Case Study: Developing a Tactical System

The client was undertaking a Finance Transformation project which aimed to redesign the annual planning processes within the business to work effectively with recent expansion due to acquisitions.

As part of this, the implementation of a systems-based Strategic Planning Tool was commissioned to provide the information management backbone to the new process.

The system implementation had already suffered numerous delays and it became clear that it would not be ready for the scheduled start of the annual planning process.

A solution was required to facilitate the annual planning process, by enabling the controlled collection of data from disparate sources around the business. This data then needed to be consolidated and summarised into standardised board packs.

Drawing upon our extensive experience in planning solutions and control processes, we designed and built an agile Tactical Planning System. The System provided robust controls over the data flow while also being flexible enough to allow us to meet the changing requirements of the client as they evolved their new process.

We also facilitated extensive training programmes with users and supported the client during the execution of the planning process.

The Tactical Planning System enabled the operationalisation of the client’s new annual planning process, providing client decision makers with all of the key information at their finger tips.

The client found the System a massive improvement compared with their previous approach. The turnaround time from inputs to board papers was now hours rather than days, allowing the FP&A function to focus on providing challenge and insight rather than executing process.

The flexibility of the System allowed the client to adopt an agile approach to evolving their process. This allowed them to hone their long term requirements and thus better tailor the Strategic Planning Tool implementation to their real needs as a business.