Escape Excel Hell - PAC Webinar - Feb 24 2011

Escape Excel Hell - PAC Webinar - Feb 24 2011

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  Escape Excel Hell 10Reasons to avoid using Excel as the go-to solution for Budgeting and Planning Presenters: Graham Finney, VP Services Eric Normand, Director of Services Justin McNeely, Account Executive
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  Webinar Logistics GoToWebinar Control Panel Hide the Control Panel Dial in information will be presented on the control panel Full Screen display Raise your hand Enter questions via Chat Q&A will be box – seen only by mailed out to Organizers all attendees, along with today’s slides. Today’s webinar will be recorded.
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  Canadian consulting firmfocused 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
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  Sample of CanadianSAP BPC Customers
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  Excel Based Approachto 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.
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  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.)
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  Introducing SAP BusinessObjects Planning& Consolidation (BPC) MS SQL SAP Server NetWeaver
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  SAP BPC Approachto 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
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  What the IndustryAnalysts 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.
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  10 Reasons toAvoid 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
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  #1 Data isLocal to Spreadsheets Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Static version of the data All data and versions are stored centrally Versioning is difficult Data accumulation in real time and Understanding what numbers are correct automatic aggregation Accumulation and consolidation of data is manual and difficult
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  #2 Dis-synchronization ofdata Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Multiple versions of spreadsheets Single data repository provides a single scattered on desktops and file servers version of the truth
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  #3 Manual UpdatesIntroduce Data Quality Issues Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Spreadsheet links Brings together financial and non-financial Where does this number come from? data from a variety of sources Is it updated? Consistent presentation and aggregations Maintenance of a multitude of Embedded data validation rules spreadsheets is difficult and error prone Unified database removes the need for spreadsheet links
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  #4 Collaboration andCommunication Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Inability to easily share information Data is stored centrally with no need to Sharing of final reports is generally facilitated email various reports/versions by email Multiple users can contribute to the same Lengthy and inefficient update process when report/data simultaneously multiple participants are involved in the update of a report Step-by-Step process flows to guide users Bringing data together from multiple files and Notes and commentary can be added to data sources can be a challenge reports and aligned with data
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  #5 No StandardizedApproach Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Loose and unstructured process requiring Business Process Flows to guide users time to monitor step by step Unstructured data Real time progress monitoring and Lacks multi-dimensional view approvals Reports with different formats and layout Corporate reports are locked down while floating around 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
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  #6 Versioning isDifficult Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach A saved spreadsheet represents a Versioning is possible with a simple drop version down selection Version comparisons and analysis In report drill down functionality to ease involves a lot of manual manipulation 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
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  #7 Structural Changesare Difficult Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Multiple worksheets/workbooks require Structural changes are managed centrally major updates for the simplest change Structural changes automatically reflected Impact to formulas, links, charts, and graphs on reports Very time consuming Instantaneous updates to reports and input schedules Integrity of reports is preserved (formulas, graphs, etc.)
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  #8 Basic Differencein the Way Formulas are Built Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Calculation formulas often differ between BPC formulas are defined and maintained spreadsheets centrally Increased maintenance Calculations can be defined once across all budget versions and actuals, where appropriate
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  #9 Lack ofMeaningful Audit Trail Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Difficult to determine what and when Audit of data and application changes changes have been made and by whom All details are automatically tracked No tie back to source systems (changes in values, time stamp, user Limited to keeping copies of files stamp, etc.) Removes the need for multiple spreadsheet copies
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  #10 Data Securityis a Challenge Excel Based Approach SAP BPC Approach Security is mostly left in the hands of Role based security can be aligned to each user teams or individuals for ease of Typically all or nothing maintenance Security on tasks that users can perform and data they can access / update Consistent security model between budget / forecast versions and actual
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  10 Reasons toAvoid 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
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  Keep Excel, Removethe 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
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  Thank you! www.linkedin.com/groups?most Popular=&gid=3095692 Justin McNeely Account Executive Performance Analytics Corporation T (905) 599-7001 www.facebook.com/#!/group.php? E [email protected] gid=128665063821954&ref=ts www.twitter.com/PAC_Tweets © SAP 2009 / Page 23