Compliance Streamlined: How a PE firm Turned Manual Workflows into an Efficient Operation

Introduction 

A Connecticut-based private equity firm with $12B in AUM and strategies spanning buyouts, special situations, and distressed debt trading faced heightened compliance obligations around material non-public information (MNPI). With a lean team and growing demands, the firm sought a better way to manage compliance workflows that were critical but time-consuming. 

The firm’s Chief Compliance Officer partnered with Skematic to modernize compliance processes. Today, the compliance team relies on Skematic daily for efficiency, audit readiness, and peace of mind. 

The Challenge

The CCO, who also held the CFO role, oversaw compliance in partnership with the General Counsel and a compliance associate. With distressed debt trading as part of the firm’s strategy, the firm faced complex compliance demands. 

Before Skematic, the team relied on email, PDFs, and a shared Excel calendar to manage key workflows. The compliance associate tracked deadlines manually and reminded colleagues when something was due. A significant portion of her time was devoted to paperwork and documentation — a critical responsibility since, as the CCO emphasized, in compliance if you don’t document it, you didn’t do it.  

There were so many clicks, so many emails. It was cumbersome for processes we had to complete every day or every quarter.

— Chief Compliance Officer, PE Firm

The Solution

The CCO first encountered Skematic through a demo, and the value was clear almost immediately. “I was sold pretty quickly watching the demo. It was affordable, easy to adopt, and we could see right away it would save us time.” Leadership approval came quickly as well: “It was almost like a free test run — not ridiculously expensive, so if it didn’t work, at least we’d be wiser. But it worked, and it’s been a game changer.” 

With Skematic, manual steps became automated. Expense reviews and trade blotters that once generated long email chains are now uploaded, reviewed, and approved directly in the system, with documentation stored automatically. Instead of chasing deadlines on a calendar, Skematic issues reminders, flags overdue tasks, and provides full visibility. As the CCO summed it up, “Just those two workflows alone have been a game changer. What used to take multiple emails, signatures, and manual filing now takes minutes.” 

The firm’s CCO also pointed to the value of Skematic’s expert support team: “Charles has been fantastic. He really knows the product and helps us when questions come up. It feels like a partnership, not just a vendor relationship.” 

Results & Benefits

Efficiency Gains 

Skematic transformed the firm’s core workflows from multi-step, email-heavy processes into streamlined tasks. Reviews and approvals that once took multiple people and countless clicks are now handled in minutes, freeing the compliance associate to focus on higher-value work. 

Audit-Ready  

All compliance records are centralized, signed off in-system, and automatically stored in Skematic’s library. This structure not only reduced reliance on shared drives but also proved critical during a recent SEC exam. The team was able to produce required documentation instantly, without digging through folders or reconciling files. As the CCO explained, “We produced the most recent documentation from Skematic during the exam – exactly what the SEC asked for, ready to go.”

Peace of Mind 

With Skematic automating reminders and tracking ownership, the CCO no longer worries about missed tasks or buried emails. Overdue items are flagged clearly, and dashboards show where each step of a process stands. This visibility allows leadership to focus on oversight rather than chasing tasks. 

I feel so much better knowing that as long as the process is in Skematic, it’s going to get done. I sleep better at night.

— Chief Compliance Officer, PE Firm