Automated reconciliation platform expands as 85% of firms struggle to scale

Related

Share

Reconciliation has long been the unglamorous backbone of investment operations — tedious, error-prone, and increasingly strained as trading volumes grow. Now, AutoRek and Linedata are betting that a fully managed, outsourced approach can finally fix what spreadsheets and in-house software have struggled to solve. Under a new partnership, AutoRek’s automated reconciliation platform is being made available to Linedata clients as a fully managed service, delivered through Linedata’s established co-sourcing model.

Key takeaways

  • AutoRek’s automated reconciliation platform is now available to Linedata clients through Linedata’s co-sourcing model, run as a fully managed service.
  • The deal removes the need for clients to handle standalone procurement, implementation, or ongoing management of reconciliation software.
  • AutoRek’s 2026 research found that 85% of UK and US capital markets firms say their operations already struggle, or would struggle, if transaction volumes keep rising.
  • Firms lose an average of 15.9% of their operational budgets to manual-process error fixes, and 53% of them still depend on spreadsheets to some extent for reconciliations.
  • Linedata’s operations teams have completed formal training and certification from AutoRek to run the platform on clients’ behalf.

AutoRek Platform Now Available to Linedata Clients as Fully Managed Service

Linedata clients can now access AutoRek’s automated reconciliation platform without buying, installing, or operating the software themselves. The agreement places the tool inside Linedata’s co-sourcing framework, meaning AutoRek is delivered through the same operational model that Linedata already uses for other outsourced functions its clients rely on.

Co-sourcing Model Removes Client Procurement and Management Burdens

The core appeal of the deal is simplicity. Rather than licensing reconciliation software and then finding the staff and expertise to run it, Linedata clients get access to what the companies describe as market-leading reconciliation capability with none of the usual overhead. There’s no separate procurement process, no in-house implementation project, and no need to build internal management structures around the tool — Linedata absorbs that work as part of its existing service relationship.

This matters because reconciliation adoption has traditionally been held back by exactly these barriers: licensing costs, drawn-out implementation timelines, and the staffing needed to keep systems running. By folding AutoRek into an already-established co-sourcing arrangement, the partnership sidesteps those friction points entirely.

Platform Offered Alongside Linedata’s Own Reconciliation Tool

Notably, AutoRek isn’t replacing Linedata’s existing reconciliation platform — it’s sitting alongside it. That dual-track approach reflects Linedata’s stated commitment to giving clients a range of managed services that can flex to different operational and business needs, rather than pushing everyone toward a single tool. Firms with different levels of complexity, transaction volume, or regulatory exposure can choose whichever platform, or combination, fits their situation.

Addressing Operational Challenges in Investment Reconciliation

The partnership lands at a moment when reconciliation is proving to be one of the most persistent operational headaches in asset management, and the numbers behind that pain point are stark. Reconciliation remains one of the most cumbersome processes in investment operations, still in clear need of automation.

Reconciliation Difficulties Highlighted in AutoRek 2026 Research

According to AutoRek’s own 2026 research across UK and US capital markets firms, 85% report that their operational processes are already struggling, or would struggle, as transaction volumes continue to rise. That figure alone explains why a managed-service model has commercial appeal: firms are looking for a way to scale reconciliation capacity without scaling internal headcount or risk at the same pace.

Persistent Use of Spreadsheets and High Operational Costs

Despite the availability of automated tools, old habits persist. The same research found that 53% of firms still use spreadsheets to some extent for reconciliations, a manual approach that carries obvious risk at scale. The financial cost of that reliance is significant too — firms spend an average of 15.9% of their operational budgets simply fixing problems caused by manual processes. Put together, those figures paint a picture of an industry that knows it has a problem but hasn’t fully solved the adoption barriers standing in the way of automation.

Linedata Operations Teams to Run AutoRek Platform for Clients

Rather than handing clients a new piece of software to figure out, Linedata is putting its own people behind the wheel. Having obtained formal training and certification from AutoRek, Linedata’s operations teams will operate AutoRek’s platform on behalf of clients.

Staff Training and Certification by AutoRek

That certification detail is central to how the service is positioned: clients aren’t being asked to trust an unfamiliar vendor relationship, they’re getting AutoRek’s technology operated by a team that has been formally trained and vetted on the platform itself. It’s the same staffing governance and oversight structure Linedata already applies to its other co-sourced services, according to Jonathan Hinkley, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Services at Linedata.

“Linedata and AutoRek share a common goal: to deliver the best technologies to asset managers that will transform their financial operations,” Hinkley said. “This partnership, built on an established operating model with the same staffing governance, and oversight structure as Linedata’s other co-sourced services, will give customers unrivalled tools to manage their investments with maximum ease and efficiency, rather than standalone software to run themselves.”

Integration Reflects Linedata’s Technology-Agnostic Service Strategy

The arrangement fits squarely into Linedata’s broader positioning as a technology-agnostic, full-service provider of asset management technology solutions. Rather than insisting clients use only its own proprietary tools, Linedata is signaling it will bring in best-in-class third-party platforms — like AutoRek’s — when that serves clients better. In practice, this suggests Linedata is prioritizing operational outcomes for clients over internal product loyalty, a stance that could shape how it partners with other technology vendors going forward.

Strategic Benefits and Global Market Expansion

The deal extends beyond operational benefits for clients, also redrawing the commercial landscape for both companies. While Linedata gains entry to AutoRek’s client base in the UK and Northern Europe, AutoRek speeds up its expansion across North America, APAC, and France. That’s a mutually reinforcing expansion: each company effectively inherits a distribution channel into markets where the other already has a foothold.

Joint Commitment to Transforming Asset Management

Martyn Ward, CRO of AutoRek, framed the tie-up as being about more than just software deployment. “We’re excited to be partnering with Linedata, a firm that shares our commitment to helping clients achieve real operational outcomes, not just deploying software, especially in an era when organisations are struggling to implement new technologies effectively, at scale,” Ward said. “Together, we’re reshaping asset management around the principles of tighter integration, support for clients’ service models, and future-forward tools shaped by SaaS, automation, and artificial intelligence technologies.”

Expanded Commercial Reach for Both Companies

For investment operations teams watching automation trends closely, this partnership is a signal of where reconciliation technology is heading: less about selling standalone software licenses, and more about bundling SaaS, automation, and AI-driven capability into fully managed, co-sourced services. If the 85% figure from AutoRek’s research is any indication, demand for that kind of relief is only going to grow as transaction volumes keep climbing across capital markets.

FAQ

What does the partnership between AutoRek and Linedata offer clients?

It offers AutoRek’s automated reconciliation platform as a fully managed service through Linedata’s co-sourcing model, eliminating standalone procurement and management burdens.

How does this partnership address reconciliation challenges in investment operations?

By providing a fully managed platform that reduces reliance on manual processes and spreadsheets, which currently cause operational struggles for many firms.

Who operates the AutoRek platform for Linedata clients?

Linedata’s operations teams run the platform on clients’ behalf after completing formal training and certification from AutoRek.

How does this partnership impact the geographic reach of both companies?

Linedata gains access to AutoRek’s UK and Northern Europe client base, while AutoRek expands commercially in North America, APAC, and France.

Article produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the editorial team.