Cube Blog - All Posts

The 11+ best OneStream alternatives and competitors in 2023

OneStream is an FP&A tool past its prime. Here are the best OneStream alternatives on the market...

Feel the Burn: A Guide to Gross Burn vs. Net Burn

Gross burn and net burn each contribute to a company’s understanding of how long it can keep...

Report automation made easy & the best report automation tools in 2023

Report automation is a huge time saver. After all, nobody wants to spend time manually making...

Variance reporting: What is it + how to read/write a variance report

What is variance reporting? It's when you show and explain the discrepancies between the forecast...

Keep Your Best Customers: Track (and Control) Revenue Churn

Learn how to calculate, interpret, and improve your SaaS business's revenue churn in this quick...

Top-Down or Bottom-Up Budgeting: Which Should You Use?

Top-down vs. bottom-up budgeting...which should you choose? As many with things, it depends. In...

16+ best Anaplan competitors & alternatives for FP&A teams [in 2023]

Anaplan is a popular FP&A tool, but is it the best for your strategic finance team? Review 16+ of...

16+ Best NetSuite Integrations: Your 2023 Guide

NetSuite is a powerful ERP and CRM. But what are the best NetSuite integrations you should use?...

Strategic budgeting: are you getting it right? A guide for 2023

Strategic budgeting should be treated as a formal planning process. In this guide to strategic...

[Updated] The 16 best financial forecasting software for budgeting & planning for 2023

Updated for 2023! These top financial forecasting tools help make financial projections to predict...

[Updated] The 16 best financial forecasting software for budgeting & planning for 2023

Updated for 2023! These top financial forecasting tools help make financial projections to predict...

Rule of 40 and SaaS: What is it and why is it so important?

The Rule of 40 says a company's revenue growth rate plus profitability margin should be equal to or...

News

Spreadsheet-Native: The Clear Approach to FP&A

The office of the CFO has evolved, but its tools no longer keep up. Enter spreadsheet-native: the...

LTV/CAC ratio: your secret weapon to measure sales & marketing ROI

How do you measure your sales spend? What do the numbers say about spending more on marketing? The...

The complete FP&A software evaluation checklist (for 2023)

This is the most complete FP&A software evaluation checklist on the planet. In this guide, you'll...

The top FP&A certifications and courses for career advancement [2023]

An FP&A certification is a great way to improve your skills + advance the career ladder. But with...

What is Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Software?

Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) software helps strategic finance teams improve their...

What is Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Software?

Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) software helps strategic finance teams improve their...

Becoming a “have” in B2B SaaS starts with FP&A

OpenView released a report in 2021 that tells the difference between a B2B SaaS "have" and a "have...

The 19+ best sales forecasting software of 2023

There's a lot of sales forecasting software on the market. How do you know what's right for you? No...

The 23 Best Corporate Performance Management Software (for 2023)

Corporate performance management software is critical to help FP&A teams better understand employee...

What's the Difference Between a Plan, a Budget, and a Forecast?

While a company’s plan, budget, and financial forecast are often discussed in the boardroom, these...

FP&A interview questions: a cheat sheet for landing the next FP&A role

Interviewing for a new FP&A job? Interviewing FP&A candidates and not sure what to ask? Browse our...

Every (50+) financial ratio you'll ever need in 2023

Financial ratios are a CFO's bread and butter. Ever need to look up a financial ratio? Us too....

[Updated for 2023] The 15 best financial statement software tools

Financial statements are an important part of your reporting process. But which financial statement...

Full steam ahead? Calculating the SaaS magic number

Your SaaS magic number is a powerful indicator of when it's time to grow. Learn how to calculate...

Customer Spotlight - Figment

Figment's new VP of Strategic Finance needed a tool to budget, forecast, and report against...

Cash inflow and outflow: keeping tabs on your financial health

Keeping tabs on your cash inflow and outflow is how you keep the lights on and invest in growth....

21 best finance software for businesses & personal finances [in 2023]

Finance software is essential for any business there are too many choices to sift through. Here's...

MRR vs. ARR: recurring revenue in SaaS is still important

What's the difference between MRR vs. ARR? Both are important ways for SaaS companies to examine...

In a New Finance Leadership Role? Here’s a Guide for a Successful First 90 Days

How should you prepare for a new role in finance leadership? Use this guide to set your team up for...

What is headcount forecasting? [Free headcount forecasting Excel template]

Headcount forecasting (AKA headcount or workforce planning) is essential for any high-growth...

Quick Ratio vs. Current Ratio: The Quick Difference

Learn the quick difference between the quick vs. current ratio and when you best use each metric in...

