As promised in the previous article, let us go deeper into the relationship between FP&A and Data management (DM) and see how Data management enriches your FP&A role and successes. 

No matter for a budget season or continuous forecasting: the human factor is randomly covered in the process that may bring the best and the worst of management culture. A special eye on bias during the Performance Management and goal setting process is essential for process quality and to the FP&A skillset.

2017 budgets might be locked and loaded at your company, but that does not mean that they need to be anchors on your company’s ability to anticipate, respond and react effectively to dynamic market conditions in 2017.

There are many definitions of culture.  From a business perspective I like the definition of culture as “the beliefs and behavior that determine how people interact and handle transactions.”  I like this definition because it includes the word “transactions.”  Transactions are unavoidable within businesses.

As far as I know, we are not legally required to forecast. So why do we do it? My sense is that forecasting practitioners rarely stop to ask themselves this question. This might be because they are so focussed on techniques and processes.

How to establish sustainable success in Strategic Finance, one step at a time. When executed correctly, Strategic Finance is the linchpin between Strategic Planning and Budgeting. It helps organizations turn strategic thinking into reality by cascading thoughts and goals into measurable financial outcomes.  

An important characteristic of FP&A practitioners is a commitment to continuous improvement.  There are a number of ways for FP&A practitioners to commit toward improving their work.  For me, one of the ways I commit to continuous improvement is reading books.

We only need to look at the evolution of the mobile phone to understand why the role of the FP&A business partner has changed. In 2000, I began my career in FP&A as an analyst at Silicon Graphics, the same year that the iconic Nokia 6210 was launched.  Back then the functionality of the mobile phone was limited to voice calls and simple text messages.

Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) play a pivotal role between Strategy, Business and Data: a business partner advisor, helping to form a pathway that navigates an uncertain future, but in reality, the value created is very difficult to measure.

The inaugural London FP&A Circle meeting took place less than two weeks following the UK vote for Brexit. In this dramatically transformed business environment the role of FP&A is more important than ever in helping to manage the value of the company. In undertaking this task, the analytical maturity of the company is very important.