Using P&L as a map for the journey (see image 1 below), the first three articles explored three initial steps focusing on the pre-P&L analysis and price management. In this article, we will move via net sales to marginality and look at how finance can take initiative and lead the effort to increase both sales and business profitability.

As was famously proclaimed by Pericles, the powerful politician of ancient Greece: "The key is not to predict the future but to be prepared for it". Agile FP&A can help organisations to move through uncertainty and come up with a plan of action.

In this article, I will share several challenges and dilemmas in building a strong FP&A department and also describe how they can be overcome. I‘ve gone through this process in 3 different companies as a Head of FP&A, so I can give my observation and say what are the crucial conditions to make the FP&A department successful and to minimise the ambiguity. 

When an organisation decides to invest in an FP&A software, there are three things to look for which will help ensure that the software selected will benefit the organisation as a whole, not just the FP&A function.