On August 25th, our User Group hosted an interactive networking session about how automation has empowered finance teams, particularly through citizen development. Logan Price, one of our MVP’s, shared his unique journey from accountant to citizen developer, highlighting how automation transformed his role and department at Range Resources.

At Range Resources, a natural gas production company, Logan and his team have embraced automation to tackle repetitive finance tasks saving nearly 1,000 hours annually across roughly 60 automated processes. From bank reconciliations to invoice coding, automation has freed the team to focus on higher-value work like data analysis and decision making.

What stood out most was their citizen developer-led approach. Instead of relying heavily on IT, finance professionals build and maintain the automations themselves. This lean team of 10, supported by one full-time bot developer, moves quickly and efficiently. New team members train through the Automation Anywhere University courses and hands-on sessions, creating a sustainable learning culture.

Logan shared how their automation tools integrate with legacy ERP systems through terminal commands, as well as Excel and PDF workflows. They are currently preparing to transition to a modern browser-based ERP, and are confident their automation strategy will adapt smoothly.

While formal ROI tracking is still evolving, Logan is building dashboards to visualize bot performance, hours saved, and overall program health, helping the team demonstrate the tangible benefits of their work.

Looking ahead, Logan offered a thoughtful perspective on AI’s role in finance. Though cautious adopters, they are exploring AI’s potential to assist with tax code interpretation, compliance, invoice processing, and predictive budgeting areas where AI can enhance human expertise.

Logan also shared a fun personal automation project: integrating a baby camera app into Google Home to simplify family life. It was a reminder that automation skills can add value beyond the office.

Are you ready to take the next step on your automation journey?