Board reporting in 2023 made easy (avoid these 5 mistakes)

Board reporting has a reputation for being tough. We pulled some tips and mistakes for CFOs to...

Slides: The top 5 mistakes CFOs make when communicating with the board

What are the top 5 mistakes CFOs make when communicating with the board? Here's the slide deck our...

How to Speed Up your Annual Budgeting Process in 2023

Many businesses dread the annual budgeting process as the fiscal year comes to a close. However,...

14 best budgeting software tools & apps [updated for 2023]

Budgeting can be a long and dysfunctional process. That's why we've pulled together this list of...

What's a static budget? Here's what you need to know

What is a static budget? How is it different from a fixed budget? How do you make a static budget?...

Calculating DPO vs. DSO (including Days Payable Outstanding formula)

DPO and DSO can be tricky to calculate if you don't know the formulas. That's why we created this...

The 11+ Best Financial Analytic Software for FP&A teams in 2023

Financial analytic software helps you analyze your financial data for valuable business insights....

The 8+ best account reconciliation software (updated for 2023)

We rounded up the best account reconciliation software on the market to accelerate a stress-free...

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): how to measure sales/marketing ROI

The Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) metric calculates the sales and marketing costs it takes in...

7 of the best financial modeling software [for 2023]

There's a lot of financial modeling software out there today. That's why we wrote this guide to...

Keep your company in tune: reconcile your balance sheet the right way

Do you know how to reconcile the balance sheet? If not, no problem. That's why we wrote this guide...

What's an FP&A job?

How do you get an FP&A job? From the analyst position to director of strategic finance, FP&A can be...

Adjusted EBITDA: definition, formula, and how to calculate

Adjusted EBITDA is just a better EBITDA, no? Well, that's not the whole story. Read on to learn...

The 16+ top Prophix alternatives and competitors [updated for 2023]

Prophix is a well-known FP&A tool, but is it the best? We made this guide to Prophix alternatives...

How WizeHire saves 90% of the their time (and does stronger FP&A work)

When WizeHire raised their first round, they suddenly had a new problem: fast growth forced them to...

Cube ranks #1 for ease of use on G2; receives 20 badges across FP&A categories (Fall '22)

Following high G2 rankings in Spring and Summer, we’re happy to continue this upward trajectory...

Getting Buy-In for Your Next Finance Transformation Project

So you're ready to start a finance transformation project, but how do you convince your team that...

Vena reviews: How does Vena Solutions compare to the alternatives?

A collection of Vena reviews and our take on who Vena Solutions is for, its pros and cons, and...

Create and track a cash budget (step-by-step guide)

Cash budgets are important for monitoring your cash inflows and outflows, as well as ensuring the...

100+ up-to-date-for-2023 FP&A statistics every CFO should know

Looking for an FP&A statistic? Look no further. We've gathered more than 100 up-to-date FP&A...

Cube ranks #1 for user satisfaction on G2; Receives 30+ badges across FP&A categories (Winter ‘23)

We’re proud to have received more than 30 badges across multiple FP&A categories in G2’s Winter...

11+ Best Pigment Alternatives and Competitors [for 2023]

With so many FP&A solutions on the market, does Pigment stand out? Let's examine the top Pigment...

What is NBV (Net Book Value)?

NBV (net book value) is an important metric for ascertaining the value of a company's fixed assets....

Goodwill impairment: the value of a name

Goodwill impairment is when your brand suffers and your intangible asset---goodwill, or the...

What is strategic financial planning and management?

Strategic planning is one of finance's most important functions. In this post, you'll learn how to...

What is Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)? A Guide for 2023

Financial Planning and Analysis, or FP&A, is the budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis...

The 13 best financial reporting software [updated for 2023]

We made this list of the best financial reporting software to help you pick the best tool for you.

The 13 Best Business Budgeting Software Tools in 2023

Business budgeting software is essential for any business looking to create budgets, forecasts and...

Customer Spotlight - Veryable

Veryable's Director of Finance needed a reliable tool to build the foundation of his FP&A with...

Datarails reviews (updated for 2023): features, pricing, competitors

Get the inside scoop on Datarails. We've collected Datarails reviews, datarails pricing, and even...

EBITDA: What does it say about my company's financial health?

This blog post explains what EBITDA is and how it can be used to measure a company's financial...

Anaplan vs. Adaptive vs. Planful vs. Vena vs. Datarails vs. Cube

Picking the best FP&A tool can be a challenge. That's why we wrote this guide comparing Anaplan vs...

xP&A: finding a competitive edge through extended planning & analysis

Extended planning and analysis (xP&A) is the new FP&A: holistic financial planning. But what makes...

