Viewpoints

Future-Proofing Forecasting

Posted by ISG Software Research on 19 October 2024

Analyst Viewpoint An important and durable lesson of recent massive disruptions is that organizations need to forecast and plan with agility so they can quickly adapt to evolving economic, market, legal, regulatory and behavioral conditions. Organizations that have invested in dedicated software to improve their forecasting and planning processes should enhance the accuracy, predictive potency... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Sustaining Success: How Continuous Accounting Optimizes the Financial Close Viewpoints

Posted by ISG Software Research on 29 March 2024

Analyst Viewpoint Ventana Research advocates the adoption of “continuous accounting,” an approach to managing the finance and accounting department that improves performance and increases productivity. There are three pillars to continuous accounting: Spread workloads continuously across the accounting calendar to minimize period-end spikes, accelerate the close, and reduce staff burnout.... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Financial Technology Innovation Enables Midsize CFO Effectiveness

Posted by ISG Software Research on 30 August 2023

Analyst Viewpoint The Chief Financial Officer of a midsize organization is challenged because their requirements are similar to large enterprises, yet they have fewer resources available. IT innovation enables midsize finance departments with the potential to be more productive. However, achieving the full benefit from these investments requires that CFOs assess the department’s existing... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Five Reasons for Upgrading Your Entry-Level Accounting System

Posted by ISG Software Research on 14 June 2023

Analyst Viewpoint Small business owners are fortunate to have a choice of feature-rich, flexible, and affordable entry-level accounting packages. Eventually, though, successful businesses grow and will often find that the very accounting software that once made things more efficient is now bogging down operations. Here are five unmistakable signs that it is time to replace your entry-level... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

The CFO Answer Machine: Past, Present and Future Visibility for Small and Midsize Companies

Posted by ISG Software Research on 25 April 2023

Analyst Viewpoint Effective financial management requires the ability to understand an organization’s current condition while having visibility into its potential future state. This enables executives to make consistently better-informed decisions sooner. Unfortunately, few small and midsize businesses (SMB) have that ability because they lack the systems that make this information readily... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Agile Planning for Small and Midsize Organizations

Posted by ISG Software Research on 24 April 2023

Analyst Viewpoint The purpose of planning is to enable executives and managers to make better-informed decisions more consistently. Planning within an organization requires setting objectives and weighing the alternative methods of achieving those objectives, because there are usually multiple potential paths to success. The best results are achieved when the process considers a range of... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Digital Transformation with Application Platforms

Posted by ISG Software Research on 24 April 2023

Analyst Viewpoint Digital transformation is achieved by using digital technologies to create new (or modify existing) processes and methods to meet evolving business and market requirements. For finance departments the term is associated with, among other changes, using digital technologies to accelerate schedules, provide organizations with actionable insights, devise more meaningful performance... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Thriving in Uncertain Times by Planning with Agility

Posted by ISG Software Research on 16 September 2022

Analyst Viewpoint For the past few years, organizations the world over have been forced to deal with volatile markets and rapidly changing environments caused by an ongoing series of unexpected events. The only certainty facing executives in these times is persistent uncertainty, which puts a premium on being able to react and pivot with agility when any black swan event occurs. Coping... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Continuous Planning Provides Action, Agility and Accuracy

Posted by ISG Software Research on 19 July 2022

Analyst Viewpoint The term “continuous planning” may conjure up images of never-ending meetings in which nothing gets accomplished, but Ventana Research uses it to describe a highly collaborative, action-oriented approach to corporate planning built on frequent, short planning cycles. This style of planning enables organizations to enhance the relevance and accuracy of their plans for three... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

Software Drives the 21st Century Tax Department

Posted by ISG Software Research on 19 July 2022

Analyst Viewpoint The challenges facing tax departments are mounting. Governments worldwide are scrutinizing companies’ reporting more closely in an attempt to raise revenue. In response, corporate boards and executives increasingly are demanding greater visibility into direct (income) tax positions and their implications. Their goal is to oversee the process more closely. They aim to plan more... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance