--- name: finance-process-maturity-scorer description: "Scores a described finance or accounting process against a 1–5 maturity scale across four dimensions — people, process, data, and technology — with a per-dimension score, an overall weighted maturity level, evidence-based justification, and ranked next-level improvement actions. Use when assessing the maturity of a close, AP, AR, reconciliation, FP&A, or other finance process, benchmarking process maturity before a transformation, or building a roadmap to advance a finance function to the next stage." argument-hint: "[process-name] [current-state]" allowed-tools: ["Read"] --- # Finance Process Maturity Scorer ## Purpose Score a specific finance or accounting process against a defined 1–5 maturity scale across people, process, data, and technology — producing a defensible per-dimension score, a weighted overall level, and a ranked set of next-level improvements. Replaces subjective "we're pretty manual" self-assessments with a structured diagnostic that supports transformation prioritization and executive buy-in. ## When to Use Invoke this skill when the user asks to: - Assess the maturity of a finance process (month-end close, AP, AR, reconciliations, FP&A, treasury, expense management) - Benchmark current-state process maturity before a systems or transformation project - Justify investment in automation or a new finance tool with a maturity gap analysis - Build a roadmap for advancing a process from its current stage to the next level - Compare maturity across multiple finance processes to decide where to focus first - Prepare a maturity summary for a controller, CFO, or steering committee ## Inputs Required Before starting, collect: - **Process being scored**: The specific finance process (e.g., "month-end close," "3-way match AP," "bank reconciliation") - **Current-state description**: How the process runs today — steps, handoffs, tools, and where manual effort concentrates - **Team and roles**: Who performs the work, headcount, skill level, and reliance on key individuals - **Systems and tools in use**: ERP, spreadsheets, RPA, close-management or reconciliation software, integrations - **Data situation**: Where data lives, how it's entered, error/rework rate, and how reconciled it is across sources - **Key pain points**: Known bottlenecks, cycle time, error frequency, audit findings - **Target ambition** (optional): Desired maturity level or timeframe for improvement If team detail or data specifics are missing, score conservatively based on what the current-state description implies and flag the assumption. ## Instructions ### Step 1: Establish the Maturity Scale Score every dimension against this 5-level scale. Anchor each score to observable evidence in the current-state description — not aspiration. - **Level 1 — Manual/Fragmented**: Ad-hoc, undocumented, spreadsheet-driven, person-dependent. High rework and firefighting. - **Level 2 — Defined/Reactive**: Documented steps exist but execution is inconsistent. Some standardization, still heavily manual. - **Level 3 — Standardized/Controlled**: Consistent, repeatable process with controls, checklists, and defined ownership. Partial automation. - **Level 4 — Integrated/Automated**: Systems connected, automated workflows, exception-based handling, near-real-time data. Metrics tracked. - **Level 5 — Optimized/Intelligent**: Continuous improvement, predictive/AI-assisted, self-monitoring controls, minimal human touch on routine work. ### Step 2: Score the People Dimension Evaluate skills, ownership, and dependency risk. - **Signals to assess**: Clear role ownership vs. hero dependence; cross-training and coverage; skill level (data entry vs. analysis vs. process design); capacity spent on manual work vs. value-add. - **Anchor the score**: Level 1 = one person "knows how it works"; Level 3 = documented roles and backup coverage; Level 5 = team focused on analysis and improvement, routine work offloaded. - Assign a 1–5 score with a 2–3 sentence justification citing the current-state evidence. ### Step 3: Score the Process Dimension Evaluate documentation, standardization, controls, and cycle time. - **Signals to assess**: Documented and followed procedures; standardization across periods/entities; embedded controls and approvals; cycle time and rework rate; exception handling. - **Anchor the score**: Level 1 = ad-hoc, undocumented; Level 3 = checklists, defined controls, repeatable; Level 5 = exception-based, continuously refined, self-monitoring. - Assign a 1–5 score with a 2–3 sentence justification. ### Step 4: Score the Data Dimension Evaluate data