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In the newsBlog > Scenario Planning
Scenario Planning
See the road ahead. Plan for future scenarios to assess their impact on your organization's financial performance to drive proactive decision-making and mitigate risks.
Featured articles
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 seek, and more.
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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 business? How can you use those to guide the business?
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How SmugMug's CFO turned budgeting into an easy and practical process
How enhanced transparency in FP&A helps Unqork make agile, informed decisions and fuels rapid growth
How Masterworks used Cube to realize their unicorn valuation
How 1rockwell uses Cube to speed up monthly close
When is a rolling forecast the right strategy for my business?
PSA: Not all metrics are KPIs - best practices
What is financial planning and analysis (FP&A) software?
Cash forecasting: a quick guide for busy FP&A teams (updated for 2023)
Getting buy-in for your next finance transformation project
Scenario planning: Strategies for moving beyond the basics
Track and control revenue churn to keep your best customers
LTV/CAC ratio: your secret weapon to measure sales & marketing ROI
Revenue retention (GRR vs. NRR): calculate, interpret, and improve
Strategic budgeting: are you getting it right? A guide for 2023
Top-down vs. bottom-up budgeting: which should you use?
The 16 best financial forecasting software for FP&A teams [in 2023]
Rule of 40 and SaaS: What is it and why is it so important?
Cohort analysis: the secret to the best insights you've ever gotten
CAC (customer acquisition cost): how to measure sales/marketing ROI
The definitive guide to an FP&A software implementation (in 2023)
Full steam ahead? Calculating the SaaS magic number
G2 ranks Cube high performer, easiest to do business with (Spring '22)
Chart of accounts: basics and best practices
The 15 best financial management software tools for businesses in 2023
What’s the difference between a plan, a budget, and a forecast?
What is customer lifetime value (LTV)? Definition, uses, examples
In a new finance leadership role? Here’s a guide for a successful first 90 days
How to accelerate your annual budgeting process (in 2023)
The 12 best business budgeting software tools (updated for 2023)
Feel the burn: a guide to gross burn vs. net burn
16 best cash flow management software tools for busy FP&A teams [2023]
Quick ratio vs. current ratio: the quick difference
Why I joined Cube: A product person’s perspective
What is financial planning & analysis (FP&A) in 2023?
A full Workday Adaptive Planning review [Updated for 2023]
The 10 best FP&A software tools: a guide for 2023
The complete FP&A software evaluation checklist (for 2023)
How to empower non-financial executives to understand the numbers
Becoming a “have” in B2B SaaS starts with FP&A
How WizeHire saves 90% of their time (and does stronger FP&A work)
The 5 best mid-market planning tools for business [updated for 2023]
Spreadsheet-Native: The Clear Approach to FP&A
Pitching VCs? Here's the deck we used to raise $30M with Battery Ventures
Cash flow: What's the difference between the direct vs. indirect method?
What is budget forecasting?
8 must-do steps for your month-end close process
14 best budgeting software tools & apps [updated for 2023]
The 17 best financial reporting software tools [updated for 2023]
The 8 best financial planning software tools [updated for 2023]
21 best finance software for businesses & personal finances [in 2023]
Datarails reviews (updated for 2023): features, pricing, competitors
Anaplan vs. Adaptive vs. Planful vs. Vena vs. Datarails vs. Cube
15 best financial statement software tools [Updated for 2023]
Corporate performance management: a primer
The 10 top financial close software for a stressless month end (2023)
G2 recognizes Cube’s customer service, high performance, and ease of use (Summer ‘22)
NetSuite reviews, competitors, and alternatives
Net dollar retention: why NDR is your new north star
Strategic workforce planning for CFOs: from strategy to execution
The 23 best corporate performance management software (for 2023)
What's an FP&A job? (Plus an FP&A analyst job description for 2023)
7 of the best financial modeling software [for 2023]
Driver-based planning: let the numbers lead the way
What is Anaplan? Reviews, pros/cons, and alternatives (for 2023)
Our review of Jirav: how does the business planning tool measure up?
