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5 Steps Process to Evolve FP&A Business Partnering: Step 1 - Reporter: Focus on bookkeeping, KPI reporting, incremental forecasting, and variance analysis. Step 2 - Controller: Emphasize historical analysis, problem-solving, and rolling forecasts. Step 3 - Advisor: Develop strong communication, stakeholder management, collaborative planning, and financial modeling skills. Step 4 - Influencer: Build relationships, challenge decisions, conduct benchmarking, and promote driver-based forecasting. Step 5 - Strategic Partner: Understand business acumen, shape strategy, use predictive analysis, lead the execution of initiatives, and engage in scenario planning.

CFO CHALLENGES Finance Teams need to understand the priorities of CFOs PS. Get my CFO Cheat Sheet in high quality for free here: https://lnkd.in/dvkBTxHw Here are the main topics at the top of the CFO's agenda Work on this and you will be a great help! 1. Cash Flow: • Consider financing options • Create a cash flow forecast • Negotiate payment terms • Build a cash reserve • Monitor and manage collection processes • Improve inventories 2. Risk management: • Transition to Continuous Risk Monitoring & Reporting • Proactive Scenario Planning & Stress Testing • Leverage Al and ML for Risk Identification • Promote Culture of Risk Awareness and Training • Strengthen internal controls (use ICQ: Internal Control Questionnaire and RCM: Risk Control Matrix 3. M&A • Integration Process Due Diligence Process - Financial Synergy Identification - Integration Team Formation - Cultural Integration • Due Diligence Process - Thorough Financial Analysis - Legal & Compliance Assessment - Operational Due Diligence • Meeting Financial Goals Post-Merger - Budgeting and Forecasting - Performance Measurement - Communication and Transparency 4. Digital transformation • Adopt Productive Technologies - Implement Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for P2P and O2C processes - Implement Business Intelligence Tool (e.g. PowerBI) • Standardize and Streamline Finance Processes - Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - Automate repetitive, low-value tasks • Implement Data-Driven Decision Making - Integrate predictive analytics tools - Foster a culture of data literacy 5. Competitivity • Strategic Cost Management - Drive cost efficiency through process automation - Regularly review and optimize spending • Financial Agility - Use real-time data for agile decision-making - Develop flexible financial plans for uncertainty 6. Talent Management • Attract and Retain Top Talent - Enhance employer branding strategy - Offer competitive benefits and salary packages • Invest in Employee Development - Establish regular training programs - Implement a mentorship system Create a Positive Company Culture - Foster an environment of open communication - Recognize and reward employee achievements 👉 Which challenge do you think is the most important?

Getting your finances in order is important, and most founders understand that. But simply focusing on the accounting might not satisfy all the needs of the business. While accounting focuses on accurate data entry and record-keeping, founders often have bigger goals. -Boosting profits -Reducing costs -Setting effective KPIs -Making data-driven decisions This is where Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) comes in. FP&A leverages the data gathered by your accounting team to provide actionable insights. Think of it as the bridge between your financial data and your business strategy. Here's how FP&A empowers your business, especially as you grow beyond $30k in monthly revenue. -Uncover hidden cost-saving opportunities. -Identify your most profitable products and customer segments. -Set clear business goals and track progress with KPIs. -Create realistic budgets and financial plans for the future. -Optimise marketing strategies for maximum ROI. -Allocate resources effectively for hiring, sales, and product development. Accounting is the foundation, but FP&A is what will drive business growth.

In start-ups and scale-ups, the finance function can often become a bottleneck due to outdated and manual processes. 📃 Effective process improvements and automation are key to ensuring efficiency and strategic support as the business scales. Process Automation in Finance: 📃 Beyond tool implementation, it involves reviewing and restructuring workflows. 📃 Aim to reduce manual touchpoints and streamline operations. * Case Study: Enhancing Credit Control: A client automated initial communications but faced manual challenges in dispute resolution. Streamlining these processes reduced the time spent from four days a week to mere hours. Strategic Process Review: 📃 Implement simple timesheet systems to log activities and identify inefficiencies. 📃 Reveals where time and efforts are wasted. Opportunities for Automation: 📃 Find areas to enhance efficiency through automation. 📃 Rethink the entire process to ensure optimal design and necessity of each step. Tackling Duplication and Over-Complexity: 📃 Simplify processes by removing redundant steps and consolidating tasks. 📃 Reduces potential for errors and speeds up processes. Collaborative Process Improvement: 📃 Collaborate with other departments to streamline intersecting processes. 📃 Enhances overall efficiency and provides new insights. Continuous Improvement as a Standard: 📃 Regularly revisit and tweak processes to align with changing business needs. 📃 Aim to be proactive, anticipating changes and scaling processes efficiently. Streamlining the finance function through effective process improvements and automation is crucial for supporting business growth and enhancing strategic input. #FinanceLeadership, #ProcessAutomation, #ContinuousImprovement

Tech Thursday Trend: Automation in finance. Embracing technology can save businesses minimum 50% of time spent on financial processes. Don't fall behind! Let's explore how Robert Half can guide your company towards streamlined operations with cutting-edge solutions. Including our top available Automation Advocate 🔍: 🌟 Experienced finance professional with 3+ years' of relevant experience 💡 Passionate about adapting to automation and system implementation 📊 Committed to streamlining manual accounting processes 🚀 Ready to support you with projects and alleviate stress Contact me for more information: kevin.mill@roberthalf.com #TechTuesday #FinanceInnovation #Accounting #Finance #RobertHalf #Canada #HiringNow

