Glossary

Using Balance Sheet Exception Dashboards to Streamline the Monthly Analysis Process

Written by Nils R. | Nov 24, 2021 8:00:00 AM
How can Financial Dashboard s Drive Faster and Better Decisions? As CFOs increasingly become key players in the Monthly Analysis Process, they must rely on modern self-service corporate performance management (CPM) and business intelligence (BI) tools. Using interactive Financial Dashboards like the Balance Sheet Exception Dashboard template shown below enables them and users from the leadership team to experience near real time asset and liability outliers that help drive faster and better decisions. Who uses Balance Sheet Exception Dashboard s and What are Some Key Analytical Features? In today’s fast-paced business environment, CFOs are under high pressure to supply end users like finance team members and analysts with timely and concise Financial Dashboards. Companies use key features like the ones below to support their users with effective analysis that helps drive fiscal control and planning.
  • Top five variances versus prior year for current and non-current assets and liabilities
  • Top five GL account level variances for all assets and liabilities
  • Ranked charts based on amount of variance vs prior year
The Balance Sheet Exception Dashboard template can be used as a key element of the Monthly Analysis process: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Example of an Balance Sheet Exception Dashboard to Streamline the Monthly Analysis Process[/caption] The Balance Sheet Exception Dashboard is a ready-to-use Financial Dashboard from the Solver Marketplace A Brief Description of the Balance Sheet Exception Dashboard Template Financial Dashboards like the one seen in the image above are interactive and parameter driven and typically contain sections with bar charts and interactive filters. One of the important features that aid the user in the analysis process is the ability to do graphical analysis with side-by-side comparisons of top variances both in percent and amounts. Balance Sheet Exception Dashboards are often used in conjunction with KPI and trend dashboards as well as detailed balance sheet reports. Data Integration to Transaction Systems Most organizations these days want automated and streamlined planning, reporting and analysis. However, many of the benefits described earlier rely on best of breed Corporate Performance Management (CPM) tools and/or Business Intelligence (BI) capabilities as well as data marts or data warehouses that use pre-built integrations to the organization’s ERP system. Oftentimes, they also need integrations to other key data sources like CRM, subscription systems, payroll tools, etc. Modern, cloud-based ERPs like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance (D365 Finance), Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365 BC), Sage Intacct, Acumatica, Netsuite and SAP have robust APIs which allow for dynamic integrations to CPM and BI tools that are fully automated and flexible to run on a schedule or on-demand. Additional Resources to Aid with Research of Templates, CPM and BI Tools