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Congrats on your score!
Your FP&A is Foundational.

FP&A is a core function in your organization, but there’s still some work to be done to connect it to your broader organizational strategy. At this level, you're laying the groundwork for more advanced financial practices. Keep reading for more insights on where to go from here.

Grow your FP&A prowess

There's work to be done, but you've got this!
Aligning FP&A with your company's strategic objectives requires understanding the strategic vision, standardizing planning processes through governance and centralized data sources, structuring data effectively, and leveraging modern FP&A software to help you scale.

Target
Connect to strategy

Have a clear understanding of your company's strategic vision, objectives, and key priorities. This involves collaborating closely with leadership to gain insights into the long-term vision and targets.

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Standardize your planning process

Standardize your FP&A process: define each step, use standard templates and centralized data sources, implement SOPs and centralized planning software, and create a governance framework.

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Structure your data

Implement governance, prioritize critical datasets, and foster cross-functional collaboration on standards. Leverage modern FP&A software to ensure high-quality, consistent data that improves planning and decision-making.

Where are you on the path to strategic finance mastery?

Foundational

Laying groundwork

  • Not yet fully aligned with the broader strategic goals of your company
  • Work to be done to standardize the planning process outside of the annual budget
  • Basic financial model and reporting
  • Operating with unstructured data and no formal model or static model
Developing

Iterative improvements

  • Finance part of decision-informing processes at a broader level
  • Annual planning process (not clearly defined) but with occasional reporting to stakeholders
  • Non-value-added tasks are automated. Starting to implement basic best practices, along with an annual planning process
  • Leveraging a partially driver-based model
Defined

Holistic FP&A

  • Finance provides critical insights and analysis that drive decision-making
  • Defined planning process with regular reporting cadence and communication with stakeholders
  • Clearly defined reporting, planning and performance management, and company-wide collaboration
  • Fully driver-based model
Refined

Optimized XP&A

  • Finance is fully connected to the strategy, and drives innovation, helping to shape strategic direction
  • The annual planning process is defined where owners can drive updates and changes to/from finance independently with approvals
  • Standardized performance management that reduces cost, improves speed, accuracy, and transparency of forecasts and reporting
  • Leveraging a fully driver-based model with automation  from users and systems
Masterful

XP&A mastery

  • Finance is a key driver of change and is recognized as a strategic partner at the highest levels of the business 
  • Predictive / statistical forecasting is combined with performance management and iterative planning, replanning, reporting, analytics, and reforecasting
  • Fully driver-based and in real-time

The guiding principles of strategic finance

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Foresight

The proactive anticipation of future financial trends and challenges, enable companies to make informed decisions and strategic plans. This principle emphasizes the use of data analytics, scenario planning, and forecasting techniques to predict potential outcomes and mitigate risks.

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Alignment

Financial strategies and goals should closely align with your business objectives and operational plans. Strategic leaders foster collaboration across departments, ensuring everyone works towards a common mission.

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Storytelling

Storytelling in FP&A transforms complex financial data and analyses into compelling narratives that stakeholders can easily understand and act upon. Effective storytelling bridges the gap between financial experts and non-financial stakeholders, facilitating better decision-making.

Scale
Balance

FP&A involves managing the trade-offs between short-term financial performance and long-term strategic goals. Careful evaluation of risks and opportunities is a heavy weight on a finance leader’s shoulders. By striving for balance, organizations can navigate financial complexities while achieving both immediate and future objectives.

Got big plans? Get the right planning tools.

See how Cube can help you hit your numbers.