Cultivate an Ongoing Relationship
It’s a good idea to form a relationship early on with the finance team so that they are familiar with you and your team as people, are aware of your goals for the future, and are up to date on the triumphs and struggles of your projects. You’ll also know what the atmosphere is like in their department, which will help you not only better time your requests, but also know when a proactive suggestion for cost-savings would be appreciated, such as reporting that a software subscription is now rarely used, and could be cancelled.
By forming relationships with the finance team and discussing the needs of the company from both sides, you’ll be able to better anticipate each other's needs – which means the company as a whole will run more efficiently. Goals will be achieved without the feeling that one department is undermining the other, and new opportunities will be able to be more easily explored.