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Transforming Finance and Accounting
to Optimize Financial Close
By segmenting processes, strengthening components and applying
effective governance, financial institutions can heighten operational
efficiencies and accelerate daily financial close.
Executive Summary
“Daily” or “same-day” financial close is no longer
limited to a few leading companies in the high-
tech industry. It is an increasingly pressing goal
for CFOs and CIOs across large and medium-sized
institutions in the financial services arena. More
than just efficient bookkeeping, daily financial
close is about optimizing vital business process-
es, and effectively integrating key financial and
operational systems. Most important, it offers
institutions the distinct advantage of being
able to quickly sense and respond to critical
business needs and developments.
Working with CFOs across industries, we have
found that many firms are striving to fulfill the
vision of the daily financial close, but are far from
ready. Years of neglect — stemming from treating
the finance and accounting (F&A) platform as a
“cost center” — have resulted in complex, disjoint-
ed processes and systems that require extensive
manual intervention to accommodate even small
changes. Increasing government scrutiny and the
evolving accounting regulatory landscape, plus
the relentless focus on cost and efficiency, are
also challenging businesses to modernize their
F&A platform.
Nonetheless, while many companies understand
this need, they continue to rely on large, enter-
prise-level vendors, services and solution suites
to deliver results. Yet industry studies — and our
experience — suggest that the majority of the
organizations that adopt this approach end up
disillusioned. We believe that the principal reason
for sub-optimal outcomes is the lack of a com-
prehensive, structured and tailored strategy that
starts with a focused assessment of key issues
and gaps.
This white paper applies our experience in sup-
porting such initiatives, and outlines four guiding
principles for institutions to follow as they embark
on F&A platform transformation:
1. Formalize the F&A value chain.
2. Modernize and strengthen the F&A platform.
3. Assess and optimize existing operating models
with vendor partners and subsidiaries.
4. Strengthen overall F&A platform governance.
We will also recommend a set of success factors
for measuring progress and aligning transforma-
tion activities to achieve the end goal.
• Cognizant 20-20 Insights
cognizant 20-20 insights | august 2015
And finally, we will showcase the core principles
highlighted in this paper within the context of a
recent F&A platform transformation at one of our
largest clients, a North American regional bank.
We were engaged to address some of the key CFO
challenges associated with F&A platform optimi-
zation and financial close. Our recommendations,
based on our guiding principles and outlined
approach, have started to deliver immediate, sig-
nificant value within the client organization (see
page 7).
Drivers of F&A Platform
Transformation
Several factors are elevating the importance of
F&A transformation to a level that is equivalent to
other strategic challenges faced by many global
companies. These trends, which have brought
about key shifts in the F&A operating landscape,
call for next-generation capabilities driven by:
•	 A sharper focus on achieving the goal of
single-day financial close: Global technology
companies such as Cisco Systems1
and Intel
have to a large extent successfully implement-
ed solutions to turn this vision into a reality.
•	 A holistic evaluation of today’s plethora of
F&A optimization solutions to identify the
right fit, based on vendor maturity, cost-effec-
tiveness and long-term value.
•	 An emphasis on enterprise analytics,
centered on F&A data to support strategic
activities such as annual growth planning; M&A
valuation and screening; performance reviews;
business expansion due diligence, and process
transformation.
•	 A recognition of the Increasing importance
of standardized operating models across
business units (e.g., subsidiaries) and the need
for strict compliance with industry standards
(GAAP,2
IFRS,3
XBRL,4
etc.) and principles (e.g.,
accounting, regulatory reporting, SEC filings).
Guiding Principles for Improving
F&A Effectiveness and Accelerating
Financial Close
Among the key issues that can thwart a lean and
nimble F&A platform is the inherent complexity
of financial accounting across the value chain.
Variations in transactional data, various types of
reconciliation assessments, different accounting
approaches and a range of reporting require-
ments can stymie F&A platform initiatives. To
effectively manage these challenges, we recom-
mend a set of guiding principles that CFO and CIO
organizations should establish and adhere to as
they initiate a sustainable F&A platform modern-
ization program.
