As an FP&A professional, you deal with data. Your data travels a long way from its source through applications to your reporting system.The data you deal with is the tip of the iceberg. The major part of data processing is the part that is hidden beneath the water. This article describes the four key actions that can help FP&A to become data-driven.
Nowadays, everyone is talking about being ‘data-driven’. What lies beneath this idea, is the wish to make the decision-making process easier and more effective. But in general, it means delivering the required data of acceptable quality to the relevant decision makers when and where they need it.
What are the FP&A concerns about being ‘data-driven’?
On 12th October 2017, 22 senior finance practitioners from such companies as Ericsson, IDG (International Data Group), Lagardére Sports, MSD, Nutricia, Philips, Pirelli, Regus, Salesforce, Telia, Tieto, etc., gathered in Stockholm to interactively discuss why Driver-Based Planning matters for modern FP&A. The discussion was thought-provoking and interesting: many finance practitioners considering fully driver-based planning model, however, just a few organizations have them.
At one of the previous meetings, The London FP&A Board addressed the technological requirements needed for effective FP&A. The well-known Chatham House anonymised rules were deployed to encourage a full and frank debate.
Driver-based planning (DBP) is an essential part of the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) armoury, enabling organisations – ranging from the smallest non-profit to a multinational – to become quicker, more dynamic and agile in their planning and in responding to internal and external changes in the business environment.
Rolling Forecasts are an essential tool for financial planning and analysis (FP&A), with a potential to radically transform corporates’ traditional budgeting process. The London FP&A Board of senior practitioners’ most recent meeting focused on why Rolling Forecasts are ideal for financial planning and analysis (FP&A) professionals.