Using 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboards to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process

    How can Financial Dashboard s Drive Faster and Better Decisions? As CFOs increasingly become key advisors in the Monthly Reporting Process, they must rely on modern self-service corporate performance management (CPM) and business intelligence (BI) tools. Using interactive Financial Dashboards like the 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard template shown below enables them and users from the accounting and department teams to experience near real time expense metrics that help drive faster and better decisions. Who uses 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard s and What are Some Key Analytical Features? In today’s fast-paced business environment, CFOs are under high pressure to supply end users like controllers and department managers with timely and concise Financial Dashboards. Companies use key features like the ones below to support their users with effective analysis that helps drive cost control and profitability.
    • Last year, budget and current year estimate (actual + forecast) figures with drill to monthly detail and sorting
    • Budget and last year opex comparisons
    • Interactive, Monthly expense trend chart with Last Year and Budget figures
    The 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard template can be used as a key element of the Monthly Reporting process: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Example of a 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process Example of a 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process[/caption] The 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard is a ready-to-use Financial Dashboard from the Solver Marketplace A Brief Description of the 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboard Template Financial Dashboards like the one seen in the image above are interactive and parameter driven and typically contain sections with annual charts comparing Current Year Estimate with Budget and Last Year expenses. One of the important features that aid the user in the analysis process is the ability to use dynamic charts that update based on which row in the two tables the user clicks on or which parameters are being selected. 24 Month Expense Trend Dashboards are often used in conjunction with expense variance dashboards, profit & loss reports, and budget models. Data Integration to Transaction Systems Most organizations these days want automated and streamlined planning, reporting and analysis. However, many of the benefits described earlier rely on best of breed Corporate Performance Management (CPM) tools and/or Business Intelligence (BI) capabilities as well as data marts or data warehouses that use pre-built integrations to the organization’s ERP system. Oftentimes, they also need integrations to other key data sources like CRM, subscription systems, payroll tools, etc. Modern, cloud-based ERPs like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance (D365 Finance), Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365 BC), Sage Intacct, Acumatica, Netsuite and SAP have robust APIs which allow for dynamic integrations to CPM and BI tools that are fully automated and flexible to run on a schedule or on-demand. Additional Resources to Aid with Research of Templates, CPM and BI Tools
    December 7, 2021