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Building a Financial
Close Process
Acceleration Roadmap
Giovanni Perone
PwC
Copyright 2013
Wellesley Information Services, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
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In This Session
2
What Well Cover
3
Context Root Cause
4
Context Reaction
Constant struggle
Consequence: Finance function is in a constant struggle to
achieve goals by aligning close process between reporting
units and corporate consolidated financial statements
And balancing competing internal and external reporting
requirements
Often, only limited time available to analyze and decide how to
leverage technology to facilitate the close process by
automating time-consuming accounting activities
Results: Requirements and time constraints, leading to
mushrooming of auxiliary spreadsheets outside SAP systems
These spreadsheets are used to produce the financial close
and related analysis
5
Context Solution
Remediation
In this session, we are going to discuss how to replace the
spreadsheets with SAP functions to bring back accounting in
your SAP system
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External Driving Forces
8
Driving Force Cost Pressure
10
Putting Your Business on the Front Foot
Overview
Typical finance functions operate at over 40% higher cost than
top quartile performers (previous year 60%)
Top performers spend less, while sustaining high levels of
insight, control, and efficiency
2012 showed an increase of 7% in finance efforts for insights
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Putting Your Business on the Front Foot
(cont.)
Overview (cont.)
Around 60% of participants still rely on manual spreadsheet
manipulation for reporting
Only around 30% of participants have a formalized strategy to
align technology to business needs
12
Putting Your Business on the Front Foot
(cont.)
Insight
Top performing finance teams take just seven days to produce
their forecasts. The typical function needs 19 days.
13
Putting Your Business on the Front Foot
(cont.)
Efficiency
Leading finance teams employ nearly 40% more people in
business partnering roles
And pay around 25% more than typical functions to help attract
quality professionals
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Putting Your Business on the Front Foot
(cont.)
Controls
Leading finance teams have automated 70% more of their key
controls than typical functions
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Interpretation
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What Well Cover
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Closing the Books
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Days from Close to Report
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Finance Maturity Model
Objective
Standardization and automation of processes has a higher
degree of efficiency with lower total cost of administration
How do you assess your finance organization in regards to
efficiency and effectiveness?
Sub-optimal
Days to Close
Good
Practice
Best
Practice
Cost of Close
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Finance Maturity Model (cont.)
Sub-optimal
Financial close takes longer than average
Limited automation
Good practice
Financial close is at or below average
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Finance Maturity Model (cont.)
Best practice
Close process near top quartile
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Assess Close Process
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Assess Close Process (cont.)
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SmartClose for SAP
Organization
Technology
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Dimensions and Assessment Criteria People
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Dimensions and Assessment Criteria
Organization
Are financial processes streamlined, simplified, and standardized
throughout the cycle?
Determine effectiveness of sequenced activities, and whether
or not work is performed away from the close
Evaluate appropriate use of estimates and materiality
thresholds
Review issue resolution process and determine effectiveness of
root cause analysis
Assess the quality and value of the monthly cash-to-receive
cycle
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Dimensions and Assessment Criteria
Technology
Are the capabilities of systems and tools properly leveraged?
Identify opportunities to further leverage technology
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Leading Practice for Close at Work Day 5
Close Activity Day Activity Complete
Production/Process Order Closure -1
Payroll -1
Close Process
Inventory -1
Material Close 0
Accounts Payable 1
Fixed Assets/Depreciation 1
Cash 2
SG&A Accruals 2
Revenue 2-3
Operational Costs 2-3
Accounts Receivable 2-3
Intercompany 3
Legal Entity Ledger Close & Review 3-4
Consolidation Activities & Review 4-5 WD5
Management Reporting 7-8
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What Well Cover
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Common Characteristics of Optimizing Close
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Common Characteristics of Optimizing Close
(cont.)
Utilization of materiality thresholds
Workload distribution away from period end
Accountability and enforced deadlines
Publish the closing calendar and track status
Cross-trained finance personnel
Clear and regular communication
Continuous process improvement
33
SAP Functionality to Accelerate the Close
2. General Ledger
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SAP Functionality to Accelerate the Close
(cont.)
Several automation tools are positioned to assist organizations
with accelerating the close process (cont.)
8. Mobility
9. Intercompany Transfers
35
What Well Cover
36
Use Case Scenario
Outline
For this exercise, assume the close and consolidation
process does not meet the needs of the business
People
Controllers resources were primarily centrally located in
Corporate Headquarters
Resources were involved in the close and consolidation of
multiple manufacturing operations
Close process was characterized by tight deadlines, numerous
manual adjustments, and excessive use of spreadsheets
A series of complex reports are produced for both management
and external purposes
37
Use Case Scenario (cont.)
Organization
Tasks within the close-to-report process are not efficiently
sequenced
Produces many post-close adjustments and a confusing
number of financial statement versions
Estimates and accruals are difficult and time-consuming
38
Use Case Scenario (cont.)
Technology
Current systems environment includes both SAP and a
planning/forecasting tool
Significant issues arise from manual system interfaces and
inconsistencies of data between systems
SAPs capabilities are under-utilized
39
Use Case Scenario (cont.)
Goal
Enhance the close-to-report cycle to improve the quality of
financial reporting
Objectives
Streamline and automate manual tasks, utilizing SAP
functionality where appropriate
Reduce or eliminate errors and post-close adjustments
Reduce reliance on spreadsheets and improve standardized
reporting
Identify and implement Quick Wins during and throughout
the work
Re-sequence close schedule activities so that more time can be
focused on Analytical Review of results
40
Scoring and Prioritization
41
Change and Improvement Opportunities
42
Change and Improvement Opportunities (cont.)
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Scoring and Prioritization People Dimension
People opportunities
Standardization and automation
44
Scoring and Prioritization Organization
Dimension
Process opportunities
Move forward closing activities that are not strictly tied to the
closing date
Harmonize data sources and formats
Organisation
45
Scoring and Prioritization Technology
Dimension
Technology opportunities
Automate existing interfaces for data transfers and uploads,
and eliminate source of errors at the data source
Monitor regulatory and IFRS developments in regards to
technological solutions for early adaption and continuous
process improvement
46
Possible Benefits
48
Where to Find More Information
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7 Key Points to Take Home
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