Using Profitability Comparison 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 Profitability Comparison Dashboard template shown below enables them and users from the executive team and board to experience near real time profitability metrics that help drive faster and better decisions. Who uses Profitability Comparison 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 senior leaders and board members with timely and concise Financial Dashboards. Companies use key features like the ones below to support their users with effective analysis that helps drive profit maximization and growth tactics:
    • Comparative tables with Actual and Budget margins for Gross Profit, EBITDA, and Net Profit
    • Waterfall charts showing profit metrics by subsidiary and consolidated
    • Graphical comparison of Gross Profit vs Net Profit for Actual and Budget figures
    The Profitability Comparison Dashboard template can be used as a key element of the Monthly Reporting process: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Example of a Profitability Comparison Dashboard to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process Example of a Profitability Comparison Dashboard to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process[/caption] The Profitability Comparison Dashboard is a ready-to-use Financial Dashboard from the Solver Marketplace. A Brief Description of the Profitability Comparison Dashboard Template Financial Dashboards like the one seen in the image above are interactive and parameter driven and typically contain sections with tables and charts with profit-related metrics. One of the important features that aid the user in the analysis process is the ability to easily compare Gross Profit, Net Profit and EBITDA across selected subsidiaries. Profitability Comparison Dashboards are often used in conjunction with profit trend and variance dashboards, KPI 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
    January 11, 2022