BlackLine Functionality
Updated May 20, 2022
BlackLine Functionality
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with BlackLine
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
Do you think BlackLine delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with BlackLine's feature set?
Yes
Did BlackLine live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of BlackLine go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy BlackLine again?
Yes
Using BlackLine
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
Evaluating BlackLine and Competitors
- 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
BlackLine Implementation
- Implemented in-house
- Setting up the structure of our gl accounts
- Intercompany account structure
BlackLine Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
None | Slow Resolution Poor followup Less knowledgeable Problems left unsolved Escalation required Difficult to get immediate help Need to explain problems multiple times Support doesn't seem to care Slow Initial Response |
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.
Using BlackLine
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | None |
- 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.