Overview

Unit4 Financial Planning & Analysis supports Finance in planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysis, and reporting. It brings financial and operational data together in a single environment and enables continuous comparison of plans against actual results.

Whereas financial planning has traditionally relied heavily on spreadsheets, disparate data sources, and periodic budget cycles, Unit4 FP&A creates a cohesive model for the organization. Finance uses the same definitions and data to develop budgets, forecasts, scenarios, and management reports.

In this way, FP&A shifts from collecting and consolidating figures to analyzing performance, explaining variances, and looking ahead.

Benefits

Unit4 FP&A gives Finance greater insight into both current performance and future developments.

• A single financial model: Integrate financial and operational data, plans, and actuals within a single environment.
• Faster planning: Automate data collection, workflows, and consolidation to shorten planning and forecasting cycles.
• Continuous insight: Compare actuals, budgets, and forecasts, and identify variances as soon as they arise.
• Better decision-making: Explore scenarios and gain insight into the financial impact of changes.

How Unit4 FP&A Works

Unit4 FP&A integrates data, models, processes, and reports within a single planning environment. This enables organizations not only to record what has happened, but also to model what is expected to happen and identify the necessary actions.

Data & modeling

Reliable planning starts with a consistent foundation. Unit4 FP&A brings together financial and operational data from various sources and structures it within a common model.

This creates a single point of reference for planning, forecasting, and analysis. Financial results can be linked to underlying operational drivers, such as revenue, volumes, capacity, projects, or personnel costs.

This reveals the trends underlying financial results.

Planning & Budgeting

Unit4 FP&A supports the creation and coordination of plans and budgets across departments, entities, and areas of responsibility.

Workflows guide the planning process and clarify where input, review, or approval is required. Budget holders can contribute directly to the plan, while Finance ensures consistency and alignment.

Planning thus becomes a collaborative process rather than a collection of separate spreadsheets.

Forecasting & Scenario Planning

An annual budget is increasingly inadequate for addressing changes that occur throughout the year. Unit4 FP&A enables forecasts to be updated regularly based on new information and current results.

With scenarios, organizations can run simulations based on different assumptions and analyze the resulting impacts.

Consider, for example, changes in:

• Revenue and volumes
• Costs and margins
• Workforce
• Investments
• Cash flow
• Operational capacity

As a result, Finance can provide earlier insight into opportunities, risks, and potential adjustments.

Performance Management

Unit4 FP&A links planning to the organization’s actual performance. Actuals can be continuously compared with budgets, forecasts, and targets.

Dashboards and reports highlight variances and enable users to zoom in on underlying causes from a holistic view.

As a result, management reporting shifts from simply presenting numbers to explaining performance and supporting decision-making.

Integrated Financial Planning

The financial components of an organization influence one another. For example, a change in revenue affects earnings, the balance sheet, and cash flow.

Unit4 FP&A makes it possible to capture these interrelationships within a single model. This allows for the integration of profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow planning with operational plans.

This eliminates the need for separate models and makes the financial consequences of decisions immediately visible.

Financial Consolidation

For organizations with multiple entities, Unit4 FP&A can also be used for financial consolidation and group reporting.

Data from different entities, currencies, and accounting systems is brought together into a single consolidated view. This allows Finance to further reduce the manual work involved in reconciliation, consolidation, and reporting.

AI in FP&A

AI can support Finance in analyzing ever-increasing volumes of financial and operational data.

Within Unit4 FP&A, AI can help identify anomalies and trends, support forecasting, and explain developments in the figures.

The controller remains in control: AI supports the analysis and interpretation, while Finance remains responsible for assumptions, assessment, and decision-making.

Unit4 FP&A within the Office of the CFO

Unit4 FP&A forms the forward-looking layer within the Office of the CFO. While financial accounting records what has happened, FP&A connects this reality to plans and expectations.

Planning & Budgeting

Translate strategic and operational objectives into financial plans and budgets, and coordinate input from across the organization.

Forecasting

Update expectations throughout the year and highlight where results deviate from previous assumptions.

Scenario Planning

Examine the financial impact of alternative developments and support management in making decisions.

Performance Management

Link actuals, plans, KPIs, and forecasts, and provide controllers and management with insight into performance, variances, and underlying drivers.