Slides: The top 5 mistakes CFOs make when communicating with the board
16+ best Anaplan competitors & alternatives for FP&A teams [in 2023]
What-if analysis: a beginner's guide to scenarios + goal seek in Excel
The 20+ best forecasting and budgeting software solutions (in 2023)
What is sensitivity analysis in strategic finance?
What is strategic financial planning and management?
Cube ranks #1 for ease of use on G2; receives 20 badges across FP&A categories (Fall '22)
NetSuite vs. QuickBooks: how do they measure up?
Cash inflow and outflow: keeping tabs on your financial health
Cash runway: How (and why) to calculate your company’s cash runway
FP&A interview questions: a cheat sheet for landing the next FP&A role
What are the three financial statements?
Capacity planning: the CFO's guide
What's a pro forma template? [Free pro forma templates for Excel]
What is headcount forecasting? [Free headcount forecasting Excel template]
Vena reviews: How does Vena Solutions compare to the alternatives?
Planful reviews: what is Planful?
EBITDA: What does it say about my company's financial health?
100+ up-to-date-for-2023 FP&A statistics every CFO should know
16+ of the best NetSuite integrations: your 2023 guide
Cube ranks #1 for user satisfaction on G2; Receives 30+ badges across FP&A categories (Winter ‘23)
The 11+ best Oracle Essbase alternatives [updated for 2023]
The top 16+ ERP system examples in 2023
The 8+ best account reconciliation software (updated for 2023)
11+ best strategic planning software for CFOs in 2023
The top FP&A certifications and courses for career advancement [2023]
The 11+ best Mosaic competitors + alternatives (updated for 2023)
Burn multiple: a quick & simple guide
Every (50+) financial ratio you'll ever need in 2023
11+ Best workforce management software for CFOs in 2023
Our FP&A salary & career field guide for 2023 strategic finance roles
ASC 606 revenue recognition: A 2023 guide for SaaS CFOs & FP&A teams
The best capacity planning tools for busy FP&A teams in 2023
The 19+ best sales forecasting software of 2023
How to create a balance sheet projection in 2023
What's a static budget? Here's what you need to know
Strategic finance: An exhaustive and practical guide for CFOs in 2023
The 16+ top Prophix alternatives and competitors [updated for 2023]
Variance reporting: What is it + how to read/write a variance report
Account reconciliation: What it is, how it works, and what to do
Report automation made easy & the best report automation tools in 2023
The 11+ best financial analysis software for FP&A teams in 2023
The 11+ best Centage alternatives (updated for 2023)
11+ Best Pigment Competitors and Alternatives [for 2023]
The 9+ Best OnPlan Alternatives and Competitors [for 2023]
The 11+ best OneStream alternatives and competitors in 2023
Calculating DPO vs. DSO (including Days Payable Outstanding formula)
All about the contribution margin income statement
IRR vs. XIRR: What's the difference? When do I use them?
MRR vs. ARR: recurring revenue in SaaS is still important
xP&A: finding a competitive edge through extended planning & analysis
Keep your company in tune: reconcile your balance sheet the right way
Board reporting in 2023 made easy (avoid these 5 mistakes)
Create and track a cash budget (step-by-step guide)
EBIT: Earnings Before Interest and Taxes + how to calculate EBIT
Adjusted EBITDA: definition, formula, and how to calculate
What is NBV (Net Book Value)?
EBITDA vs. net income: a comprehensive tutorial
Goodwill impairment: the value of a name
What are intercompany transactions?
How Veryable unwound a complex spreedsheet stack
How Growth Operators uses Cube's flexibility to scale
How Figment improved forecast accuracy and found immediate value
Why I Built Cube: The Home of Strategic FP&A
Profitability analysis: slicing the pie
Incremental budgeting: is it the right budgeting method for you?
Activity-based budgeting: is this budgeting method right for you?
