Small businesses have traditionally lagged enterprises in adopting advanced financial tools, usually due to cost and complexity. But that’s changing with the rapid democratization of artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and cloud-based data management platforms. Today, it’s much easier for SMBs to manage financial data securely and prepare it for analysis.
“One of the core issues for SMBs is the cost and sheer volume of tech applications that they have to pay for and manage on a daily basis,” says Eddie Cliff, vice president and general manager of small business and growth products at Salesforce.
According to Salesforce’s 2025 Small and Medium Business Trends Report, 46% of SMB leaders feel overwhelmed by having too many business tools, and 44% of them say that there isn’t time to master all the technology that their company uses.
“AI-powered forecasting tools are a step up from manual or traditional forecasting options that can be prone to human error and time-consuming maintenance,” Cliff says. However, these tools require quality data, and “great forecasting starts with great data,” he notes. “The same is true for AI.”
For SMBs with smaller teams, the best option is to have a unified, AI-powered platform that creates a comprehensive view of their business, which can help with forecasting.
“This gives SMBs a holistic picture of their business without moving from one siloed app to another,” Cliff says. This improves their ability for reliable scenario planning, all-around actionable performance assessments and predictive insights.
“Financial forecasting isn’t just about sales, it’s about the entire customer lifecycle. So that deeply unified platform leads performance metrics, such as customer lifetime value and retention, directly to financial outcomes, moving you beyond simple top-line revenue reports,” he adds.