Client Snapshot
An investment management company is a $100M private equity fund based in the Midwest. With just five staff managing ten active portfolio investments, the team prided itself on lean operations. However, as the fund grew, so did the complexity of its reporting and compliance requirements. The CFO and partners were spending countless nights preparing board materials, financial reports, and audit documentation.
The Challenge
Board reporting and audit preparation consumed weeks of the small team’s time. Data was scattered across Outlook, SharePoint, QuickBooks, and Excel files. The CFO often worked late into the night consolidating information, only to find errors or inconsistencies at the last minute. Audit readiness was a recurring pain point, requiring additional hours of reconciliation and cross-checking.
Beyond compliance, the lack of centralized data visibility slowed decision-making. The partners lacked real-time insights into portfolio performance, cash flow, and risk exposure. This reactive approach threatened both operational efficiency and investor confidence.
The Solution
BA3 AI deployed ATLAS, the Business Assistant Room. The initial deployment was completed in under two weeks, with a full rollout over 90 days. ATLAS was tailored for Summit’s workflows, integrating with Outlook, SharePoint, and QuickBooks to create a unified AI-powered assistant.
Delivered as an all-inclusive package, ATLAS combined software, managed services, 20 hours of monthly AI consulting, and ongoing enhancements. Key capabilities included:
- Automated board pack generation with accurate financials and commentary.
- AI-powered search across emails, financial documents, and contracts.
- Pre-built audit templates that flagged missing documentation.
- Natural language queries to instantly answer questions on portfolio data.
Implementation Journey
ATLAS was rolled out in four agile sprints:
- Sprint 1 (Weeks 1–2): Integrated Outlook and SharePoint, indexing historical correspondence and documents.
- Sprint 2 (Weeks 3–4): Automated monthly financial reporting with QuickBooks integration.
- Sprint 3 (Weeks 5–6): Enabled AI-powered portfolio Q&A and compliance-ready document search.
- Sprint 4 (Weeks 7–8): Implemented automated audit checklists and dashboards.
The CFO prioritized audit automation first to relieve immediate pain points. BA3 AI’s managed services team supported adoption and tailored the system for investor and auditor requirements.
The Results & Benefits
Within the first year, ATLAS delivered measurable impact:
| Metric | Before ATLAS | After ATLAS | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Audit preparation |
3 weeks |
1.5 weeks |
50% faster |
|
Team capacity |
5 staff |
Equivalent of 12 staff |
Scaled output |
|
ROI |
_ |
10x in first year |
High return |
|
Decision-making speed |
Reactive |
Real-time insights |
Proactive management |
Beyond efficiency gains, the partners reported improved confidence in their data and better preparedness for investor discussions. Auditors praised the fund for being ‘audit-ready’ with minimal back-and-forth.
Testimonial
“ATLAS transformed the way we operate. What used to take weeks of late nights now takes days, and we know the information is accurate. It’s like doubling our staff without adding headcount. For the first time, we’re ahead of the curve on audits and board prep.” – CFO at a Private Equity Firm
Looking Ahead
The company plans to expand ATLAS with:
- Predictive analytics for portfolio performance and valuation.
- Automated investor reporting tailored to LP requirements.
- Compliance workflows to streamline SOC1 and SOC2 readiness.
With monthly enhancements included, ATLAS will continue to evolve alongside the fund’s operations and investor expectations.
