Budget inputs from users are available within hours at the top level

Description

This feature enables budget data entered by individual users to be available after a brief aggregation process at the consolidated level. This makes the product faster from a click through / analytics perspective.

Example Use Case

Scenario: A global retail company is using a CPM software for budget planning. They receive budget inputs from various department heads stationed across different regions. Due to the volume and complexity of data, the system takes days to aggregate these inputs and present at the top level which results in delayed decision-making.

Solution: With a CPM software that aggregates budget input rapidly, as soon as department heads submit their budget data, the system efficiently processes it and integrates it within hours. Consequently, top management can view the collective budget status swiftly, facilitating quicker resource allocation and strategic planning.

Considerations

The benefit of a system that aggregates, or refreshes itself, is the click-through on the system is much faster. This is because all the data the user sees has already been pre-calculated. For example, the user does not have to wait for the system to calculate COGS or output a report from a unique dimensional combination. Every conceivable data intersection has already been calculated. As such, nothing beats the speed of OLAP for rapid data analytics.

Questions to Ask a Vendor

• Processing Time: What is the typical processing time for new budget inputs to reflect at the top level in your system?
• User Access: Does the system kick out users when the aggregation is processed?