Tech news: Makosi rolls out EBP Eddy, AI agent built specifically for EBP audits

Tech news: Makosi rolls out AI agent for EBP audits

Published May 16, 2025 11:16 AM

Updated May 16, 2025 1:16 PM

1 Min Read

Makosi rolls out AI agent built specifically for EBP audits; OneStream announces new AI agents, other solutions; Suralink rolls out request-to-test solution; and other accounting tech news and updates.

Makosi rolls out EBP Eddy, AI agent built specifically for EBP audits

Elevated View Of Robotic Hand Examining Financial Data With Magnifying Glass

Andrey Popov/stock.adobe.com

Makosi, an accounting and auditing solutions provider, announced the launch of its patent-pending AI agent EBP Eddy, made specifically for employee benefit plan audits. Makosi trained the generative AI agent on thousands of hours of technical training, regulatory information, industry best practices, and Makosi's Center of Excellence methodology. This enables EBP Eddy to function as a coach, copilot and creator. The AI helps users onboard new team members, answers EBP-related questions, and supports ongoing development, which is meant to be especially helpful for those new to EBP auditing; works alongside Makosi's auditors in real-time, offering contextual support such as help with working paper preparation, highlighting exceptions, validating completeness, drafting follow-up emails and sampling assistance; and builds efficiencies by assisting with data standardization, performing routine testing, and completing first-pass reviews of workpapers. Eddy is trained using Makosi's proprietary audit methodology, operates securely inside the firm's systems, and communicates via Teams, email, and voice. Built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure, the AI is ISO27001 certified and GDPR compliant. The solution does not require implementation, nor does it require firms to change systems, retrain staff, or manage another platform. It is already part of Makosi's delivery model.

OneStream announces new AI agents, AI studio, AI forecast, AI reconciliation solutions

The OneStream logo is displayed on a mobile phone in an arranged photo

Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg

Corporate accounting solutions provider OneStream announced the release of SensibleAI Agents, SensibleAI Studio and SensibleAI Account Reconciliations and the most advanced SensibleAI Forecast.

SensibleAI Agents are AI-powered chat assistants that retrieve data, do deep analysis, visualize data and execute tasks. Embedded directly into the platform, SensibleAI Agents can be operated within OneStream workflows, data models, and security frameworks. They include a Finance Analyst Agent, which allows users to query financial data using natural language and receive real-time analysis, dashboards, and visualizations based on OneStream's financially intelligent engine; an Operations Analyst Agent, which provides on-demand access to operational and transactional data, such as inventory, transactions, and sales orders; a Search Analyst Agent which searches across enterprise documents, platform guides, and any unstructured data to transform information accessibility with source transparency; and a Deep Analysis Agent, which processes large volumes of documents to answer high-stakes, high-complexity questions.

SensibleAI Studio is a growing library of more than 30 plug-and-play, quantitative and generative AI routines that users can activate within the OneStream platform or directly through APIs. Users can explore and analyze data in plain language and streamline reporting, reconciliation, and decision-making. Additionally, SensibleAI Studio's Genesis Blocks make it easy to plug AI capabilities into new or existing workflows, all while maintaining full transparency and auditability. SensibleAI Account Reconciliations is powered by SensibleAI Studio. It allows users to leverage AI to detect anomalies and flag risks—like unusual adjustments or missing documentation—early in the close process.

Finally, SensibleAI Forecast is a no-code, AI-powered forecasting solution embedded in the OneStream platform that brings together the company's machine learning-based forecasting engine (SensibleML) with new generative capabilities that allow finance teams to quickly model different scenarios and constraints, pulling forecasts up or down. Teams can create narrative commentary that provides context behind the forecast, strengthening analysis and decision making in real time.

Suralink rolls out request-to-test solution for accountants

Onboarding concept, Wooden block on desk with onboarding icon on virtual screen.

Satori Studio - stock.adobe.com

Client collaboration platform Suralink announced the release of its new product Workpaper Suite and a collection of new AI automation and collaboration capabilities called Assessment Hub.