quality, integration, and reconciliation. - **Signals to assess**: Single source of truth vs. scattered spreadsheets; manual re-keying vs. automated flow; error/exception rate; reconciliation timeliness; auditability and traceability. - **Anchor the score**: Level 1 = data re-keyed across disconnected spreadsheets; Level 3 = defined sources with periodic reconciliation; Level 5 = integrated, validated, near-real-time, self-reconciling. - Assign a 1–5 score with a 2–3 sentence justification. ### Step 5: Score the Technology Dimension Evaluate the tooling stack and its usage. - **Signals to assess**: ERP utilization vs. spreadsheet workarounds; workflow automation; specialized tooling (reconciliation, close, AP automation); integration between systems; use of RPA/AI. - **Anchor the score**: Level 1 = spreadsheets and email; Level 3 = ERP used with some automation; Level 5 = integrated stack with intelligent automation and monitoring. - Assign a 1–5 score with a 2–3 sentence justification. ### Step 6: Calculate the Overall Maturity Level - Weight the four dimensions equally by default (25% each) unless the user specifies priorities. - Report the weighted average to one decimal (e.g., 2.5) and map it to the nearest named level with a one-line interpretation. - Identify the **lowest-scoring dimension** as the primary constraint — the maturity of a process is often gated by its weakest link. ### Step 7: Recommend Next-Level Improvements For each dimension, specify what it takes to advance exactly one level — not a leap to Level 5. - Provide 2–3 concrete actions per dimension, written as specific moves (e.g., "Document the close checklist with owner and due-time per task"), not goals. - Rank all recommendations across dimensions into a **Top 5 priority list**, ordered by impact-to-effort, leading with the primary constraint dimension. - For each top action, note the dimension it advances and the maturity level it moves toward. ## Output Format - **Structure**: Scorecard table first, then per-dimension narrative, then overall level, then ranked improvements - **Length**: 700–1,000 words - **Format**: A summary scorecard table (Dimension | Score 1–5 | Level Name | One-line rationale), followed by structured narrative sections - **Sections**: Maturity Scorecard (table) → Per-Dimension Assessment (People, Process, Data, Technology) → Overall Maturity Level → Primary Constraint → Next-Level Improvements by Dimension → Top 5 Priority Actions - **Tone**: Controller-to-controller — precise, evidence-based, non-flattering. Calls out the weakest link plainly. ## Quality Checklist Before delivering output, verify: - [ ] All four dimensions (People, Process, Data, Technology) receive a numeric 1–5 score - [ ] Each score is justified with evidence drawn from the provided current-state description, not generic assumptions - [ ] The overall weighted maturity level is calculated and mapped to a named level - [ ] The lowest-scoring dimension is explicitly named as the primary constraint - [ ] Every improvement recommendation advances a dimension exactly one level and is a concrete action, not a goal - [ ] The Top 5 priority list is ranked by impact-to-effort, not listed arbitrarily ## Notes - A process is only as mature as its weakest dimension — a Level 4 technology stack undermined by Level 1 data quality is functionally a Level 1 process. Weight the primary constraint accordingly in recommendations. - Resist score inflation. If the description says "mostly in spreadsheets with a monthly reconciliation," that is Level 2–3, not 4, regardless of how disciplined the team is. - Advancing one level at a time is the realistic path; skipping levels usually fails because the underlying discipline (documentation, controls) hasn't been built. - When multiple processes are scored in sequence, the primary-constraint pattern often repeats — flag any dimension that scores low across processes as a function-wide investment priority. --- ## How to use this skill This file is a Claude Code skill in [Anthropic's standard format](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/skills) — markdown with YAML frontmatter at the top. **Installing in Claude Code:** - `~/.claude/skills//SKILL.md` — auto-loads in every session anywhere on your machine (recommended for skills you'll use across multiple projects) - `/.claude/skills//SKILL.md` — auto-loads only when working in that project (recommended for project-specific skills) Restart Claude Code or open a new session to register. **Using in Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI tools:** 1. 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