Doublefin

FP&A isn’t easy. For anyone who thinks FP&A is about crunching numbers and building forecasts, you’d better reconsider if this is the right path for you. Here are my 5 harsh truths about FP&A: 1. You will see the best in the company when your insights drive game-changing decisions. It’s rewarding when your work truly impacts the business and leads to strategic wins. You will also see the worst when forecasts don’t align with reality or when teams ignore your data. The frustration can build up when others don’t appreciate the complexity of your role. Don’t let that take away from the pride you feel in the wins. 2. You’ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment when your financial models steer the company in the right direction. Seeing a successful outcome tied to your work can be incredibly fulfilling. You will also have days where the numbers just don’t add up, or things go sideways. When revenue falls short or costs spiral, it’ll be your responsibility to make sense of the chaos. You need a coping mechanism for the tough days when nothing seems to go right. 3. Working in FP&A, you’ll quickly become solution-oriented. Your job isn’t just to present numbers but to fix problems when things change. You’ll find yourself troubleshooting constantly. But this often leads to the expectation that you are the “fixer” for all financial issues. You’re not just a firefighter; you’re a business partner, and your role goes far beyond cleaning up other people’s messes. Make sure leadership values your strategic contributions. 4. In FP&A, you have to be objective. You’re expected to make tough calls based on data, even when others push back. Not everyone will agree with your conclusions, but you’ll need to stand by your analysis and move forward with confidence. This can leave you feeling isolated at times. It’s important to have strong supporters who trust your judgment because there will be days when you’ll question if anyone is on your side. 5. Every company will approach FP&A differently, and how they involve you in decision-making will vary. The culture of the company you work for can shape how rewarding or frustrating your role will be. Depending on the leadership and company values, FP&A can be a highly impactful and rewarding job. Or it won’t be. Choose wisely. After 12 years in finance, I’ve seen it all—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. If you’re considering a career in this field, talk to those already in it to get a real sense of what the job entails beyond the numbers. The truth might either scare you away or it might confirm this is exactly where you belong. And for those who have made it and excel in FP&A, I know the journey wasn’t easy. Because FP&A isn’t easy. P.S. I'm Warren Wang, the CEO and founder of Doublefin. I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles, including in Corp FP&A driving company-wide financial planning, headcount planning, and later as a finance director.

HR business partner and HR manager are 2 different roles HR Business Partner: HR Business Partners align people strategy with business goals, working closely with executives. They focus on long-term HR solutions that drive overall business success. HRBPs use business acumen, industry insights, and data analytics to provide tailored HR strategies. They're skilled in strategic planning, change management, and influencing high-level decisions. HR Manager: HR Managers handle the daily operations and administration of the HR department. They oversee talent acquisition, payroll, benefits, and employee relations. HR Managers ensure compliance with legal requirements and implement HR policies. Their expertise is in HR best practices, labor laws, and managing HR systems. Bottom line: HRBPs are strategic advisors, influencing business decisions, while HR managers focus on operational HR tasks. Both roles are critical but they serve different functions within the company. I hope this helps someone out there.

FP&A isn’t about VLOOKUP or INDEX MATCH. FP&A must focus on 3 things: 1. Forecasting 2. Automating reports 3. Guiding better decisions FP&A must partner with the CFO and CEO to minimize risks. At it's core, FP&A is about people and impact. Not VLOOKUP or INDEX MATCH. Agree or disagree? -- P.S. I’m Warren Wang, CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before becoming founder, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles, managing multi-billion-dollar budgets and global teams.

Good Accounting leads to Good FP&A. Good FP&A leads to Great strategy. Many claim to have a great strategy, but most strategies fail because they are built on a weak foundation. It all starts with good accounting. Being truly strategic means having a clear understanding of your finances - where your money is coming from and where it's going. The key to gaining this insight is prioritizing accounting and FP&A. Good accounting provides the building blocks for effective FP&A. It all starts with your accounting team correctly tracking revenues and expenses, paying attention to detail, and ensuring your financial reports are accurate and timely. From there, FP&A takes over. By closely analyzing the data from accounting, FP&A can build financial models to forecast scenarios and understand key drivers of profitability. They identify the levers with the most impact on your bottom line. This is when strategy takes shape. With reliable, accurate financial information from accounting and insightful analysis from FP&A, you can make strategic choices from a position of knowledge rather than guessing. You'll understand your positioning, identify opportunities, and make priorities and plans that are financially sound. Good accounting → Good FP&A → Great strategy. It may not be sexy, but I've seen firsthand how prioritizing this foundation transforms businesses. When the numbers are right, your possibilities are endless.

