Post on 14-Jun-2015
transcript
Presenters: Graham Finney, VP ServicesEric Normand, Director of Services Justin McNeely, Account Executive
Escape Excel Hell10 Reasons to avoid using Excel as the go-to
solution for Budgeting and Planning
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� Canadian consulting firm focused exclusively on SAP Enterprise Performance
Management solutions
� Implementing SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation (BPC) since
2003
� Currently support the majority of Canadian customers using BPC
� Consultants located across Canada
� Consultants have Finance background, CA, CGA, CMA, CPA
� Services include: Evaluation, Design, Implementation, Project Management,
Training, and Support
Sample of Canadian SAP BPC
Customers
Excel Based Approach to Budgeting
and Planning
� Today more than 75% of companies are using Excel as the go-to solution for budgeting and forecasting
� This leads to an ineffective and time consuming process (80/20).
� Organizations experience frustration and a lack of confidence in the data, and this can potentially result poor decision making.
Benefits of Excel
■ Widely used application
■ Easy to learn basics and availability of training
■ Control over report format
■ Flexible reporting capabilities (Graphs, Charts, etc.)
■ Robust functionality (Calculations, Modeling, etc.)
Introducing SAP BusinessObjects
Planning & Consolidation (BPC)
MS SQL Server
SAPNetWeaver
SAP BPC Approach to Budgeting and
Planning
� Centralized database
� Data is assembled in cubes for multidimensional capabilities
� Facilitates a collaborative approach to Budgeting and Planning
� Utilizes Excel while removing limitations of an “Excel only” approach
� User focused and process oriented
What the Industry Analysts are
saying…
� Gartner SAP is a Market Leader and has the strongest vision
� IDC SAP #1 in Performance Management Tools
� Forrester SAP has the strongest offering in the Business
Performance Solutions market
� Microsoft – SAP press release November 2009
Microsoft Corporation supports the SAP® BusinessObjects™ Planning and
Consolidation application, version for the Microsoft platform, as a preferred
solution for customers running their business applications on the Microsoft
platform.
10 Reasons to Avoid Using Excel as
the Go-to Solution
■ Data is local to spreadsheets
■ Dis-synchronization of data
■ Manual updates introduce data quality issues
■ Collaboration and communication
■ No standardized approach
■ Versioning is difficult
■ Structural changes required time and efforts
■ Basic Difference in way formulas are built
■ Lack of meaningful audit trails
■ Data security is a challenge
#1 Data is Local to Spreadsheets
Excel Based Approach
� Static version of the data
� Versioning is difficult
� Understanding what numbers are correct
� Accumulation and consolidation of data is
manual and difficult
SAP BPC Approach
� All data and versions are stored centrally
� Data accumulation in real time and
automatic aggregation
#2 Dis-synchronization of data
Excel Based Approach
� Multiple versions of spreadsheets
scattered on desktops and file servers
SAP BPC Approach
� Single data repository provides a single
version of the truth
#3 Manual Updates Introduce Data
Quality Issues
Excel Based Approach
� Spreadsheet links
Where does this number come from?
Is it updated?
� Maintenance of a multitude of
spreadsheets is difficult and error prone
SAP BPC Approach
� Brings together financial and non-financial
data from a variety of sources
� Consistent presentation and aggregations
� Embedded data validation rules
� Unified database removes the need for
spreadsheet links
#4 Collaboration and Communication
Excel Based Approach
� Inability to easily share information
� Sharing of final reports is generally facilitated
by email
� Lengthy and inefficient update process when
multiple participants are involved in the
update of a report
� Bringing data together from multiple files and
data sources can be a challenge
SAP BPC Approach
� Data is stored centrally with no need to
email various reports/versions
� Multiple users can contribute to the same
report/data simultaneously
� Step-by-Step process flows to guide users
� Notes and commentary can be added to
reports and aligned with data
#5 No Standardized Approach
Excel Based Approach
� Loose and unstructured process requiring
time to monitor
� Unstructured data
� Lacks multi-dimensional view
� Reports with different formats and layout
floating around
SAP BPC Approach
� Business Process Flows to guide users
step by step
� Real time progress monitoring and
approvals
� Corporate reports are locked down while
ad hoc reports are flexible
� Data aggregation is performed
consistently and across multiple
dimensions for better insight
� Consistent look and feel can be applied
easily to all reports
#6 Versioning is Difficult
Excel Based Approach
� A saved spreadsheet represents a
version
� Version comparisons and analysis
involves a lot of manual manipulation
SAP BPC Approach
� Versioning is possible with a simple drop
down selection
� In report drill down functionality to ease
root cause analysis
� Version comparisons are facilitated with
out of the box reports
� Unlimited number of versions
� Security manages user access to versions
� BPC has the built-in intelligence to
perform variance analysis
#7 Structural Changes are Difficult
Excel Based Approach
� Multiple worksheets/workbooks require
major updates for the simplest change
� Impact to formulas, links, charts, and graphs
� Very time consuming
SAP BPC Approach
� Structural changes are managed centrally
� Structural changes automatically reflected
on reports
� Instantaneous updates to reports and
input schedules
� Integrity of reports is preserved (formulas,
graphs, etc.)
#8 Basic Difference in the Way
Formulas are Built
Excel Based Approach
� Calculation formulas often differ between
spreadsheets
� Increased maintenance
SAP BPC Approach
� BPC formulas are defined and maintained
centrally
� Calculations can be defined once across
all budget versions and actuals, where
appropriate
#9 Lack of Meaningful Audit Trail
Excel Based Approach
� Difficult to determine what and when
changes have been made and by whom
� No tie back to source systems
� Limited to keeping copies of files
SAP BPC Approach
� Audit of data and application changes
� All details are automatically tracked
(changes in values, time stamp, user
stamp, etc.)
� Removes the need for multiple
spreadsheet copies
#10 Data Security is a Challenge
Excel Based Approach
� Security is mostly left in the hands of
each user
� Typically all or nothing
SAP BPC Approach
� Role based security can be aligned to
teams or individuals for ease of
maintenance
� Security on tasks that users can perform
and data they can access / update
� Consistent security model between
budget / forecast versions and actual
10 Reasons to Avoid Using Excel as
the Go-to Solution
■ Data is local to spreadsheets
■ Dis-synchronization of data
■ Manual updates introduce data quality issues
■ Collaboration and communication
■ No standardized approach
■ Versioning is difficult
■ Structural changes required time and efforts
■ Basic difference in way formulas are built
■ Lack of meaningful audit trails
■ Data security is a challenge
Keep Excel, Remove the Hell
■ Centralize data
■ Synchronize reports with real-time data
■ Remove need for extensive manual updates
■ Collaborate and communicate with others in the process
■ Standardize company processes, reports, calculations
■ Remove limitations with versioning
■ Manage structural changes centrally
■ Maintaining better control of calculations
■ Gain transparency into the data and audit results
■ Enhance security and controls
© SAP 2009 / Page 23
Thank you!
Justin McNeelyAccount Executive
Performance Analytics Corporation
T (905) 599-7001
E justin.mcneely@performanceanalytics.ca
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