The Workpaper Suite is connected with the company's Request List Management solution, and brings the company's cloud platform and collaboration capabilities directly into desktop Excel. The solution provides automated document syncing between requests and workpapers to ensure workpapers have the latest client-provided information; pinned comments that can be created directly within Excel-based workpapers; cloud-based document storage so that Excel files don't crash, aren't downloaded onto desktops, and don't need to be manually deleted within each workpaper at the end of an engagement; and AI-powered document analysis.

Meanwhile, the new Assessment Hub sports new capabilities within its flagship Request List Management product, which include the ability to quickly preview and search files without downloading them so users can instantly filter for newly uploaded documents, search and highlight matched text, and navigate across requests, all in a single view; pinned comments for smarter collaboration that let users add comments and tag firm or client users directly on documents, whether they're PDFs, spreadsheets, or images; AI-powered "ask anything" search that lets users search documents using natural language queries to locate details like invoice numbers or contract terms; and an enhanced user interface.

Workpaper Suite and Assessment Hub are currently in early access and will be available for firms to start using in the next few weeks.

BlackLine expands agentic AI capabilities

Finance solutions provider BlackLine announced the continued expansion of its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, including new agents. Blackline Platform now has a Document Description Summarizer which automatically summarizes document contents to improve support and reduce compliance gaps; Financial Close now has a Journals Risk Analyser which detects anomalies in journal entries and highlights potential audit risks; Consolidation & Financial Analytics now has a Variance Automation & Footnote Generator which creates first-draft explanations for fluctuations and reporting footnotes, as well as new Summarization Agents which summarize financial statements and turn raw financial data into actionable insights for F&A teams; Intercompany now has Intercompany Predictive Guidance, which prevents intercompany transaction failures before they reach the ledger; and Invoice-to-Cash now has AR Payment Forecasting, which utilizes machine learning to precisely forecast customer payment behavior for improved cash flow accuracy.

BlackLine also announced new agents that will be rolled out in the coming months:

Matching Agents: Accelerates time-to-value, enhances accuracy and transparency in transaction matching by suggesting new, and improving existing, pass rules
Variance Anomaly Detection Agent: Automatically detects variances and outliers in real-time and suggests variance explanations
Remittance Processing: Extracts remittance data with no invoice template setup, enabling seamless cash application.
Summarization & Translation Agents: Enhances AR efficiency with AI-generated summaries and multilingual translation.

Canopy offers certifications via Canopy University

Canopy founder Kurt Avarell

Courtesy of Canopy

Accounting practice management software provider Canopy announced the launch of Canopy University, a new certification and training program designed to help customers use the Canopy platform with greater confidence and skill. Canopy University features a three-level certification program:

Level 1 – Canopy Associate Certification: Master the essentials of using Canopy for daily tasks.
Level 2 – Canopy Expert Certification: Dive deeper into advanced features and workflows.
Level 3 – Mastering Insights: Build strong reporting and data analysis skills to drive smarter firm operations.

In addition to certification, Canopy University offers several learning paths that guide users through collections of courses without formal certification:

Onboarding: Designed to align with Canopy's guided implementation process.
Admin: Focused on basic account setup and administrator-specific features.

Certified users will earn digital badges they can display on professional profiles, signaling their expertise with the Canopy platform. Canopy University is available now. Customers can access certifications and learning paths directly from the Canopy platform.

