Perspectives

The Crunch time series for CFOs

Practical guides to modernizing the finance function

Whatever your interest, one thing is clear: From cloud computing and robotics to analytics, cognitive technologies, and blockchain, a new class of digital disruptors is transforming how the work of Finance gets done.

Latest: The future of Finance is Dynamic

External forces like market shocks, industry consolidation and convergence, technology acceleration, and new regulatory requirements are shaping the future of Finance, requiring organizations to adapt. As a Finance leader, how can you prepare the Finance function to thrive in the face of these disruptions? Our Crunch time report takes an in-depth look at how CFOs can transform their Finance function into a resilient, integrated organization that adapts quickly for the future.

Crunch Time: The future of Finance is Dynamic

Crunch Time 14: Revolutionizing enterprise service delivery

Faced with the challenge of promoting growth, efficiency, and agility in the midst of shrinking budgets, many CFOs are taking a fresh look at service delivery structures. Cost efficiencies are table stakes. Boosting enterprise resiliency and leveraging digital disruptors are the new frontier.

Crunch Time: Revolutionizing enterprise service delivery

Crunch Time 13: The CFO guide to tackling data challenges

Faced with the challenge of connecting and analyzing data from multiple sources, you might think you need to overhaul your core technology platforms. A large-scale ERP implementation is one way to handle the problem. But it’s not your only option.

Crunch Time: The CFO guide to tackling data challenges

Crunch Time 12: The CFO guide to Oracle Cloud

Our new Crunch time report describes how Oracle Cloud helps CFOs reimagine what’s possible. How can new technology help you keep pace with expanding business and regulatory requirements—or even meet challenges posed by a global public health crisis? As you consider your options, you’ll want to take a look at Oracle Cloud.

Crunch time: The CFO guide to Oracle Cloud

Crunch Time 11: The finance workforce in a digital world

As you’ve seen elsewhere in our Crunch time series, technology has been a catalyst for much of our thinking. Finance organizations today are rapidly adopting new tools and capabilities, with cloud making it easier than ever to try new things and implement them. But that doesn’t mean technology should be the most important thing on a CFO’s plate. For all the new benefits and capabilities technology brings, it’s still people who shape business outcomes.

Crunch time: The finance workforce in a digital world

Crunch time 10: The CFO guide to SAP S/4HANA

SAP HANA® is SAP’s brand of in-memory computing, a technology that handles massive data sets without breaking a sweat. SAP® built its latest next-generation intelligent ERP (SAP S/4HANA) around this technology. SAP launched SAP S/4HANA in 2015 and plans to stop supporting older ERP versions on December 31, 2025.

Crunch time: The CFO guide to SAP S/4HANA

Crunch time 9: Tax in a digital world

Organizations plow millions into upgrading their ERP systems. But when it comes to Tax, not a lot changes. Many tax departments have all but missed out on technology modernization—leaving the entire organization facing operational, fiscal, and managerial disadvantages.

When Tax is modernized, it shifts from being mostly a compliance function to a high-value planning and reporting function. The result? CFOs may find that they can have it all – a high-performing, efficient tax department that’s tightly integrated with Finance and the rest of the organization.

Crunch time 9: Tax in a digital world

Crunch time 8: The CFO guide to Cloud

At just about every organization across every industry, the cloud is top-of-mind in the C-suite.

With 93 percent of organizations either adopting or considering the cloud, it is essential for CFOs to determine its value proposition and its implications for accounting, contracting, security/risk, and other areas of the business.

As CFO, you know cloud will be part of the future, whether driven by the need for innovation, cost reduction, or both. By making more effective cloud decisions, you may get a jump on competitors in terms of innovation, agility, and cost.

Crunch time 8: The CFO guide to Cloud

Crunch time 7: Business reporting in a digital world

What will reporting look like in five years? More specifically, what will we actually see on the ground in leading finance organizations around the world? The laborious grind of management and financial reporting today won’t exist in the future. People will be insight generators, not report builders. The talent pool in Finance will expand to include business people with finance backgrounds, data scientists, and storytellers—all collectively enhancing Finance’s ability to support the strategy of the company. In addition, we see three key characteristics transforming how reporting will get done in the future. Reporting will be intelligent, interactive, and real-time.

Crunch time 7: Business reporting in a digital world

Much of traditional reporting has been defined by the steps required to produce the reports themselves: collecting data, constructing reports, and disseminating them. That’s changing – this video replicates a discussion a CFO may have with their team in the context of how reporting gets done today and how it might get done in the future.

Crunch time 6: Algorithmic forecasting in a digital world

Traditionally, forecasting has been a mostly manual process with people gathering, compiling, and manipulating data, often within spreadsheets. There’s another way. Organizations are shifting to forecasting processes that involve people working symbiotically with data-fueled, predictive algorithms.

Our Algorithmic Forecasting guide shares the basics of algorithmic forecasting and how it changes forecasting processes, the workforce, and decision making. Find out how organizations are using algorithmic forecasting to create more accurate and timely predictions—and the lessons they learned along the way.

Crunch time 6: Algorithmic forecasting in a digital world

In the area of forecasting, CFOs can champion an innovative, data-driven approach that will help people predict the financial future of their business. The below video highlights the many benefits of algorithmic forecasting.

Crunch time V: Finance 2025 (Our predictions)

Whether it’s phone apps, home automation, or cashless commerce, digital disruption is the new normal for consumers today. It’s changing what we do – and how we get things done – in countless ways. What does this have to do with the future of Finance? Everything.

Explore Crunch time V: Finance 2025, which offers eight bold predictions about how finance organizations might evolve over the next several years, becoming better, faster, and probably less expensive.

Crunch time V: Finance 2025

Crunch time IV: Blockchain for Finance

"Blockchain for finance" is a practical guide for finance organizations that want to understand options for blockchain and make effective decisions about moving forward. It features more than a dozen frequently asked questions finance teams can use to make sense of blockchain technology, as well as a high-level roadmap for adoption. It also includes a seven-point checklist for CFOs who are thinking about embarking on the blockchain journey.

Crunch time IV

Crunch time III: CFO's guide to cognitive technology

"The CFO’s guide to cognitive technology" explores how organizations can deploy emerging cognitive technologies to help create a more efficient, insightful, and controlled Finance function. Included in this guide are a collection of examples based on what technologies we’ve seen companies begin to test and adopt, and our experience working with many Finance organizations.

Crunch time III

Crunch time II: CFOs talk off the record

Thirty CFOs share their unfiltered thoughts and experiences around a broader discussion of finance and what it means to make the digital journey. Deloitte knows that one way to stay abreast of new developments is to join in focused conversations with other finance leaders, across multiple industries and geographies, so this is a good place to start.

Crunch time II

Crunch time I: Finance in digital world

Deloitte's original point of view, "Crunch time: Finance in a digital world" - based on extensive research with finance executives, including in-depth interviews with CFOs of global businesses - explores the various digital disruptors and may be the quickest way to understand what's in store for finance organizations as they hurtle toward the future.

Crunch time I