What You’ll Find in This Blog
- A clear breakdown of the most important Salesforce and Certinia updates released in 2025, including AI, automation and platform improvements impacting revenue operations.
- Insight into how Revenue Cloud, Data Cloud, CPQ, Billing and Certinia Financial Management evolved this year — and what those changes mean for your business.
- A review of the key industry trends shaping revenue operations, including automation, compliance pressures and the rise of real-time financial intelligence.
- A forward-looking view of what to expect in 2026, with predictions for operational AI, scalability, data alignment and the future of the quote-to-revenue lifecycle.
Introduction
2025 has been a landmark year for digital transformation across the Salesforce and Certinia ecosystems. With rapid advances in AI, data automation and platform unification, businesses have gained new tools and capabilities that fundamentally change how revenue is generated, governed and reported.
Whether your organisation relies on Salesforce Revenue Cloud, Service Cloud, Data Cloud or the Certinia suite of ERP and PSA products, the pace of innovation this year has set the stage for a more connected and intelligent revenue lifecycle.
This year-in-review summarises the most meaningful changes across Salesforce and Certinia in 2025 — and what they mean for your revenue operations as we move into 2026.
Salesforce Platform Enhancements That Defined 2025
Salesforce’s 2025 roadmap focused heavily on automation, operational efficiency, and the expansion of AI-driven processes. Several updates had a direct impact on revenue teams, operational leaders and finance stakeholders.
1. The Expansion of Einstein and AI Across the Platform
AI moved from being a “nice to have” into a core part of daily operations. In 2025, Salesforce introduced:
- AI-assisted forecasting models
- Automatic anomaly detection
- Predictive alerts for revenue and billing risks
- AI-driven workflow recommendations
- Enhanced natural-language automation for admins
These features boosted accuracy and reduced manual work for revenue operations teams.
2. Data Cloud Became a Mainstream Component of Revenue Architecture
Data Cloud adoption surged due to:
- New pricing tiers
- Integration with CPQ & Billing
- Real-time data harmonisation
- Golden customer records supporting revenue decisions
For many organisations, Data Cloud is becoming the operational “brain,” ensuring contract, billing, usage and revenue figures all align.
3. Revenue Cloud Improvements Strengthened Governance & Efficiency
2025 brought updates that helped customers:
- Reduce revenue schedule errors
- Improve billing accuracy
- Simplify complex contract amendments
- Gain better visibility into forecasting trends
These changes supported more compliant and auditable revenue recognition processes.
4. CPQ Enhancements Improved the Full Lead-to-Order Flow
Salesforce improved:
- Guided selling logic
- Approval matrix automation
- Pricing waterfalls
- Quote performance at scale
This was particularly impactful for subscription and usage-based businesses.
Certinia’s Biggest 2025 Milestones
Certinia (formerly FinancialForce) focused heavily on stability, automation and modernising the user experience. These improvements contributed to a more predictable, controlled and scalable revenue environment.
1. Financial Management UI Modernisation
A refreshed interface improved:
- Navigation
- Error visibility
- User productivity
- Accessibility of financial processes
This represents a broader shift toward simplifying financial operations across the platform.
2. Enhanced Project & Service Revenue Capabilities
Certinia strengthened:
- Revenue forecasting accuracy
- Project margin insights
- Percentage-of-completion revenue calculations
- Billing alignment for services-led organisations
These improvements were key for services companies balancing project performance with revenue recognition rules.
3. Advanced Automation for Revenue Processes
Certinia increased automation options for:
- Revenue event creation
- Reconciliation
- Schedule generation
- Multi-element arrangements
These tools reduce the manual burden often placed on finance teams.
4. Improvements to Billing and Contract Management
2025 updates made it easier to:
- Amend recurring contracts
- Track contract changes over time
- Maintain billing consistency
- Improve auditability
This directly supports compliance and reduces long-term data drift.
Industry Trends That Shaped 2025
Beyond Salesforce and Certinia product updates, several industry-wide trends defined the year.
1. Stronger Pressure for Real-Time Revenue Visibility
CFOs demanded faster insight into:
- Deferred revenue
- Forecasted revenue
- Variance against plan
- Contract performance
This accelerated adoption of automated revenue operations tools.
2. Increasing Complexity in Subscription, Usage & Hybrid Models
Revenue models became more complicated, driving demand for:
- Automated rules engines
- Flexible schedules
- Multi-element management
- More dynamic billing systems
Both Salesforce and Certinia responded with new features supporting these models.
3. Audit & Compliance Expectations Continued to Rise
Companies now face expectations for:
- Tighter SOX controls
- Clear evidence trails
- Reduced manual intervention
- Automated approvals
Platforms invested heavily in features that reduce compliance risk.
What 2025 Meant for Customers
Across all updates, customers saw three major benefits:
1. More Accurate Revenue Data
Automation led to fewer errors and more reliable reporting.
2. Faster Month-End Cycles
Teams saved time thanks to improved process efficiency.
3. Greater Strategic Insight Into Revenue Performance
Better forecasting tools helped leaders make proactive decisions.
What to Expect From Salesforce & Certinia in 2026
The foundations laid in 2025 all point to a 2026 centred around:
- Intelligent automation replacing manual processes
- Greater unification of revenue, billing and financial data
- AI-driven forecasting becoming standard
- More flexibility for complex revenue models
- Expanded compliance tooling
Businesses that modernised in 2025 will reap the biggest gains in 2026.
Conclusion
2025 was a breakthrough year for revenue operations technology. The updates from Salesforce and Certinia have created more automated, intelligent and resilient systems than ever before. As we move into 2026, organisations can expect even greater gains in accuracy, predictability and operational clarity — provided they continue to evolve alongside the platforms.