A simple way to add more value to your meetings
Read on to learn why taking meeting notes is the secret to having more impact as an FP&A leader.
How to have fewer change requests when creating Financial Models
Financial modeling is fun. But it can get stressful if you get multiple change requests right before the big deadline. Fortunately, there is something we can do to avoid it.
3 Tips how Finance can improve the Month End Close process
Month-end close can be time-consuming and stressful for Finance. But it doesn’t need to be. Here are three simple ways you can make improvements to the process.
Dealing with Politics as a Finance Business Partner
Politics at work doesn’t only harm productivity. It can also lower team morale. Read on to learn what you can do about it as a Finance Business Partner.
How to have more impact as a Finance Business Partner
Become a better Finance Business Partner by focusing on the activities that make a difference. Read on to find out what they are.
How FP&A teams collaborate efficiently
In FP&A, we often create big presentations that require multiple people to work together. Read on to see two common examples, one that wastes time and effort and another that shows how FP&A can collaborate efficiently.
Common mistakes when creating financial models - and how to overcome them
You spent a lot of time creating a complex financial model. It provides a clear recommendation on how the company should proceed. However, your work doesn’t have the impact you expected. Here is why that may be the case.
How to report insights instead of raw data
You never want to report just raw data. All that does is saying “I don’t know what this means. How about you try to figure it out?” Instead, you need to show what’s the insight behind the data. Like most things, it’s a skill that can be learned.
How to create accountability as a Finance Business Partner - 3 Tips
Without accountability, a company is destined to fail eventually. That’s because problems don’t get resolved if no one feels responsible and opportunities get ignored.
FP&A has a role to play in raising accountability. Read on to learn more.
The Influencing Challenge: 3 tips to have more impact
In FP&A, a lot of our impact comes from others following our advice. Our financial model may suggest a certain conclusion or our analysis of month-end results may have unearthed an opportunity.
Here are some thoughts on how to improve your influencing skills.
How to learn any Financial System - Fast
Figuring out how to use Financial Systems can be tricky if you don’t know where to start. Here is how to get around that.
3 Areas where you need to challenge the status quo in FP&A
People sometimes get stuck in their ways. They think they are too busy to pause and consider improving a process. But that can be dangerous and result in avoidable problems.
Read on to find out if you are at risk as well.
3 ways Financial Analysts get to answers without modeling
Imagine your CFO asks you a question about a possible change to the inputs of a model you recently built. She expects a number right now. There is no time to open the spreadsheet and manipulate the data. In those moments, Financial Analysts need to know how to get to answers without modeling.
Read on for some advice on how to do it.
How to get up to speed quickly in a new FP&A role
Starting a new FP&A role can be tough. But it doesn’t need to be. Read on to learn how to get up to speed fast.
3 ways how Finance Business Partners can improve visibility of results
Finding creative ways how to get a better understanding of how the business is doing is a core part of FP&A’s role. Here are some simple things you can try.
Why you need to have a “support mindset” as an FP&A Business Partner
As Finance Business Partners, we rely on the strength of our professional relationships with our cross-functional partners. We can’t be successful without their willingness to share information with us.
So we need to build relationships continually. Read on to learn how to do that by having a support mindset.
The 5 essential Accounting principles every FP&A Analyst needs to know
Accounting is easy.
You probably haven’t heard anyone who isn’t working in the Accounting team say that. But it’s not that difficult if you know where to start. There are five principles that any FP&A Analyst or budget owner needs to understand. If you do, you can deduce much of the rest from that - without having to learn dozens of complicated rules.
How to prioritize anything with the Urgency/Importance Matrix
Learn how to finally stop delaying those important but not urgent tasks you have been planning to do for a long time.
Your company may have a disease called “silos”
Silos prevent the free flow of information and can harm employee morale. Here is what FP&A can do to prevent them.