5 Reasons to Stop

Using Excel for

Planning

The planning environment has changed

In todays considerably for most organisations in todays
global economy.
challenging
Global recession, erratic growth and
planning recovery, and market volatility all make
accurate planning and forecasting
environment, a challenging process. In fact, a 2010
survey by CFO Research Services
reliance on revealed that 40 percent of CFOs can
accurately forecast only one quarter
spreadsheets into the future.

is woefully A recent survey on planning and forecasting

revealed that 93 percent of finance managers
inadequate and globally are drowning in spreadsheets. This was
especially true in the area of budgeting,
fraught with peril. planning and forecasting, with 75 percent of
respondents indicating they used spreadsheets
in this area. While spreadsheets are easy to use
and are the preferred tool of finance
professionals, they are not well suited for
enterprise wide processes like planning.

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Takes Too Not Error All We Can Cant Waste Any

Long Secure Prone Afford More Time

1. The planning process takes too long Key Takeaways:

Planning is ineffective if it takes a year to do it; and if you are fully Drawn out
reliant on spreadsheets, you are wasting valuable time. Planning Process

In most Excel-based processes, each department uses a different Protracted

template, which they often dont modify with an audit trail, and with Approval Process
no way for finance or others to understand those changes. These
spreadsheets are passed up the chain of command for additional No Audit Trail
approval or input, again with little audit trail besides scattered email
threads. Sheets are thrown back and forth for comment or edits until Planning in the
everyone is sick and tied of the process and satisfied with the Cloud cuts
numbers. And when the annual song and dance is over, its up to planning time
the finance team to collect or reconcile each departments data a drastically
process that is both tedious and time-consuming.

The Answer
Cloud based planning and budgeting cuts your planning time drastically and removes your finance
team from the data wrangling business. By using a truly collaborative tool, you eliminate the need
for a protracted approval process, using fewer resources to produce better, more accurate results in
less time.

40% Of organisations can forecast only

three months ahead

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2. Security is a worry Key Takeaways:

Email is inherently insecure. Once it has left your outbox, it is Spreadsheet

completely out of your control. By sharing your spreadsheets via security is
email you are exposing your numbers to unauthorized access or inherently weak
alteration. In todays environment of compliance and controls,
locked cells and password-protected sheets are inadequate and Planning in the
weak. Once you have sent an email it can be forwarded to anyone Cloud provides
outside your company, with all your sensitive and critical data at the industry leading
mercy of exterior forces beyond your control. security

User level security

The Answer
Planning and Budgeting Cloud gives you total control over which employees can view, edit or enter
data, whilst conforming to the highest industry security standards. The collaborative nature of
Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service ensures that the need to share via email is eliminated,
ensuring that your data stays your data.

Of finance managers Of finance

75% still use spreadsheets

for financial and
budget control
93% managers globally
are drowning in
spreadsheets

3. The spreadsheets are full of errors Key Takeaways:

Spreadsheet based planning practically invites errors, and planning 90% of

mistakes can cost your business no matter what size it is. According spreadsheets
to the Wall Street Journal MarketWatch, as much as 90% of contain errors
spreadsheets contain errors. This is no big surprise as Excel
spreadsheet creators have little control over who edits formula cells, No user read/write
so sooner or later, there bound to be a mistake; and the more controls
complex, the likelihood of human error increases with even more at
stake. When mistakes are found (often after the fact), tracing the Planning in the
origin of the problem involves navigating a labyrinth of mazes that is Cloud improves
a complete nightmare. Who changed what and when? accuracy and
provides greater
insight
The Answer
Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service drastically improves the accuracy of your planning data
whilst simplifying the troubleshooting process. Complete control over planning models significantly
reduces the potential for human error. A detailed audit trail provides complete visibility into changes,
approval flows and more. Only designated users can add, edit or make changes to formulas.

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4. Excel is all we can afford Key Takeaways:

The affordability of using an Excel-based performance management Time, effort and

process is tempting, however, the real cost to your organization is errors add
the vast amount of time and effort required to follow through with this substantially to the
method. cost of using Excel.

Yes, traditional Planning and Budgeting applications often require a On premise

substantial upfront investment in hardware and software, with Planning
costly software licenses, a long, expensive implementation process applications can be
and long-term commitment required from your IT team responsible relatively expensive
for upgrades and maintenance. None of this is easy for a small and
medium business. Planning and budgeting in the cloud removes Cloud based
these barriers with a cost effective Software as a Service model. Planning and
Budgeting removes
these barriers

The Answer
Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service reduces the total cost of ownership by 30-40% compared to
on premise solutions, whilst also being more agile. There are none of the hardware costs commonly
associated when deploying in the cloud, and the Software as a Service model results in no large
upfront costs. So, your Planning and Budgeting can grow rapidly, as you grow rapidly.

5. We cant waste more time Key Takeaways:

If you are using a spreadsheet-based planning and budgeting Hundreds of man
process you have probably invested countless man-hours (or years) hours invested
in generating models that mirror your organisations unique approach
towards measuring and planning your business. Planning in the
Cloud takes weeks
Many companies simply cannot afford the kind of commitment not months to
required for a traditional planning and budgeting system. Even deploy
though the long-term benefits of cloud based planning and budgeting
are clear, you are hesitant to throw away the money and effort Time to benefit
youve already spent on Excel skills and development and model drastically reduced
creation.

The Answer
Implementations of Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service are measured in weeks, not months.
With Qubixs rapid deployment delivery model, the time it takes to benefit is drastically reduced.
Moving from spreadsheet planning and budgeting to a streamlined, secure and reliable planning tool
has never been easier.

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Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service to the Rescue

Replacing Excel based planning and budgeting with a streamlined planning process,
coupled with real time reporting and actionable insights that deliver, has now become
business critical.

Oracle Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service combines world class planning and
budgeting with the simplicity of the cloud, enabling organisations of all sizes to rapidly
adopt world classing planning and budgeting applications rapidly, with no capital
investments.

Powerful Connected
Everything you need in a Integration with every major
planning application with the accounting and ERP
worlds most powerful multi- system, existing cloud
dimensional database as services, applications and
the engine. legacy systems.

Real Time Flexible

Stay on top of critical Designed to deliver the
business events, model planning and user experience
potential impacts and that works for your
course correct in real time organisation. Ease of use
for the best results. without the compromise.

Collaborative Secure
Anyone, anywhere, anytime. World class multi-layered
The most collaborative protection at a network,
planning platform to drive infrastructure, application,
user engagement. user and data layer.

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Who Are Qubix?
Leading innovation in business analytics, Qubix are one of the worlds leading
Oracle Enterprise Performance Management and Business Analytics partners.
Delivering true consulting services, solutions, training and support to hundreds of
clients worldwide since 1987.

Combining world renowned technical expertise and best practice delivery

methodology, Qubix delivers market leading solutions to our clients across the full
EPM and Business Intelligence spectrum worldwide. Our comprehensive end to
end service is designed to meet todays demanding requirements and deliver
success across all areas of the business.

Qubix International has offices in Japan, UK, Slovenia, Australia, Dubai and USA .

Find out more about our Planning and Budgeting Solution here:

United Kingdom United States of America Australia

Phone: +44 1483 480222 Phone: +1 703 880 6366 Phone: +61 2 9906 4671

Email: sales@qubix.com Email: info@qubix-usa.com Email: info@qubix.com.au

United Arab Emirates Japan Slovenia

Phone: +971 4 448 6469 Phone: +81 (0)90 7801 8933 Phone: +386 1 514 16 00

Email: info@qubix-uae.com Email: infojpn@qubix.com Email: infosi@qubix.com

Copyright 2014, Qubix International Limited. All rights reserved.

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