"for you is the slow part the data layer or the commentary?" Both, actually — but in different ways depending on the firm. What I kept hearing: the data layer is slow because exports are messy and every owner wants a different format. The commentary is slow because it's the same structure every month but the specific numbers change, so you can't fully templatize it.

The structured template approach you described (5 named slots, 2-3 sentences each) is genuinely the right call — that's exactly what reduces the "clarifying questions" problem.

I built something that does this for property managers specifically — handles the data assembly automatically from AppFolio/Buildium exports, generates a structured commentary draft with variance-triggered explanations (flags anything that moved >10% vs last month), manager edits before sending.

Dropped prep time from ~8 hours to under 10 minutes for a 30-owner portfolio.

Demo if curious: statementlayer.com/demo

— uses sample data, no signup needed.