Glossary

Using Balance Sheet Trend Reports to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process

Written by Nils R. | Feb 28, 2022 8:00:00 AM
How can Financial Statement s Drive Faster and Better Decisions? As CFOs increasingly become key advisors in the Monthly Reporting Process, they must rely on modern self-service corporate performance management (CPM) and business intelligence (BI) tools. Using interactive Financial Statements like the Balance Sheet Trend Report template shown below enables them and users from the executive teams to experience near real time trended asset, liability and equity metrics that help drive faster and better decisions. Who uses Balance Sheet Trend Reports and What are Some Key Analytical Features? In today’s fast-paced business environment, CFOs are under high pressure to supply end users like senior leaders and finance managers with timely and concise Financial Statements. Companies use key features like the ones below to support their users with effective analysis that helps drive investment and debt decisions:
  • Monthly trended assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity figures both for this year and last year actuals
  • Comparison of Last Year YTD and Current Year variances
  • Drill down to account- and journal entry level detail
The Balance Sheet Trend Report template can be used as a key element of the Monthly Reporting process: [caption id="attachment_30392" align="alignnone" width="1257"] Example of a Balance Sheet Trend Report to Streamline the Monthly Reporting Process[/caption] The Balance Sheet Trend Reports is a ready-to-use Financial Statement from the Solver Marketplace. A Brief Description of the Balance Sheet Trend Reports Template Financial Statements like the one seen in the image above are interactive and parameter driven and typically contain sections with monthly trend columns with totals and variances and professional balance sheet formatting. One of the important features that aid the user in the analysis process is the ability to offer self-service, parameter-driven report execution. Balance Sheet Trend Reports are often used in conjunction with trended profit & loss and cash flow reports, balance sheet variance reports, KPI dashboards, and cash flow budget models. 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