period, more accuracy, transparency and control. The experience I have had with BlackLine implementation consultants and BlackLine support team are remarkable.
- Great customer review makes it easier to convince the leadership to come on board
- Great user experience makes it easier to introduce new functionality to the team
- Unfinished products makes me hope more and better
- More fields available in the reporting functionality
- More visibility on account reconciliation template
- Account Reconciliation
- Journal Entries
- Matching
- Posting impact: streamlining
- Reporting impact: auto update with jobs
We are currently using AuditBoard over BlackLine Compliance. It is mainly due to Compliance was introduced to us after AuditBoard was already been implimented and used.
60
Accounting
2
problem solver, can navigate well with system, not an IT but more technical than most business persons.
- Reconciling balance sheet accounts
- Prepare journal entries with account validation rule, so no incorrect GL account should be posted to.
- Approval workflow assures every transactions are properly approved.
- Different journal templates assign to different users so they can use different accounting rules.
- We will utilize matching product to reconcile all other heavy load accounts.
No
- Product Features
- Product Usability
NA
I might try to negotiate the pricing to not be charged by user or to have free access to read-only user.
- Implemented in-house
No
Change management was a minor issue with the implementation
I would spend more time in helping each team choosing right template for their account reconciliation, and given more convincing reason to stop them from relying on excel template.
- Changing the specification because the changes made in the organization.
I do not know of premium support, but the current support I have is very efficient to what I need.
Yes
They inform me about the next release date that will fix the bug, and it did get fixed at the time they committed.
During the implementation of journal entries, the implementation consultant were able to work during non-business hours to meet our go-live date.
- account reconciliation
- Task
- Journal entries
- matching
Yes
The mobile didn't work at all. This is the only case I requested that Blackline were able to resolved. However, they will have a new mobile interface coming soon. So, I'm hoping that it will work well.
September 18, 2019
BlackLine brings Benefits
BlackLIne is being used globally for Reconciliations and Journals
- Ease of Navigation
- Enables Standardization
- Enables Centralization
- Audit trails of account settings
- Audit trails for table imports
- Journals user access setup should be integrated into User Grid
- Centralization
- standardization
- Visibility to data
None
3300
Global Finance
200
Knowledge of Local Finance
- auto certify inventory
- auto certify bank reconcilations
- auto certify fixed assets
- SOX signoffs by setting up zero balance reconciliations
- visibility of reconciliation numbers worldwide
- visibility of Journal entry number worldwide
- Transaction matching
- IC Hub
- Tasks
No
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
n/a
- Third-party professional services
used KPMG for initial POC for reconcilaitons, then implemented in house
used Deloitte for initial POC for Journals, then implemented in house
used Deloitte for initial POC for Journals, then implemented in house
Yes
Change management was minimal
- new way of working
Yes
Yes
many during Journals implementation. Great response with Implementations consultant
Jaime Pelaez provides exceptional support at all times !
- certification workflow
- attachments
- comments
- validation table loads for Journals user setup
Yes
only works for approval of reconciliations right now- they need to expand this