EBITDA vs. net income: a comprehensive tutorial

EBITDA and net income are common financial metrics, but differ in how they're used and calculated....

NetSuite vs. QuickBooks: how do they measure up?

Both NetSuite and QuickBooks are essential accounting solutions. But how do you know which is the...

Cash runway: How (and why) to calculate your company’s cash runway

Cash runway is an essential metric that helps founders and CFOs determine how much cash they have...

What are intercompany transactions?

Intercompany transactions occur after acquisitions and mergers. But what are the best practices for...

What is sensitivity analysis in strategic finance?

Sensitivity analysis is a financial modeling technique that helps FP&A teams determine how input...

ASC 606 revenue recognition: A 2023 guide for SaaS CFOs & FP&A teams

Complying with ASC 606 revenue recognition standards is increasingly difficult for modern FP&A...

The 10 Best FP&A Software Tools: A Guide for 2023

Finance teams use FP&A software solutions to streamline and automate their work. Here's an overview...

The 10 Best FP&A Software Tools: A Guide for 2023

Finance teams use FP&A software solutions to streamline and automate their work. Here's an overview...

What's Rolling On? When is a Rolling Forecast Right for my Business?

A rolling forecast evolves with your business. It’s a living, breathing document that is always...

The 11+ best Oracle Essbase alternatives [updated for 2023]

Compare several Oracle Essbase alternatives in this handy guide to FP&A software and other...

News

Pitching VCs? Here's the deck we used to raise $30M with Battery Ventures

Pitching VCs? Here's the deck we used to raise $30M with Battery Ventures, as featured in Business...

EBIT: Earnings Before Interest and Taxes + how to calculate EBIT

EBIT is one of the more profitability measurements, but what does it mean, and how do you interpret...

How enhanced transparency in FP&A helps Unqork make agile, informed decisions and fuels rapid growth

With a single source of truth giving them total confidence in their numbers, Unqork champions both...

How Kristina Uses Cube to De-stress her FP&A Process and Achieve Peace of Mind

1Rockwell no longer spends all their time closing the books, nor do they chase down data...

Cohort Analysis: Tell the Secret Story Behind the Numbers

Learn some simple cohort analysis techniques (like acquisition vs. behavioral cohorts) so that you...

The Definitive Guide to FP&A Software Implementation in 2023

When working on a financial implementation, it’s important to win and create a seamless transition...

Our FP&A salary & career field guide for 2023 strategic finance roles

How much should you expect to get paid in FP&A? And how do you increase your salary and get...

How to Empower Non-Financial Executives to Understand the Numbers

Explaining financial numbers to non-financial executives can be a voyage riddled with rough waters...

The 5 best mid-market planning tools for business [updated for 2023]

With so many FP&A planning tools on the market, how do you know which one to choose? Read this post...

Our review of Jirav: how does it measure up?

Jirav is one of the myraid FP&A solutions promising to replace spreadsheets for good. But how does...

11+ best strategic planning software for CFOs in 2023

Strategic planning software can help FP&A teams better partner with their CEOs and leadership. But...

Capacity Planning: the CFO's Guide

Don't overlook the importance of capacity planning. CFOs, in this guide we show you how capacity...

The 20+ best forecasting and budgeting software solutions (in 2023)

Forecasting and budgeting software is a dime a dozen these days. What's the best fit for you? We...

Chart of Accounts: basics and best practices

Learn the basics and best practices to setting up and maintaining a chart of accounts for your...

Cash forecasting: a quick guide for busy FP&A teams (updated for 2023)

For finance teams at SaaS companies, cash flow forecasting is fundamental to help executives manage...

11+ Best workforce management software for CFOs in 2023

Workforce management software helps manage employee scheduling and workload. But with so many...

The best capacity planning tools for busy FP&A teams in 2023

Capacity planning tools are essential to help you create realistic forecasts and models. But what's...

8 must-do steps for your month-end close process

Is your month-end close process taking too long, or do you think you should be doing more? Here's...

Planful reviews: What is Planful?

How does Planful work? What are the pros and cons of Planful? What are some Planful reviews or...

Customer Spotlight - Growth Operators

The Senior Director of FP&A at Growth Operators needed a tool to budget, forecast, and report...

What-if Analysis: A Beginner's Guide to Scenarios + Goal Seek in Excel

A simple introduction to what-if analysis in Microsoft Excel. We cover scenarios, data tables, goal...

Account reconciliation: What it is, how it works, and what to do

Account reconciliation is an essential part of closing the books. But how do you do it, and why is...

What is Workforce Planning?