I plan to write an article on why big companies with good managers/executives do not need Turnaround Specialists or Business Rescue Practitioners. They often have the STRATEGY and FINANCE SKILLS to do the TURNAROUND themselves. They can do it themselves because (1) They understand BUSINESS STRATEGY (2) They have ADVANCED WARNING SYSTEMS - ACCURATE FORECASTS that tell them the company is in trouble long before it happens so they have time to fix the problems and bring it back to the budget/profitability. A good manager manages the budget (and because his bonus is linked to it) (3) They have accurate REAL-TIME Finance, Production, and Sales Information for FORECASTING & DECISION-MAKING] (4) Point 3 Above relies on INTEGRATED COMPANY-WIDE SYSTEMS that give them the ability to manage the company on a day-to-day basis with - automation and - automatic data acquisition (for accurate, complete & timely information) to give them DASHBOARDS with - Alarms when things go very wrong - Exception reports ("Management by Exception") - Shift/Daily/Weekly and Monthly Reporting [As you can see my specialty/areas of interest are - Business and IT Strategy - Management Systems & System Implementation - Reporting - Dashboards - Advanced Warning Systems]

Reminder for finance teams: compliance is an investment, not a cost 💡 Cutting compliance spend might seem like a good way to respond to growth pressures, but it will erode profitability in the long run. Remediation costs and penalties are just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface are compliance HR turnover, slow training, and overkill-compliance tasks that can make your customer success team grow unnecessarily big. Companies who work with trusted financial institutions, raise funds and prepare IPOs invest in compliance. You should probably do it too.

Are you unclear on what business consultants do?  They are experts who provide advice, information, and recommendations to help clients achieve their goals and solve problems. They use their industry knowledge to help clients improve their performance and drive success by guiding them on various aspects of their business.  Operating a business is complex, but it doesn't have to be hard. Here are some ways Maven Business Consulting can help you:  - Process Optimization - Internal Policies Development - Digital Transformation - Project Management - Cost Saving Analysis - Accounting and Finance - Data quality - Training Which area do you feel you could improve on?  #Finances #Scaling #BusinessGrowth #BusinessDevelopment #GrowYourBiz

👉🏻 76% of finance executives agree that manual tasks still absorb too much of their finance teams’ time and effort according to a 2023 CFO Dive study. All businesses must remove these outdated manual processes to keep up with an ever-changing economic environment so that finance departments can add the value required to move the organization forward. Join our session to learn more about: 📍 How leveraging digital transformation can enhance your mission 📍How removing manual processes through automation helps support growth 📍 Why automation enhances financial processes so your team can add more value Register here: https://lnkd.in/gcTSNQPj #FinanceAutomation #FinancialProcess ##SummitVirtualCFO

Embracing Change: Navigating Process Automation in Finance Change is the only constant, especially in the dynamic world of finance. As finance professionals, the shift towards automation presents an incredible opportunity for growth, efficiency, and innovation. Yet, managing this change effectively is key to unlocking its full potential. Here’s an in-depth guide to help you navigate the waters of change management when automating finance processes. 1. Understanding the Need for Change The journey begins with recognizing the necessity of automation in today’s finance landscape. Whether it’s enhancing accuracy, speeding up processes, or providing better data insights, automation is not just about adopting new technology but about advancing the strategic capabilities of the finance function. 2. Communicating the Vision Clear communication is crucial. Articulate the benefits of automation not just from a process efficiency standpoint but also how it aligns with the broader organizational goals. Highlighting the value of change fosters buy-in and mitigates resistance. 3. Involving the Team Change is a team sport. Involve team members early in the planning phase, allowing them to voice concerns and contribute ideas. This inclusive approach not only leverages diverse insights but also enhances team commitment to the change. 4. Training and Support With new tools come new skills requirements. Invest in comprehensive training programs to equip your team with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the new systems. Remember, support extends beyond the initial rollout; ongoing education and troubleshooting resources are vital. 5. Managing the Transition A phased approach to implementing automation helps manage the transition smoothly. Start with pilot projects or single processes that can provide quick wins and learnings to inform broader implementation. Regular check-ins and feedback loops are essential to address challenges and adapt strategies as needed. 6. Celebrating Successes Recognize and celebrate milestones achieved through automation. Sharing success stories not only boosts morale but also demonstrates the tangible benefits of the change, reinforcing the positive impact of automation on the team and organization. 7. Continuously Improving The end of one change cycle is the beginning of another. Foster a culture of continuous improvement, where feedback is actively sought to refine and enhance automated processes. Stay abreast of technological advancements to ensure your finance function remains at the forefront of efficiency and innovation. I’d love to hear from you – what strategies have you found effective in managing change within your finance teams? How have you navigated the challenges and opportunities presented by automation? #ChangeManagement #FinanceAutomation #ProcessImprovement #TeamEngagement #FinanceLeadership #DigitalTransformation #ContinuousLearning #LinkedInFinance