Start by formalizing the F&A value chain —
focusing first on understanding key financial
close processes, then reengineering these
processes (where possible) by applying lean
methodologies and process automation.
cognizant 20-20 insights 2
GUIDING
PRINCIPLE
#
1
The F&A Value Chain
Figure 1
Data
Capture
Subsidiary Data
Capture
Data Transfer
Business Events,
Decisions & Other
Non-Transactional
Data Capture
Data Inputs
& Warehousing
Data
Processing/
Validation/
& Audit
Outputs &
Journal Entry
Preparation
Accounting Treatments
(e.g. ALLL, SOP, Others)
Accounting Principle
(e.g. GAAP) Adherence
Journal Entry
Reconciliation
& Discrepancy Mgmt.
Data Aggregation/
Consolidation
G/L Entry Close
Reporting Data
Preparation
Documentation, Audits
& Approval
Transactional
Data Management
Accounting Treatment
& Reconciliation
Consolidation &
Ledger Close
Reporting &
Analytics
INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYTICS
Internal
Financial
Reporting &
Adjustments
P&L, Balance
Sheet, Cash
Flow & Other
Statement
Preparation
Management
Reporting
(NIM,
Portfolio
Breakdown,
Leadership
Reporting)
GAAP
Calculations
& Adjust-
ments
Footnotes,
Disclosures &
Compliance
Preparations
SEC, Call &
Other
Reporting
Financial
Performance
Bench-
marking/
Scorecard
Data
Analytics
Inputs for
Corporate
Planning
Budgeting &
Forecasting
Data Feeds
cognizant 20-20 insights 3
GUIDING
PRINCIPLE
These efforts can result in significantly higher
efficiencies, faster time-to-market, more accurate
transactions, and an increase in overall customer
satisfaction. Our recommendations incorporate
the following steps:
•	 Formalize the F&A value chain and determine
those financial close processes that are key
to the business: Based on our experiences,
the F&A value chain (see Figure 1, previous
page) and supporting platform incorporate
five stages, beginning with the capture of data
transactions through reporting.
•	 Develop a best-in-class F&A value chain and
supporting financial-close processes that
encompass the following:
>> Data capture: Aggregation of transactional
data from subsidiaries in a standardized for-
mat, along with non-transactional business
operations/events data.
>> Transactional data management: Effective
integration of subsidiary data feeds, stan-
dardization of data structures across subsid-
iaries, and utilization of industry-standard
data transfer capabilities (e.g. FTP, SFTP,5
Web Services).
>> Data warehousing: A robust data warehouse
(DW) solution to structure, store and process
data systematically to improve financial rec-
onciliation, reporting and analytics.
>> Accounting treatment and reconciliation:
The capability to support specialized ac-
counting treatments such as SOP-03 and
ALLL,6
along with a highly automated recon-
ciliation process.
>> Consolidation and ledger close: A high level
of automated data aggregation and consoli-
dation, general ledger (G/L) data entry, and
the establishment of rigorous data validation
rules within the DW solution to ensure effec-
tive G/L data integrity and reporting data.
>> Reporting and analytics: Highly automated
capabilities for data extraction, reporting (of
internal, external and management reports)
and analytics — driven by and optimized
through the DW solution.
•	 Assess, reengineer and automate processes
while improving time-to-market, accuracy
and customer satisfaction: Business process
reengineering is one of the most effective ways
to optimize and streamline the overall financial
close process. The following are key dimensions
F&A leaders should consider as they undertake
process-optimization initiatives:
>> An end-to-end review of core processes
within the F&A value chain, focusing on pro-
cesses that need extensive manual interven-
tion. These can be as simple as data flow
within systems — or service integration with
subsidiaries.
>> Analysis of business process gaps (e.g.,
steps to cover all exception scenarios,
streamlining tasks, appropriateness of hand-
offs) involves identifying areas that lack
automation, clearly distinguishing manual
touchpoints, and pinpointing redundant pro-
cess steps.
>> Identification of lightweight packaged/
customized solutions such as workflow
automation tools, to significantly boost
automation across all processes areas —
from the trivial to the complex.
>> Packaged solutions to drive automation in
targeted F&A areas such as loan account-
ing and asset processing. Some of these
solutions can be automated and seamlessly
deployed. In other cases, low to moderate
efforts in customizing COTS7
solutions can
deliver good results in several large F&A
functions.
Modernize and strengthen the F&A platform
by first segmenting it into distinct functional
components, then optimizing those areas that
need more attention.
Through modular assessment and optimization,
institutions can prioritize and address their most
pressing needs (e.g., a specialized loan account-
ing treatment) and streamline their F&A platform.