Workforce planning is a large part of your budget and determines the trajectory of your company:...

Net dollar retention: why NDR is your new north star

Net dollar retention (NDR) or net revenue retention (NRR) is a north star metric for SaaS companies...

[Template Included] Calculate + Improve Gross & Net Revenue Retention

Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) and Net Revenue Retention (NRR), sometimes called GDR and NDR, are...

All about the contribution margin income statement

The contribution margin income statement is a specialized financial statement. But what does it...

The 10 top financial close software for a stressless month end (2023)

Your financial close is important. Look at these top financial close software tools to ensure...

What is Anaplan? Reviews, pros/cons, and alternatives (for 2023)

What is Anaplan? It's an enterprise-grade FP&A solution. But there's a lot more to it. Here you'll...

Strategic finance: An exhaustive and practical guide for CFOs in 2023

Strategic finance

The top 16+ ERP system examples in 2023

Want some ERP system examples? We've got you covered with this roundup and comparison of 16 of the...

What are the three financial statements?

The three financial statements that make the 3-statement model are the income statement, balance...

Burn multiple: a quick & simple guide

Burn multiple is an essential efficiency metric. How do venture capitalists use it to judge...

NetSuite Reviews: Competitors & Alternatives

NetSuite is one of the most well-known tools in finance. But how does this multipurpose ERP stack...

What is budget forecasting?

Learn all about budget forecasting and how it's different than a traditional budget or a...

IRR vs. XIRR: What's the difference? When do I use them?

IRR (internal rate of return) and XIRR (extended internal rate of return) measure an investment's...

How the CFO of Masterworks used Cube to forecast for and attain a unicorn valuation

Learn how Nigel used Cube to keep Masterworks as lean as possible until the company was ready to...

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV): Quantify Your Customers (in Revenue)

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) is an essential metric to for any SaaS business. In this blog post,...

G2 recognizes Cube’s customer service, high performance, and ease of use (Summer ‘22)

Cube was awarded 6 G2 badges for the Summer 2022 season: High Performer (Mid-Market + Summer),...

G2 ranks Cube high performer, easiest to do business with (Spring '22)

Cube was awarded 4 G2 badges for the Winter 2022 season: Budgeting & Forecasting, Corporate...

[Updated] The 15 best financial management software tools for businesses in 2023

If you’re not using modern financial management software, you don't have the most accurate view of...

What's a pro forma template? [Free pro forma templates for Excel]

A pro forma statement is a hypothetical future state of a business's finances. Grab a free pro...

Why I Joined Cube: A Product Person’s Perspective

Learn why Rob Baesman joined Cube was the VP of Product and what's next for Cube's growth, from a...

How to create a balance sheet projection in 2023

Knowing how to create a balance sheet projection is essential for being able to companies looking...

The 9+ Best OnPlan Alternatives and Competitors [for 2023]

OnPlan is an integrated planning solution designed for finance teams. But does it lead the pack?...

Not All Metrics are KPIs - Best Practices

If you have a 2-page list of “KPIs,” we’re calling them the wrong thing. Not all metrics are KPIs,...

The 11+ best Mosaic Tech alternatives + competitors (updated for 2023)

Mosaic Tech is a finance tool for SaaS companies but is it the best fit for your business? Check...

Scenario Planning: Move Beyond the Basics

Scenario planning is a method of forecasting and analysis that takes a variety of assumptions to...

Cash flow: What's the difference between the direct vs indirect method?

Learn when to use the direct vs indirect method for calculating your business's cash flow.

How this CFO turned budgeting at SmugMug, Inc. into an easy, practical, and fair process

Budgeting at SmugMug was a tangled mess, even after restructuring their departments. But things...

Driver-based planning: let the numbers lead the way

Driver-based planning is one of the best paradigms for your next budgeting cycle. What drives...

A full Workday Adaptive Planning review [Updated for 2023]

This is a full and honest Workday Adaptive Planning review (formerly Adaptive Insights). Pros,...

A full Workday Adaptive Planning review [Updated for 2023]

This is a full and honest Workday Adaptive Planning review (formerly Adaptive Insights). Pros,...

The 6 best cash flow management software tools (in 2023)

Cash flow management software manages the flow of incoming and outgoing cash flows of a business.

The 6 best cash flow management software tools (in 2023)

Cash flow management software manages the flow of incoming and outgoing cash flows of a business.

Corporate Performance Management: What is it and strategies to improve

Corporate performance management (CPM) describes the methods and processes of measuring a company's...

The 8 Best Financial Planning Software Tools [updated for 2023]

Companies today are getting the same message: Plan B is not enough. This list of financial planning...