BlackLine buys WiseLayer to boost AI finance agents

BlackLine has acquired New York-based WiseLayer in a deal that brings a digital workforce of artificial intelligence agents into its finance and accounting software platform.

The Los Angeles-based software provider said WiseLayer's technology focuses on complex, judgement-based finance and accounting tasks. These include areas that have traditionally required manual effort from finance teams.

BlackLine plans to embed WiseLayer's AI agents into its Verity suite. The company said this will create an AI-driven, auditable finance and accounting platform that covers more of the monthly and quarterly close cycle.

Focus on complex tasks

WiseLayer has developed AI agents that automate what it describes as higher-value work. This work often involves estimates, interpretations and approvals that sit outside routine transaction processing.

The first use cases inside BlackLine's Verity suite will focus on accruals and payroll accounting. These areas rely on recurring, judgement-based entries and adjustments that many companies still handle through spreadsheets or manual journal entries.

BlackLine said the integration will reduce risk in those processes and improve the accuracy of period-end figures. The company also expects faster close cycles once tasks move from manual handling into automated workflows.

Owen Ryan, CEO of BlackLine, said the acquisition fits the company's long-term product direction.

"We are committed to building the most intelligent platform for the Office of the CFO," said Owen Ryan, CEO, BlackLine. "By incorporating WiseLayer's AI agents into our Verity suite, we are adding significant new capabilities and value to our platform, providing customers with embedded, auditable AI. This is a key part of our vision to deliver a single, unified platform that powers the future of financial operations."

BlackLine described the WiseLayer agents as operating inside its existing system environment. The company said this will maintain an audit trail over AI-driven actions and decisions within finance workflows.

AI in the finance office

Software providers in financial close and corporate performance management have increased investment in AI. Vendors are moving beyond simple rules-based automation into systems that handle unstructured inputs and subjective decisions.

WiseLayer's approach centres on what it calls a digital workforce. This term covers AI agents that perform tasks such as preparing entries, suggesting adjustments and routing items for human review.

Josh Stein, Co-Founder and CEO of WiseLayer, said the company has focused on changing how finance teams spend their time.

"WiseLayer was founded to give finance and accounting teams their most valuable resource back: time. But it's about more than just speed; it's about enabling confidence and trust in the numbers," said Josh Stein, Co-Founder and CEO, WiseLayer. "By embedding our technology into BlackLine's market-leading platform, we can empower finance and accounting professionals to operate with a new level of assurance and focus on the strategic insights that matter most."

BlackLine said the use of AI agents will place more emphasis on review and analysis work for finance teams. Routine preparation and processing work will sit inside automated workflows under this model.

Integration plans

The WiseLayer technology will become part of BlackLine's Verity suite. The Verity suite focuses on financial close and related processes for the Office of the CFO.

BlackLine said existing customers will gain access to embedded AI agents as part of that suite over time. The integration will initially address specific workflows and expand into further areas of finance and accounting as development progresses.

WiseLayer's team will join BlackLine as part of the acquisition. The companies said they share a product roadmap that centres on AI-based automation in finance.

Vikram Bellapravalu, Co-Founder and CTO at WiseLayer, said the deal gives the business greater reach among large corporate finance teams.

"Joining BlackLine gives us an incredible opportunity to scale our technology by integrating with a platform already trusted by thousands of the world's leading companies," said Bellapravalu. "We share a common vision and could not be more excited to help build the future of accounting and finance together."

BlackLine did not disclose financial terms of the transaction. The company said the deal will not have a material impact on its guidance for the fourth quarter or the full year and that it will detail product integration milestones as work progresses.