FP&A Done Right
FP&A Done Right: Creating a Shared Vision Between Finance and IT
I have seen the extremes of the Finance/IT relationship during my career as an FP&A professional. When I first started navigating the Finance space, any and all systems were ‘owned’ by IT. That’s simply how it was. There was this love/hate relationship…
May 31, 2019
FP&A Done Right: Why, Why, Why, Why? – the Hallmark of a Great FP&A Practitioner
“Why?” “Why?” “Why?” “Why?” “Why?” It’s maddening, right? We’ve all been there. Every time you answer a question, another one is immediately fired back. Thankfully, my two sons have grown out of that stage. I, however, have not. If you were to ask…
May 17, 2019
FP&A Done Right: How to Improve Cross-team Collaboration
This is a guest blog post from our partner Adaptive Insights. When it comes to business, collaboration is vital. After all, no single department can do its job for long without the other departments pulling their own weight. Sales is no good if shipping…
May 3, 2019
FP&A Done Right: It’s Time for a Change
Change. /CHānj/ verb to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left aloneto transform or convert noun the act, process, or result of changinga transformation or modification; alteration…
April 19, 2019
FP&A Done Right: “That’s the Way We’ve Always Done It!” – Challenge the Status Quo
“That’s the way we’ve always done it.” “I don’t know, we just send it to them every month.” AHHHHHH! Stop it! When I get that response; it is like fingernails on a chalk board to me. It sends shivers up and down my…
April 5, 2019
FP&A Done Right: Even Google Maps Requires a Starting Point
Current Location. Destination. That’s it. That is all you need to provide your favorite mapping app for it to create a route. No current location? You will not know where to begin or how long it will take to get there. No…
March 22, 2019
FP&A Done Right: The Importance of Naming Conventions – Names Really Can Hurt
Fly…Fly; Ring…Ring; Wave…Wave; Bat…Bat In the above examples: Am I talking about a fly that’s buzzing around my head or are we getting on a plane to fly somewhere? Is that the ring from a telephone or a fancy diamond ring? Did…
March 8, 2019
FP&A Done Right: The Flexibility of Today’s FP&A Systems is a Both a Blessing and a Curse
“We need to add this functionality…and this dimension…and that dimension…and sometimes we get asked for this so let’s add something else to capture that…and this one is really important…we can add all of that, right?” I have been involved in several conversations…
February 22, 2019
FP&A Done Right: Finance as the Conductor
Music has been a large part of my life for many years now. I have played drums and percussion in multiple bands, orchestras and jazz ensembles, and I have sung in several choirs and barber shop quartets. The one constant through all…