- \n
- for those with revenue<\/strong> responsibility: analyse how sales figures are developing on a month-by-month basis, and how the forecast until the end of the year compares with the budget.<\/li>\n
- for the CFO and his team: monitor the cash balance<\/strong> at the end of each month and forecast how the cash position will develop.<\/li>\n
- for the company as a whole: monitor financial results <\/strong>month by month, and compare the forecast with the expectations set out in the budget<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The short-term and the long-term plans use the same structure<\/strong>. They can be used in a variety of manners: either in a stand alone<\/strong> manner, or linked to each other<\/strong>, so that the short-term plan takes the first two years of the long-term plan into account: the budget for the current year and the plan for the following year. Vice-versa, the long-term plan is based on the same historical financial data as the short-term plan.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.investaura.co\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ST_screenshot.png?resize=720%2C543&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The integrated planning tool<\/strong> can be used for any kind of business<\/strong>. Its salient features are as follows:<\/p>\n
- \n
- both the short-term and the long-term plans are\u00a0driver-based<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- the short-term plan<\/strong> covers 3 years in months<\/strong>: the previous year with monthly historical data; the current year combining both historical data for the past months and the forecast until the end of the year; and the following year forecast in months.<\/li>\n
- the long-term plan<\/strong>\u00a0covers a period of 10 years<\/strong>:\u00a05\u00a0years of historical data, the current year, and the next 4\u00a0years.<\/li>\n
- the tool includes\u00a0a commercial model<\/strong>\u00a0that provides a sales forecast along multiple dimensions<\/strong>: by product line (#1, #2, #3, #4), by product ‘component’ (hardware, software, service), by geography (countries, regions).<\/li>\n
- full financial statements<\/strong> including P&L, Cashflow, and Balance Sheet.<\/li>\n
- the (monthly) historical data<\/strong> for the current and previous year are\u00a0extracted from Excel reports <\/strong>generated from the ERP system<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- a cockpit<\/strong> to monitor key financial results and perform variance analysis.<\/li>\n
- numerous charts<\/strong> to visualise how the business is performing.<\/li>\n
- unusual pattern will stand out<\/strong> and the user of the planning tool can visually cross-check whether the figures shown match his expectations.<\/li>\n
- numerous cross-checks<\/strong> to make sure that “no data is forgotten”, and that the short-term and long-term plans are consistent and “tell one and the same story”.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.investaura.co\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/integrated_planning_screenshot.png?resize=720%2C452&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nFeel free to contact us for a demo and discussion of your personal challenges and needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Investaura has developed an Excel-based solution that provides an integrated view combining the short-term forecast (next 24 months) with the long-term business plan (next 5 years). The short-term and the long-term plans are consistent with each other, but can also… <\/p>\n
- the short-term plan<\/strong> covers 3 years in months<\/strong>: the previous year with monthly historical data; the current year combining both historical data for the past months and the forecast until the end of the year; and the following year forecast in months.<\/li>\n
- for the CFO and his team: monitor the cash balance<\/strong> at the end of each month and forecast how the cash position will develop.<\/li>\n