Avalara announces CRUSH tour dates

Scott McFarlane, chief executive officer of Avalara Inc., center, points to a monitor during the company's initial public offering (IPO) on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., on Friday, June 15, 2018. U.S. stocks fell and bonds surged as President Donald Trump moved the country closer to a trade war with China, while investors weighed diverging monetary policies from the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Tax solutions provider Avalara announced CRUSH on Tour, a new, free, one-day event series bringing Avalara's latest innovations directly to customers. The series debuts in Chicago on June 18 and New York City on June 26, with additional cities to follow. CRUSH on Tour is designed for professionals in finance, tax, accounting, operations, and ecommerce, offering practical insights into the future of tax automation. Each stop includes a full day of learning and networking, featuring forward-looking talks from Avalara leaders on AI, tax policy, and industry trends; candid conversations with customers and product experts; hands-on demos of Avalara's latest tools; personalized 1:1 support and tax automation guidance; BYOD training sessions for eligible attendees (All-Access Pass required); and a Networking Happy Hour. To accommodate busy professionals, each session and workshop is offered multiple times throughout the day, allowing attendees to customize their CRUSH experience. General admission is free, while a $99 All-Access Pass to CRUSH on Tour provides access to CPE-credit training workshops and hands-on sessions with Avalara experts.

American Express announces virtual card capacities

American Express Co. chip credit cards are arranged for a photograph in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Oct. 24, 2016. American Express surged the most in more than seven years after posting third-quarter profit that beat analysts' estimates and raising its full-year profit forecast. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

American Express announced that eligible small business customers (American Express Business Card Members with the Business Centurion ® Card, Business Platinum Card®, American Express® Business Gold Card, American Express® Business Green Card, Business Gold Rewards Card, Business Green Rewards Card, and The Plum Card®) can now create American Express Virtual Cards through Business Blueprint™ or their online Amex account to help with spend management and recurring supplier payments. Virtual Cards are generated with a unique security code, expiration date and customizable spend controls, offering added security and budget control. Card Members can earn Membership Rewards® on Virtual Card transactions for their associated Business Card account, with no added cost to create, no matter the quantity, just like they would with their Business Card. Once created, Business Card Members can easily review how much has been spent on their Virtual Card and on what, and when Cards will expire. Business Card Members can even have their Virtual Cards reset with adjustable spending limits and controls like reset frequency, start date and "active until" date, which is great for recurring payments.

New hires and appointments

AP automation and payment solutions provider Medius announced the appointment of Gary Hall as its Chief Product Officer (CPO). Hall joins Medius from working capital as a service provider GSCF, where he also served as Chief Product Officer. His track record includes scaling digital transformation initiatives, unlocking new revenue streams, and steering product strategy at industry innovators such as Wayfair and iRobot. Hall's extensive expertise and customer-centric approach will be instrumental in accelerating Medius' mission to empower finance teams of the future to optimize and transform spend. … Compliance solutions provider Sovos announced the appointment of Ann-Christel Graham as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Prior to joining Sovos, Graham held leadership positions at several prominent technology and ERP companies, including International Data Group (IDG), Talend, and SAP Concur.

Other news

Cross-border trade platform Ebury announced it has officially become a Certified App

Partner of business accounting software platform Xero. Through the integration, Ebury's clients across the world can now benefit from Ebury's listing within Xero bank feeds, which automatically pushes transaction data from Ebury into Xero's cloud-based accounting platform on a daily basis. … Vendor management platform Stackpack announced it has raised $6.3 million, with Freestyle Capital leading the investment, with additional participation from Elefund, Upside Partnership, Nomad Ventures, Layout Ventures, MSIV Fund and strategic angels from Intuit, Workday, Affirm, Snapdocs and xAI. Alongside its core Stack Management platform, Stackpack is now expanding beyond visibility with a second product: Requests & Approvals, currently in beta. Designed as a lightweight, affordable alternative to platforms like Zip and Coupa, it gives teams a faster way to evaluate and approve vendor requests. Over time, Stackpack also plans to help customers discover and evaluate new partners. … Business platform Xero announced that its operating revenue grew by 23% to $2.1 billion, while adjusted EBITDA grew 22% compared to FY24 to $640.6 million. Free cash flow rose $506.7 million with a margin of 24.1%, improving from 20% in the prior period. Xero believes it can both double the size of its business and deliver Rule of 40 or greater performance over time. It also seeks to balance subscriber growth and ARPU expansion.