- Last week we wrote about the reason for the existence of Spreadmarts, and the problems, costs and risks of doing business in this way.
- This week, we talk about a solution for reporting, planning and analysis without Spreadmarts and without the risks. A solution that delivers on the much discussed but seldom realized “one version of the truth” and one that still gets the day-to-day job done …
The People Remedy
One very common dynamic driving spreadmarts is a lack of communication and trust between business and IT. The business doesn’t adhere to the architectural standards and processes designed to support its long-term interests, while IT doesn’t move fast enough to meet business needs. Both business and IT need to recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and realize the mutual rewards of synergy.
A Technical Remedy
It’s important to remember that spreadsheets (not Spreadmarts) are an important part of any organization’s technology stack. Problems only arise when spreadsheets are used as data management systems that house corporate data for decision making - reporting, planning and analysis. The technical remedy is to manage and store data and logic centrally in a uniform, consistent fashion and let end-users access this data using spreadsheets and other client access tools. It’s the best of both worlds. IT collects, integrates, and validates data … The Business analyzes, identify trends, creates plans, and makes decisions. The presentation layer is separated from the logic and data.
Walking the Talk
This is easier said than done. Implementing a solution that resolves the Spreadmart nightmare is rather elusive. More often than not, it’s a lack of a technical remedy that rules out the people remedy.
Take budgeting for example. While most believe it is a crucial element of financial management, it is often described as burdensome and time consuming. Line managers typically see little benefit from their budgeting effort. In many cases, this is because the underlying budgeting technologies are simply spreadsheets and email.
What if these line managers had a budgeting solution that eliminates the well documented problems associated with spreadsheet hell? A system that significantly reduces the time spent rolling-up, checking and correcting the numbers. A system where each line manager will also have their financial results, a dashboard of relevant corporate goals and their own KPI’s to refer to at the time of entering budgets.
CALUMO Performance Management solutions provide this and more. A solution that is about analysis and insight, not just data. CALUMO synthesizes core capabilities that embrace spreadsheets, business needs, a unified data management platform and the role of IT.
- A single integrated reporting, analysis, dashboarding, planning, budgeting, and consolidation application built on a unified BI and performance management platform.
- Deep integration between Excel spreadsheets and where the data is stored.
- An extension beyond spreadsheet with a thin web client. Fast, secure, scalable and available anywhere. With all the benefits of an Excel spreadsheet, including writeback, but without any of the problems.
The Benefits
- Solutions like these are typically associated with complex and costly deployments. The unique proposition from CALUMO combines a single integrated application, a unified platform, deep Excel and web capability and most critically, business value.
- Where organizations integrate business analytics and planning with governance, risk and compliance, they can significantly reduce the ongoing cost of compliance and gain a true competitive advantage.
The real payoff is using the time saved to do better analysis, to optimize the plan, and make better, faster decisions.