Supports 13-period calendar

Description

The CPM software must support 13 period calendars. This function divides a fiscal year into thirteen equal 4-week periods, rather than the traditional twelve months. This configuration provides a more exact comparison of periods and improves financial forecasting accuracy. We include this requirement for buyers who need both 4-4-5, 4-5-4, and 5-4-4 capabilities.

Example Use Case

Scenario: A retail company with fluctuating sales due to seasonal shifts is struggling with accurate financial planning using its existing CPM software configured to a 12-month calendar.

Solution: Implementing CPM software that supports 13 period calendars enables more precise performance comparisons between equivalent periods (4-weeks). It would align financial planning with operational activities and provide more accurate analysis, crucial in their peak trading periods.

Considerations

As with 4-4-5, 4-5-4, and 5-4-4 calendars, the idea here is to create a framework for consistent planning and comparisons. The CPM tool must be able to accommodate an alternate calendar structure which means not only mapping a standard calendar to these 13 periods, but also uploading data from source systems into the appropriate buckets in this calendar. Without that ability, comparisons will not function as expected. Some systems will struggle with mapping, for example, partial weeks into a month. Expect to pay more for implementation no matter what CPM product you choose.

Questions to Ask a Vendor

• Implementation Support: How does your software handle mapping from a traditional 12-month calendar to a 13-period calendar? Can we use both calendars at the same time?
• Adding Later: If we add a 13-period calendar in the future, how would we do that? Would doing so impact system performance, reporting, or anything else?
• Data Import: When we import source data, do we need to accommodate for the 13-period calendar in any way, or do we just import like normal?
• Calendar Formats: Can we easily swap between 4-4-5, 4-5-4, and 5-4-4 calendars to see the impact on our reporting?