CFO Insights Report: How finance leaders manage spend during volatility

When economic conditions shift fast, the instinct is to cut broadly. But new SAP Concur CFO Insights research of 400 finance leaders across eight countries tells a different story. Just 24% are focused on proactive cost reduction — while 52% are prioritizing enhanced market monitoring, 46% are deepening scenario planning, and 42% are investing in advanced technology including AI and automation. The data is clear: visibility and adaptability are the first line of defense, not the budget axe.

What finance leaders are doing in response to economic volatility

Finance leaders’ top three responses to fast-changing conditions are greater market monitoring (52%), more detailed scenario planning (46%), and investment in AI and automation (42%). Proactive cost reduction ranks fourth at just 24%, and budget tightening falls even lower at 19%—a strong signal that finance leaders are prioritizing infrastructure to adapt over blunt cost control.

Looking ahead, if external volatility continues, 52% plan to expand scenario planning, 47% aim to improve real-time spend visibility, and 43% intend to shorten their planning and forecasting cycles. The emphasis is consistent: build the capacity to respond quickly and precisely — not cut broadly and correct later.

SAP Concur gives finance teams the real-time visibility, automated controls, and integrated spend data needed to act on these priorities — enabling accurate forecasting and faster decision-making without relying on month-end reporting.

How adaptive finance leaders protect critical investment

SAP Concur research distinguishes two groups of finance leaders: "reactive" leaders, who have adopted one strategy for managing disruption, and "adaptive" leaders, who have adopted five or more. The gap in investment protection between these groups is consistent and significant.

Investment areas finance leaders plan to protect:

• Cybersecurity controls: 88% of adaptive leaders plan to protect, vs 65% of reactive leaders
• AI and automation: 74% vs 63%
• Product or service innovation: 72% vs 60%
• Workforce and talent investment: 60% vs 46%
• Growth initiatives: 60% vs 49%

The pattern is striking: a broader response to disruption corresponds with a broader view of what deserves protection. Adaptive leaders treat these investments as a connected portfolio — each serving a different strategic purpose, from cybersecurity for control and resilience to innovation for future commercial opportunity.

Preparing for harder decisions ahead

Two in five finance leaders expect balancing cost reduction with growth investment to become harder in 2027. Nearly as many (39%) find it difficult to determine which investments to protect, pause, or reduce.

Finance leaders who treat decision-making as a repeatable, evidence-based process — requiring stated assumptions for major allocation choices, reviewing outcomes, and creating clear routes for challenge and reversal — are better positioned to navigate these trade-offs with consistency and confidence.

Download the report

Read the full SAP Concur CFO Pulse 2026 to explore how 400 finance leaders across eight countries are navigating economic volatility through smarter spend strategies, scenario planning, and targeted investment protection.