Nobody could have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic. Every day the business environment was becoming increasingly unstable and unpredictable. At that time, we were asking what is the role of FP&A at times of "black swans"?

FP&A challenges around leveraging better technology have been well documented but relatively little has been written about the environment that FP&A works within. How that can help FP&A have more impact?

The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies of all sizes to scrap their business plans for 2020 and attempt to come up with new ones even though so much is unknown and changing so fast. This article covers top challenges currently facing companies during pandemic.

FP&A is going to thrive and evolve if it continues to enhance the decision-making process in an uncertain business environment. This is why we need to see a huge shift in the FP&A skill set. 

In this article, we will explore the concepts of Zero-Based Budgeting and Zero-Based FP&A. The word “Budget” is not associated with flexibility and dynamics. Zero-Based Budgeting has started to be evolved to “Zero-Based Everything”:

If FP&A professionals previously thought we had a tough job, the new reality of a very different world after COVID-19 will make our previous issues seem like a walk in the park. Where should we focus our efforts, and how can we provide the businesses with the best ways to move forward?