Excel is an incredibly powerful tool that is widely used by finance professionals for budgeting, planning and analysis. It is easy to use, accessible and compatible with most systems. However, as businesses grow and become more complex, Excel may no longer be the best option for FP&A tasks. Here are some signs that you might have outgrown Excel as an FP&A tool:

1) You have too much data and your Excel becomes slow

As your business grows, so does the amount of data that you need to analyze. It’s not uncommon to find yourself with Excel files that are becoming too large and slow to work with. This is especially true for businesses that deal with large volumes of data on a regular basis.

Excel has limitations on the amount of data that it can handle, and as your data volumes grow, you may find that your calculations take longer and longer to complete. This can impact your ability to make timely decisions based on your data, and can also cause frustration and inefficiencies in your FP&A process.

Fortunately, there are alternative tools that can handle large data volumes more effectively. Cloud-based FP&A and data analytics platforms are one such tool. These platforms are designed to handle big data and can provide faster and more accurate insights than Excel. They also offer advanced data modelling and reporting capabilities that can help you to present your data in a more meaningful way.

One of the benefits of using a cloud-based data analytics platform is that it allows you to store and process your data in the cloud. This means that you don’t have to worry about manually collecting your data from various input sources. Instead, you can access your data from anywhere with an internet connection and through integrations to other source systems.

Another advantage of using a cloud-based data analytics platform is that it can help you to save time and resources. With Excel, you may find yourself spending hours manually updating and manipulating your data. With a cloud-based platform, you can automate many of these tasks, freeing up your time to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Cloud-based FP&A and data analytics platforms also offer advanced security features to protect your data. With Excel, you may be storing sensitive information on your local machine, which can be vulnerable to security breaches. With a cloud-based platform, your data is stored securely in the cloud, and you can control who has access to it.

In summary, while Excel is a great tool for analyzing data, it has limitations when it comes to handling large volumes of data. If you find that your Excel files are becoming too large and slow to work with, it may be time to consider an alternative. Cloud-based data analytics platforms offer a range of benefits, including faster and more accurate insights, advanced visualizations and reporting capabilities, and enhanced security features.

2) Your accounting data structures are increasingly complex

As your business grows and becomes more complex, your accounting data structures may also become more intricate. This can make it difficult to work with Excel, as it may not be able to handle the level of complexity that you require. For example, if you need to report on multiple charts of accounts or have complex intercompany transactions, you may find that Excel is not up to the task.

If your accounting data structures are becoming increasingly complex, you may need to consider switching to a more specialized tool that is designed to handle complexity. There are several financial software solutions available that are designed to handle complex accounting structures and can provide more accurate and reliable data than Excel.

One such solution is Pectus, which is a popular accounting software that can handle a wide range of complex accounting structures. Pectus allows you to set up multiple charts of accounts, which can be useful if you have multiple business lines or subsidiaries. It also has a robust intercompany transaction feature, which can help you manage transactions between different entities within your organization.

Regardless of which software solution you choose, it’s important to consider the level of support and training that is available. Switching to a new FP&A software can be a daunting task, especially if you have a complex accounting structure. Look for a software vendor that offers comprehensive onboarding support to ensure that you can get up and running quickly and efficiently.

3) You need to collaborate with stakeholders outside the Finance team

Collaboration is critical for any successful FP&A process. However, Excel can be challenging to work with when it comes to collaboration with stakeholders outside of the Finance team. For example, if you need to collaborate with sales, marketing, or operations departments, you may find that Excel is not the best tool for the job.

One solution to this problem is to use cloud-based collaboration tools that allow multiple stakeholders to work on a single document simultaneously. These tools can provide real-time updates and can help to ensure that everyone is working from the most up-to-date version of the document. This can improve collaboration and can help to eliminate errors and inefficiencies in your FP&A process. GSheets are the most basic version of this, but in fact even Excel offers a cloud-based version these days, allowing several users to access the most up-to-date version simulatenously. However, the collaboration here is often still cumbersome, as you cannot easily access data through a GSheet or assign task and access rights. Managing an entire FP&A workflow is therefore still very inefficient.

Another benefit of using cloud-based collaboration tools is that they can help to break down silos between departments. When different departments are able to collaborate more effectively, they can share information and insights that can lead to better decision-making. For example, the sales team may have insights into customer behavior that can help the Finance team to make more accurate revenue forecasts. The most common collaboration tool is Slack. However, leaving the collaboration in Slack, whilst having the FP&A in a (cloud-based) spreadsheet is not an efficient solution. Instead, it is advised that you find a purpose built FP&A tool that integrates both efficient communication and FP&A workflows. Pectus Finance is one such tool.

In addition to cloud-based collaboration tools, it’s also important to establish clear communication channels with stakeholders outside of the Finance team. This can include regular meetings or check-ins to ensure that everyone is on the same page. It can also be helpful to establish a shared understanding of key metrics and terminology to avoid confusion or misunderstandings.

Overall, collaborating with stakeholders outside of the Finance team is essential for a successful FP&A process. By using cloud-based collaboration tools and establishing clear communication channels, you can improve collaboration, break down silos between departments, and make more informed decisions.

4) You need to consolidate several legal entities

If you need to consolidate data from several legal entities, it’s important to understand the challenges that come with this process. Consolidating data can be a complex task, especially if you have a large number of entities to consolidate. Excel may not be the best tool for this job, as it can be time-consuming and error-prone.

One of the main challenges of consolidating data is ensuring that the data is accurate and consistent across all entities. This can be difficult to achieve if each entity has its own unique data structure and format. In addition, consolidating data in Excel can be a manual process, which increases the risk of errors and inconsistencies.

Fortunately, there are specialized tools available that are designed to handle the complexity of consolidating data from multiple legal entities. These tools can provide greater accuracy and speed than Excel, and can help to reduce the risk of errors in your consolidation process.

Some of the key features of these specialized tools include:

• Ability to handle complex data structures and formats
• Automated data mapping and transformation
• Data validation and error checking
• Customizable consolidation rules and formulas
• Real-time data synchronization

By using a specialized tool for consolidating data, you can save time and reduce the risk of errors in your consolidation process. This can help to ensure that your financial reports are accurate and reliable, which is essential for making informed business decisions.

5) You need your data in real time

In today’s fast-paced business environment, it is becoming increasingly important to have access to real-time data. Excel is a great tool for analyzing historical data, but it may not be able to provide real-time updates for your FP&A process. If you need access to real-time data, you may need to consider using a different tool.

There are several cloud-based platforms available that can provide real-time updates on your data. These tools are designed to handle large data volumes and can provide accurate and reliable insights that can help you to make timely and informed decisions.

In conclusion

Excel is a great tool for FP&A tasks, but it may not be suitable for all scenarios. If you are experiencing any of the signs mentioned above, you may need to consider using a different tool. There are several specialized financial software solutions available that are designed to handle complex data structures and large data volumes. These tools can provide greater accuracy and speed than Excel, and can help to improve collaboration and reduce inefficiencies in your FP&A process.