The Ledger

The Value of Visualization in FP&A

Modern finance preaches quite a few things that help FP&A. Much of it relates to the speed of receiving information, a single version of the truth, integrating data, integrating plans, planning in the cloud, and so much more. One area of FP&A that is often overlooked is the value of data visualization. The power of modern BI and visualization allows finance to tell a real-time story based on the latest information. It allows finance to weave a narrative that allows them to not only gain trust but also to gain an audience – and most importantly, capture the mind and attention of the customer.

Read More at The Digitalist by SAP >

Finance Continues to Move Towards Strategy

“Finance teams are evolving from being centered on transactional responsibilities to being tasked with providing the business with analytics and strategic insight, helping their organization look to and move into the future.”

In addition to expanded responsibilities around data and insights, the speed at which finance organizations must deliver information will be critical. Access to better and more meaningful data will be important in helping to drive better decision making. Finance teams that have embraced data analytics for their business strategy are reaping the benefits early on.

Read More at Forbes Magazine >

What Healthcare Providers Can Learn From Retailers

“Like banks, airlines, and retailers, health care providers will need to offer an easy, digital front-end experience to their customers. This isn’t just about building fancy new websites, but undertaking true care redesign: becoming adept at delivering high-quality, cost-effective virtual care through telehealth and digital tools. To this end, they will need to move from pilot programs to large-scale efforts routinely offered across the care spectrum.” Healthcare can learn a lot from how retailers are meet the needs of their customers.

Read More at The Harvard Business Review >

Achieving Real-Time Reporting With Meaningful Data

Timeliness of reporting can deliver real returns to the business. But real-time reporting and analytics can mean many things to many people. Data in an organization is often in silos due to traditional technology restraints, and different departments have different data needs. Automating, centralizing, and standardizing data is key. Reducing the amount of data replication will get you closer and closer to “real-time” access to meaningful data.

Read More at The Digitalist by SAP >