Maintenance-free as time goes on with seamless integrations to our source systems

Description

This pertains to the efficient and real-time connection between the CPM software and the various data source systems within the organization's technology stack and the use of driver-based forecasts to automate the flow and calculation of data. The aim is to ensure a hands-off process, reduce manual intervention and maintenance, and facilitate instant results.

Example Use Case

Scenario: A non-profit organization employs numerous source systems for accounting, grant management, donation solicitation, and project management. They are using Google Sheets to aggregate these sources. They also maintain a collection of independent sheets to forecast their financials which must be updated each month with source data and revised predictions.

Solution: They seek a CPM vendor that can integrate to all of their source systems and blend the data for their ongoing forecasting. They then configure that CPM system with an extensive number of drivers that automatically re-calculate the forecast as fresh data is loaded into the CPM database. This makes their monthly maintenance nearly zero.

Considerations

Heavily driver-based models are the key to low maintenance, even if some manual data uploads are required. This allows the user to automate accounts and other planning elements that are relatively predictable based on past performance and calculated metrics. We consider this the nirvana of the planning world, as it represents the seamless, connected process that everyone in finance dreams about.

Even if drivers are not available, what about automated predictive analytics? Those algorithms can use new source data and re-calculate their projections. CPM vendors who can do both have the opportunity to truly automate the process for customers and help them leave Excel for good.

Questions to Ask a Vendor

• Integration Capability: Our source systems are X Y and Z. Are you able to automate data extract from those tools?
• Driver Configuration: Is your driver functionality mature enough to automatically calculate a forecast every time we upload new source data?
• Predictive Analytics: Do you have predictive methods? If so, can they be automatically applied when new data is loaded in?
• Monthly Automation: Overall, how would you recommend we use your product to automate the most of our monthly processes?