Dear colleagues,

How can we plan for uncertainty? Many would say that agile planning and forecasting are the answer — allowing us to stay flexible and adapt quickly. However, the reality is that predictability keeps shrinking. The 2024 FP&A Trends survey reveals that 63% of respondents report that the forecast horizon they can comfortably predict is no more than six months ahead, with 39% limited to just three months. Despite this growing need for agility, 57% of organisations still take one to three months to complete their budgeting cycle — yet even this time investment often falls short of producing truly adaptive plans.

This underscores an important truth: a well-defined process is everything. It’s the backbone of agility and resilience, the very foundation that supports confident decision-making.

In this issue, we’ve gathered insights to strengthen your FP&A processes — from mastering top-down and bottom-up planning to aligning budgeting with strategy, evaluating your forecasting system, and exploring zero-based budgeting. You’ll also find a practical guide to accelerating your financial close, freeing time for strategic growth and team empowerment.

Best regards,

Larysa Melnychuk, CEO and Founder
FP&A Trends Group & International FP&A Board

Every finance team wants to close faster, smarter and more accurately. But finding a solution for your slow, manual processes can be daunting. What if there was an easy-to-follow blueprint for an effective and efficient financial close? Well, now there is.

The Next-Gen Finance Team’s Guide to a Faster, Smarter Close gives you:

• A 3-step blueprint for a faster, smarter close
• An overview of the common challenges facing CFOs today
• Advice from finance leaders and analysts
• Optimisation opportunities for each step of the financial close process

This guide can be your catalyst towards an efficient financial close, giving you time to focus on empowering your team and your business growth and goals. Click to get your copy of the guide.

By Diana Groschupp, Vice President FP&A Europe TD Synnex

Balancing direction from leadership and input from teams can be challenging, but it’s crucial for effective planning. This issue is at the heart of the debate between top-down and bottom-up planning — each reflecting different organisational cultures and decision-making philosophies. While top-down brings a strategic vision, bottom-up harnesses the insights of those closest to operations.

Read this article to uncover the benefits and challenges of each planning method and learn how to strike the right balance for better engagement, execution, and alignment across your business.

By Asif Masani, Founder of FP&A Professionals

How does your budgeting process align with your broader business ambitions? Budgeting is more than a numbers game; it’s a strategic tool that shapes how resources are deployed to meet your goals. Aligning your budget with your long-term strategy ensures every decision is backed by purpose, driving growth and fostering resilience.

Read this article to discover practical steps for aligning your budgeting process with strategic priorities, creating a clear path from financial plans to business success.

By Christian Fournier, former Head of Finance Europe at Orange Business Services

Forecasting is a critical component of effective decision-making, yet it often remains under-optimised. Evaluating your forecasting system thoroughly can reveal hidden inefficiencies and missed opportunities, paving the way for more agile, data-driven decision-making. But where do you start, and what should you consider ensuring your forecasts are not only accurate but impactful?

Read this article to explore key steps for evaluating your forecasting systems.

By Enrique Rodriguez, Finance Director - Headquarters & Procurement at Walgreens Boots Alliance

The key to mastering cost control lies in understanding both the advantages and challenges of zero-based budgeting. ZBB is a strategic approach that enhances transparency and resource allocation by requiring every expense to be justified, helping organisations uncover hidden costs and direct resources to where they matter most.

Watch this video to learn the critical success factors for implementing ZBB effectively.

FP&A Trends digital events are vendor-agnostic and complimentary. If you are not able to join the live session, you can register to receive the recording later.

13 November 2024

The ability to quickly analyse massive datasets, uncover trends, and predict future outcomes is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising FP&A, allowing professionals to automate routine tasks, provide real-time insights, and make data-driven decisions faster than ever before. It’s not just about keeping up; it’s about getting ahead. The challenge now is to build the expertise necessary to fully harness the power of AI and transform FP&A into a strategic business partner.

Register for this webinar to learn how to harness the power of AI and elevate FP&A to a more influential role within your organisation.

19 November 2024

One of the key responsibilities of FP&A professionals is to help manage and enhance the value of the company. This role is becoming increasingly strategic and influential, with many exciting developments shaping the future of the profession.

Register for this webinar to hear the practical insights on emerging trends and advancements, drawing from over 250 meetings worldwide and insights gathered from our 8-year FP&A Trends survey. The experienced panel of senior practitioners will explore the trends and strategies that are transforming FP&A.

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