As corporate and government organizations battle the current economic crisis, the finance department holds the keys to controlling costs, assessing performance, managing risks and compliance obligations, and forecasting expected results. At the heart of the finance command center is the accounting system, a core transactional hub and system of record for the business. This essential business application is often the foundation of a broader enterprise resource planning (ERP) strategy, but it is also deployed as an independent component in some organizations that are not a natural fit for ERP. Optimizing the related accounting processes and systems integration will serve finance organizations well as they look to deliver more timely results to assess profitability, control costs, and conserve cash in this challenging economic environment.