How Sequence Automates Finances as a Growing Startup

Sequence

July 28, 2025

📊 100% automated vendor payments

⏳ Hours of manual tracking eliminated

📈 Full visibility into budget allocation

🎯 Streamlined accounting with QuickBooks integration

Before Sequence, I managed everything in an annoying Excel sheet—tracking invoices, due dates, and budget allocations manually. Now, vendor payments, budget distribution, and expense tracking happen automatically. Liza, Head of Operations at Sequence

THE CHALLENGE

Managing Investment Capital & Vendor Payments

Unlike traditional businesses that generate revenue monthly, Sequence operates using both cash flow and investment capital. This creates a unique financial challenge:

Key Financial Challenges:

Managing lump-sum investment funds while ensuring smooth monthly cash flow
Tracking & paying vendors manually via Excel spreadsheets
Allocating budgets across multiple departments with detailed subcategories
Reducing friction between finance and accounting teams

Before Sequence, I had a massive spreadsheet tracking every vendor invoice. Twice a week, I had to check which payments were due, verify amounts, and manually process each one. It was frustrating and time-consuming. Liza

THE SOLUTION

How Sequence Automates Financial Flow with Sequence

By using Sequence internally, the team completely automated their financial operations, replacing spreadsheets with real-time visibility and control.

How Sequence Uses Sequence:

‍‍Master Account for Budgeting

One central account where monthly operating funds are pulled in
Funds allocated automatically to departmental budgets (Sales, Marketing, R&D, etc.)
Specialized “pods” for subcategories (e.g., separate budgets for contractors, software, and legal expenses)

Automated Vendor Management

Rules-based payments ensure vendors are paid on time
If an invoice amount changes, a simple adjustment updates the payment
Eliminates manual invoice tracking and due date reminders

Budget Visualization & Control

Real-time breakdown of spending across departments
Separate pods for recurring expenses vs. discretionary spending
Simplifies financial reporting and forecasting

Streamlined Accounting & QuickBooks Integration

Each pod name matches QuickBooks categories, reducing back-and-forth with accountants
Drastically fewer “What was this expense for?” emails each month

Now, all I have to do is scan my ‘To Pay’ Gmail folder twice a month, verify payments ran, and move invoices to ‘Paid.’ That’s it. What used to take hours now takes minutes. Liza

THE RESULTS

A Fully Automated Finance System

Using Sequence to manage Sequence’s finances has transformed operations:

‍Financial Impact:

100% of vendor payments automated—no more manual tracking
Zero missed payments—rules ensure invoices are paid on time
Seamless budget allocation across multiple departments

Time & Efficiency Gains:

Eliminated hours of spreadsheet tracking & manual payment processing
Finance & accounting collaboration simplified—fewer questions, faster reconciliation
Real-time visibility into where money is allocated and spent

Our accountant loves Sequence. They no longer need to ask me where expenses belong—each pod name tells them exactly what category it falls under. Liza

‍Key Metrics Summary

⏳ Hours saved each week—No more manual tracking of vendor payments
📊 100% of invoices automated—Payments run on time, every time
🎯 Instant budget allocation—No more surprises at the end of the month

Building While Using: The Ultimate Product Test

Sequence isn’t just building an automated finance platform—it’s living in it every day. Using Sequence internally has exposed key improvement areas, like enhancing the activity log and analytics features.

How Sequence Uses Sequence: Automating our Finances as a Growing Startup