Hotel management software provider Inn-Flow has released an industry eBook examining how hotel operators are evaluating artificial intelligence across accounting, bookkeeping and labor management functions.
The report, AI in the Hotel Back Office: The Future of AI in Hotel Finance & Labor, draws on input from professionals in executive, finance and operations roles. The findings indicate that hotel leaders see potential for AI to improve accuracy, increase visibility into performance and support decision-making in financially accountable areas of the business, according to the Cary, N.C.-based company.
In addition, respondents indicated broad familiarity with AI and generally positive expectations for its role in back-office operations, while emphasizing the importance of transparency, oversight and defined ownership when deploying AI in accounting and labor environments.
“In hospitality, AI is not about replacing expertise; it’s about elevating it,” John Erhart, CEO and founder of InnFlow, said in a statement. “Hotel leaders are actively exploring how AI can reduce repetitive work, surface insight earlier and improve decision making. What matters most is that the technology reflects the realities of hotel operations and keeps people accountable for outcomes.”
The research identifies several priority applications for AI in hotel back offices, including reducing manual processes such as invoice handling and transaction review, improving forecasting and planning, identifying anomalies earlier and supporting data consistency.
Participants expressed a preference for AI tools that augment existing workflows rather than fully autonomous financial systems, with many acknowledging the value of systems that accelerate reporting and help teams respond more quickly to performance changes.
The findings also point to potential operational and margin implications associated with streamlined processes and earlier access to financial insights, including more precise labor alignment and improved cost control.