The inside scoop on bottom-up planning
Statement of retained earnings: reporting on your rainy day fund
Operational planning vs strategic planning: How they work together
Net working capital: the basics, how to calculate, and how to improve
CapEx vs. OpEx: the difference between these types of expenditures
CapEx formula: how to calculate capital expenditures
G2 ranks Cube #1 for ease of use, price, and user satisfaction (Spring ‘23)
Financial forecasting models: ghosts of the past, present, and future
Sales and operations planning (S&OP): the basics and best practices
The 12 best workforce planning software for CFOs in 2023
Organizational plans: a quick primer (with examples)
Zero-based budgeting: justifying every line item in the company budget
Cash flow forecasting: The financial GPS system
Your guide to financial forecasting essentials (for 2023)
The essential elements of a strategic plan: explained
Our top budgeting best practices for busy FP&A teams
Reporting unearned revenue: what you need to know
How to create & use pro forma statements
The 10 best ad hoc reporting software for busy FP&A teams (in 2023)
What is the percentage-of-sales method?
Budget variance analysis: did you stick to your budget?
What's a P&L budget?
Ad hoc reporting: create custom ad hoc reports for business needs
The 4 financial statements CFOs need to know
Compliance reporting: everything you need to know
Designing & presenting effective financial reporting dashboards
Hiring your first FP&A analyst
The best strategic finance publications in 2023
Everything an FP&A leader should have on their finance dashboard
How to prepare financial statements: a quick guide for FP&A teams
Building a foolproof operating budget
Navigating multi-currency account reporting: a guide for FP&A managers
Comparing different capital budgeting techniques
The benefits of automated compliance management systems in FP&A
The CFO's guide to impactful board decks (slides included!)
G2 ranks Cube “Most Implementable” and a “Leader” in multiple FP&A categories (Summer ’23)
How to calculate projected sales: a guide for FP&A leaders
How to use financial variance analysis to enhance forecasting accuracy
Creating a master budget: best practices for better collaboration
From number-cruncher to strategic leader: the changing face of the CFO
How to build an effective FP&A process
Fostering data integrity in your FP&A reporting
9 variable expenses examples you should know
Compliance management: Build a culture of compliance on your FP&A team
How InStride streamlines financial processes and drives strategic planning with Cube
Mid-year financial performance review: assessing financial health and course correction
Keep calm and plan on: How to build a stress-free budget process
Budget preparation: when should you start planning your budget?
Breaking down the budgeting process: 7 things you need to get your budget approved
NetSuite and Cube: how integrating your ERP and FP&A systems unlocks productivity
The makings of an effective financial planning calendar
Maintaining strategic alignment: 9 budgeting tips for finance leaders
10 KPIs finance leaders need to track for organizational health
Planning your budget: top 5 questions to ask budget owners to ensure accuracy
Budgeting and forecasting: a quick and easy guide
How Smart City Apartment found confidence in their numbers and scaled with Cube
G2 awards Cube 32 badges and top spot for "CPM" and "Budgeting and Forecasting" (Fall ‘23)
How to use FP&A software to drive strategic planning
4 proven tactics to survive budget season for finance leaders (video included!)
6 biggest headaches for FP&A teams (and how to fix them)
Risk management in financial planning: mitigating uncertainties for a stronger future
Top tips for growing and scaling an FP&A team
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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 help you pick the best solution for your business.
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Frequently asked questions
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What is scenario planning?
+Scenario planning is a method of forecasting and analysis that takes a variety of assumptions to drive different outcomes in the future. The most common example is drawing various outcomes from an annual operating budget to improve business decisions around resource allocation and adjustment.
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What is scenario analysis?
+Scenario analysis, as the name suggests, is a way to consider and react to future changes in a business plan. It creates a baseline financial model and allows a planner to manipulate variables to show how it changes outcomes.
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What is the primary purpose of scenario planning?
+The main goal of scenario planning is to aid in decision-making. If companies know the potential outcomes various value drivers could derive, companies can make plans (including backup plans) and make decisions quickly.
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What are the steps involved in scenario planning?
+There are three main steps to scenario planning. First, identify significant goals for the business. Then, build plans around those goals. Finally, perform what-if analysis and best/worst-case scenario planning to map out backup plans beyond the base plan.
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How is scenario planning different from financial modeling?
+Financial modeling is a crucial aspect of scenario planning. While creating models is vital to understand possible financial outcomes, scenario planning takes things one step further and builds plans and further analysis informed by financial models.