The Ledger

Curated content for
analytical business leaders

It’s No Surprise That Spreadsheet Reporting is Bad for Business

December 4, 2018

In the era of big data analytics and digital transformation, more companies are realizing the value and importance of data analytics in every area of their business. With that said, many finance leaders find themselves unable to successfully navigate this transformation because they are using outdated tools to try to visualize and analyze their data. There’s nothing inherently wrong with spreadsheets; they’re excellent tools for many different jobs, but data visualization and data communication are not in that category. Having robust analytics practices require an integrated technology platform that enables executives to gain stronger insights into the business.

Read More at Forbes Magazine >

 

How to Overcome Analysis Paralysis

December 3, 2018

Analysis paralysis can be a big problem for executives who are not digitally proficient and able to use intelligent technologies to differentiate themselves from competitors. Trying to navigate the digital disruptions affecting every industry, company, and line of business is next to impossible for companies experiencing this paralysis. The cure for such paralysis is a digital transformation, which is fundamentally about creating better outcomes, better visibility, and the ability to be agile and deliver outcomes in a timely fashion. There are three practical tips to follow when turning digital transformation into a practical strategy for driving long-term growth.

Read More at The Digitalist by SAP >

 

Why Intelligent Drivers Are Necessary in FP&A

November 29, 2018

“Intelligent drivers” are measurable business activities that directly link strategy to the organization’s short- and long-term goals. Business process goals and operational activities do not always line up with the organizational structure. Some have a one-to-one relationship, but others may go across multiple departments. Defining intelligent drivers may well lead to rethinking the way budgets are set and departmental performance monitored. Consequently, relationships should, where possible, be validated against both past behavior and assessed as to their accuracy in predicting the future. This is not something that will be exact or proven at first, but the point is to keep iteratively refining the measures by challenging management beliefs about organizational drivers, risk, value, and reward, and how your organization can better leverage them to drive success.

Read More at The Digitalist by SAP >

 

Proprietary Software Solutions Are Helping Companies Dominate

November 28, 2018

Industry leaders are leveraging enterprise technology that enables the business to be more productive, profitable and innovative. The largest firms in the industry are capturing a greater share of the market then they used to, and research links this trend to software. Leveraging proprietary software pairs with other strengths to form competitive advantage is becoming the norm in today’s market. Proprietary software is providing some companies advantage and the full-stack model is dominating the software-vendor model. The result is that large firms are gaining market share and getting ahead of the competition.

Read More at The Harvard Business Review >

 

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