AI and the Future of Financial Modelling

AI and the Future of Financial Modelling Financial Modelers spend most of their lives thinking about the future and imagining different scenarios for their clients. But what about the future of financial modelling? Can Artificial Intelligence Replace the Modeler? There are some modelers who predict that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will eventually become [...]

Letter to the CFO – Key decisions for a more efficient business

Dear CFO / CIO, I am writing on behalf of your office staff - they need your help.   There are FOUR decisions you can make today that will make your business a more efficient and a more engaging place to work. 1. Commit to providing regular training for your staff Picture a scenario where a [...]

Infographic: How Digital Disruption is Changing the role of the CFO

Infographic: How Digital Disruption is Changing the role of the CFO Any CFO that still thinks their main role is to produce accounts and lodge tax returns will soon be out of a job. Digital disruption is changing the world’s economy, companies, and every job function they contain. We surveyed a number [...]

2017-03-08T03:53:54+08:00CFOs|

58 Crazy Excel Stories (that are probably happening in your company right now)!

  58 Crazy Excel Stories (that are probably happening in your company right now)!Crazy things happen when you mix untrained users with Excel.It’s not really rocket science.  Crazy things would happen with any complex system if you don’t train people properly.But many companies simply assume that everyone knows Excel, so they don’t need much (if any) [...]

What to do when they just fired your Excel Guru

"OMG! They Fired our Excel Guru!" Unfortunately, this is all too common these days. Companies, in their over-zealous quest to reduce costs, fire the one person who actually knew how to operate that really complicated Excel spreadsheet that's critical to the report you need to send out next week. What were they thinking!!! Now what? [...]

CFO Secrets of Analysing under Pressure

CFO Secrets of Analysing under Pressure The CFO and their Finance Department are under more pressure than ever before as a result of cost-cutting, staff cuts and an ever increasing demand for analysis to support business decisions like: What are the cost synergies if we acquire X? What if we cut projects A & B, but [...]

7 Forecasting Habits of Highly Successful Companies

Market volatility, depressed prices and slow growth are major factors affecting virtually all companies. For everyone, the focus on maintaining and improving their financial position is intense and this means planning, budgeting and forecasting has never been more critical to success. So here are the seven forecasting habits of highly successful companies: 1. Forecast in two directions Top [...]

What do you do when costs go bad?

What do you do when costs go bad? CFOs in the mining, resources & engineering sectors are facing cost pressures and pricing volatilities that are squeezing profits. Key risks on the radars of many CFOs include: Declining commodity prices How to reduce wage, salary and contracting costs (that are often combined with diminishing productivity). Increasing taxes [...]

How to Gain a Competitive Advantage from Forecasting

Accuracy of Budgets and Forecasts In times of increasing volatility, decision-makers have an even greater need for meaningful, accurate, up-to-date financial projections so they can respond to changes in economic conditions rapidly. In a recent survey of global corporations, research firm Aberdeen Group found that market volatility is the major challenge for effective financial [...]

 Forecasting & Financial Modelling Techniques, And Key Driver Analysis

Forecasting & Financial Modelling Techniques, and Key Driver Analysis By Access Analytic These two key topics were the subjects of presentations by Access Analytic Principal Business Analyst, Jeff Robson, during June’s ‘2013 CPA Week’ in Brisbane. Successful forecasting – predicting or estimating the future based on past and present data – is fundamental to [...]

Forecasting secrets of thriving companies

Forecasting secrets of thriving companies By Jeff Robson The recently released AFP (Association for Financial Professionals) Risk Survey reveals that over 59% of CFOs are facing greater volatility in earnings today than they were five years ago. Across all types of organisations, more than half the financial professionals surveyed also reported that it is more difficult [...]