Dear colleagues,

Real-time scenario capability exists in just 3% of organisations, and nearly 20% still cannot run them at all, according to the latest FP&A Trends Survey. Meanwhile, recent Forrester research shows that 64% of finance leaders say scenario planning is one of the most difficult processes to execute.

That gap is hard to ignore. FP&A understands scenarios — but turning them into something usable takes time, coordination, and alignment across data, models and teams. Too often, that effort comes too late.

In this digest issue, we explore why — from the role of foresight in decision-making to the practical limits of scenario planning and the data foundations behind it.

I hope these insights help you navigate this complexity with greater confidence. Enjoy the read.

Best regards,

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

If managing planning and consolidation across multiple systems feels harder than it should, you’re not alone. A new commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Anaplan found that finance teams manage an average of 4.6 systems across planning, consolidation, and reporting, creating friction when you need answers fast.

As a finance leader, you don’t control the complexity you’re handed, but you do need an integrated platform built for speed, scale, and confident decision-making.

Explore the full research study to learn:

• Why fragmented finance systems make it harder for you to respond quickly and confidently
• What capabilities finance leaders expect from modern platforms
• How integration and AI are shaping how you plan, analyse, and report

Download now 

By Timo Wienefoet, Managing Partner at arq decisions GmbH

FP&A has spent years refining forecasts, but rarely questions the mindset behind them. When the future becomes less predictable, adding more scenarios doesn’t necessarily bring more clarity — it often just adds more noise.

Read this article to see how foresight shifts FP&A from projecting numbers to interpreting uncertainty, and why this change is critical for real decision impact.

By Amrish Shah, CFO at Metabolic

Scenario planning sounds straightforward until it meets reality. Assumptions don’t align, models become rigid, and by the time outputs are ready, the business has already moved on.

Read this article to understand why scenario planning breaks in practice, and where most teams lose the ability to turn models into decisions.

By Nidhi Mehta, Global Finance Manager at CBRE GWS LTD

When scenarios fail, the instinct is to improve the model. But most issues start much earlier — in how data is collected, structured, and trusted across the organisation.

Read this article to explore why better data, not more complex models, is the key to making FP&A truly forward-looking.

Every year, FP&A leaders are expected to respond to new demands — often without clarity on how peers are truly operating.

The 2026 FP&A Trends Survey is designed to close that gap by turning individual experience into shared, evidence-based insight. We invite you to contribute your personal perspective and help shape a realistic picture of how FP&A is evolving across organisations, beyond theory, marketing narratives, and isolated case studies.

The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete. Your perspective helps shape the benchmark others rely on.

Start the survey 

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.

March 31, 2026

As FP&A moves towards more integrated planning and decision-making, many organisations discover that alignment breaks down at the analytical level. Models don’t connect, assumptions drift, and insights lose consistency across the business.

Register for this webinar to learn how a strong analytical backbone enables integrated FP&A in practice. The session explores how shared data, consistent logic, and aligned analytics help finance teams support clearer conversations and more coordinated decisions.

April 22, 2026

Many integrated FP&A initiatives stall not because of technology, but because organisational alignment remains unclear. Systems may be connected, yet roles, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration are not fully aligned.

Join this webinar to explore how people, processes, and decision ownership determine whether integrated FP&A delivers real impact in practice — not just technical integration.

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