CFO: We’re stuck in manual tasks, wasting time and resources. FP&A Manager: These delays stop us from making important decisions on time. CEO: It’s even worse—we’re throwing money at work that doesn’t matter. CFO: Exactly. Old processes are holding us back and causing inefficiencies. CEO: Automation sounds expensive. How do we know it’s worth it? CFO: Yes, it costs up front, but not fixing this costs us more long-term. FP&A Manager: If we speed up reporting, we can finally stop falling behind. CEO: So automating saves time and cuts out waste, right? CFO: Yes, but we need scalable tools, not just quick fixes. FP&A Manager: Reducing manual work gives us time to focus on real analysis. CEO: How do we ensure this investment actually pays off? CFO: Start by automating tasks that cause the most errors and delays. FP&A Manager: We’ll track time saved and mistakes reduced to see the impact. CEO: So, it’s not just about cutting tasks—we’re aiming for accuracy and growth? CFO: Exactly. This is about working smarter and being more efficient long-term. FP&A Manager: Automation lets us move forward by freeing us from repetitive tasks. CEO: I see the value now. We can’t wait any longer—let’s find the right tools. CFO: Let’s begin by automating the most time-consuming areas and scale from there. The takeaway? Not automating keeps you stuck in outdated processes. It wastes time, creates errors, and slows growth. A strategic CFO invests in automation to create smarter, faster, and more productive operations. If you don’t evolve, you fall behind. -- Conversation inspired by Wouter Born

70% of CEOs expect HR to lead in business strategy. But only 55% believe HR delivers. Here’s how to close the gap with 3 actions: 1. Invest in HR tech solutions Equip HR with advanced tools for workforce planning, performance management, and people analytics. A cloud-based HRIS integrated with financial systems gives HR real-time data on labor costs and productivity. This empowers HR to make data-driven decisions that align with business goals, improving agility and strategic impact. When HR has the right tech, they can track performance, predict trends, and optimize talent management in ways that boost business outcomes. 2. Elevate HR’s strategic role Treat HR as a key strategic partner, not just an administrative function. Involve them in high-level planning and ensure they provide insights on workforce trends that impact financial forecasts and growth plans. This deeper involvement positions HR to influence critical business decisions. For example, by presenting data on talent shortages or employee engagement, HR can shape strategies that address operational risks before they escalate. 3. Build cross-functional collaboration Encourage close collaboration between HR, Finance, IT, and other departments to align goals and create integrated solutions. Joint projects, like building a comprehensive compensation strategy, help HR and Finance ensure alignment with financial targets and market competitiveness. This not only improves decision-making but ensures that workforce strategies are directly tied to the company’s broader financial and operational objectives. Don’t underestimate the power of an empowered HR team. -- P.S. I’m Warren Wang, CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before this, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles, managing multi-billion-dollar budgets and global teams.

Xentral ERP Software faced 3 major challenges before Doublefin: 1. Scattered Data Information was spread across systems, spreadsheets, and emails, making alignment difficult. 2. Balancing Act They struggled to keep data secure yet visible enough for decision-making. 3. Manual Hassles High-value decisions needed multiple approvals and data inputs, leading to delays. Here’s how Doublefin helped: • Provided a single source of truth for everyone. • Seamlessly connected with Xentral’s existing systems. • Delivered necessary information exactly when needed. The results? Doublefin's impact was immediate: 1. Leaders could quickly access and analyze data, speeding up decision-making. 2. Functional leaders, finance, and people teams made faster, smarter decisions. 3. Improved communication and coordination among teams. Takeaway? Doublefin transformed their workforce planning. Real-time insights and streamlined workflows empowered them to make better decisions and drive growth. This success story highlights the power of innovative technology to achieve business excellence.

When I quit Google for Doublefin, I wish I knew these 3 things: 1. Hire for mindset, not just skill Skills can be taught, but mindset is everything. Focus on hiring people who are adaptable and share your company’s values. Jeff Bezos emphasizes hiring “mission-driven” people at Amazon, valuing innovation and long-term thinking over rigid expertise. Google also prioritizes "learning ability" over specific skills, recognizing that adaptable minds will help the company grow and evolve. 2. Focus on what truly matters You’ll be pulled in a hundred directions. The key is to focus on the 1% that will move the needle. Steve Jobs proved this at Apple when he cut down the product line to focus on core innovations like the iPhone, transforming the company. Elon Musk at SpaceX focuses intensely on a few core missions, ignoring distractions to drive world-changing progress. Saying “no” often helps you stay laser-focused on growth. 3. Build your network early Your network can be a game-changer long before you realize it. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, once said, “Succeeding in business is all about making connections.” Building relationships early—offering value and fostering trust—means when challenges or opportunities arise, you have a network ready to support or open doors. PayPal’s “Mafia” is a great example, where early employees and founders built lasting relationships that led to companies like Tesla, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The takeaway? - Hire smart - Cut out distractions - Build your network early

Finance wants to be productive but doesn't know how. They try hundreds of hacks, but nothing works. Here are 10 ways to 10x your productivity: 1. Get 6-8 hours of sleep every night. 2. Track your screen time and set a limit. 3. Write down your top 3 priorities every morning. 4. Get the hard tasks done first thing in the morning. 5. Put everything on your calendar; otherwise, it won't happen. 6. Write a not-to-do list of your top productivity killers to avoid. 7. Take a 20-minute break after every 90 minutes of deep work. 8. Don't check emails constantly. Set a specific time to read emails 9. Divide your day into blocks of time and assign tasks to each one. 10. Put your phone away and turn your notifications off during focused work. Productivity is not something you can achieve overnight. So you must fix the inputs at a slow pace, and the outputs will fix themselves. Consider ♻️ reposting to help finance folks get more productive. P.S. I'm Wouter Born, a CFOTech investor and entrepreneur. I share daily CFO office insights and personal learnings for finance folks.

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