One of the main challenges our clients struggle
with is arranging the F&A platform into a set of
clearly defined functional components, such as
accounting hub; data store to integrate all sub-
sidiary data; financial systems; and reporting
solutions. As explained earlier, the centerpiece
of our recommendations is a robust, modernized
F&A reference architecture (see Figure 2, next
page). This becomes the foundation for decou-
pling key capabilities/components, then assessing
them in depth to address functional, process and
technology challenges. It can serve as a master
blueprint for incrementally achieving a best-in-
class F&A platform that is technology-led, agile
and cost-optimized.
#
2
Key capabilities/modules within a modern F&A
platform incorporate:
•	 Optimal integration of subsidiary data
feeds: Institutions need to invest in distinct file-
transfer capabilities, along with data stan-
dardization and governance, to streamline,
automate and integrate subsidiary data — an
area that typically requires extensive manual
intervention.
•	 An accounting hub for managing accounting
transactions and applying contextual
accounting treatments: The accounting hub
will decouple, dissect and modularize key
F&A processing and closing activities, and
move them upstream from core ERP-depen-
dent business processes. An accounting hub
also automates critical areas that tradition-
ally entail significant manual intervention.
Today’s accounting teams spend a lot of time
processing and transforming source-system
transactions and corresponding accounting
entries. A dedicated accounting hub enables
the F&A process to take on additional capabili-
ties (due to modularization) as needed.
•	 Data warehousing: Data warehousing can
play an important role in integrating and
storing the majority of data across key
source systems. Establishing baseline data
models and comprehensive data-mapping
cognizant 20-20 insights 4
Mortgage Services
Core Banking
Credit Cards
Brokerage, Asset
Management
Investments
Payroll
Stock Options
Auto & Consumer
Loan Originations
Insurance
Commercial Loan
Origination
Collections
...
Transactions
to
Accounting
Entries
SOP Treatment
ALLL Treatment
Other Accounting
Treatments
Aggregatopm &
Reconciliation
1. Task/Job
Scheduling
2. Data Validation
FILE Transfer Layer
Includes:
1. Different File
Transfer Options
2. Data Transactions
Standardization
General Ledger
AP, AR & Other
Financial Systems
External (e.g.,
Regulatory)
SystemsODS Database:
1. Data Integration
2. Data Validation Rules
3. Extract-Transform-
Load Rules
Data Warehouse:
1. Loan Master
2. Operational Data
3. ALM Data, etc.
1. Budgeting
2. Forecasting
3. Profitability
4. Fund-Transfer-Pricing
5. Ad-Hoc Analytics
(Cubes, etc.)
1. Data Validation
Reporting
2. External/Regulatory
Reporting & Disclosures
3. Internal Mgmt.
Reporting
4. Ad-Hoc Reporting
Support
Subsidiary Data
Sources
Accounting Hub
Data Warehousing Solution
Financial Systems
Document
Management
Managerial Planning &
Analytics
Reporting
Manual Journal
Entries
A Functional F&A Reference Architecture
Figure 2
GUIDING
PRINCIPLE
Quick Take
Accounts Payable Optimization Through
Process Automation
Organizations can employ robust, automated solutions to:
•	Establish centralized receipt of invoices.
•	Automate approvals for single, double (two levels of approval)
and line items, and review invoices.
•	Configure business rules within the AP workflow system in
areas such as AP check processing.
•	Automate invoice inquiries with enhanced self-service capabilities for general
users.
•	Automate IT processes in areas such as PO/Non-PO invoice completion, company
structure definition, data exchange and file handling.
•	Improve capabilities around vendor portals (data entry interfaces), supplier
networks, procurement systems, notifications and escalation management, and
workflow for non-invoice items, for example.
#
3
5cognizant 20-20 insights
elements for various systems is the first step
in developing an enterprise data-warehousing
capability. To achieve optimal benefits from
the data warehouse, we also recommend
strong governance, along with a seamless data
flow from subsidiary systems and individual
business lines.
•	 Managerial planning, reporting and analytics:
Based on our experience and industry
best practices, data warehouse support for
planning/analytics capabilities (i.e., budgeting,
forecasting, profitability and FTP) is the new
norm for F&A industry leaders. Furthermore,
automating key accounting activities through
packaged solutions and integration with the DW
is driving productivity and cost optimization
in several global organizations. Automation
and a pre-defined, catalog-based approach to
support the majority of reporting processes —
external/regulatory, internal and ad hoc alike
— are critical to achieving efficiency and effec-
tiveness.
Assess and optimize existing operating
models with vendor partners and subsidiaries
— focusing on dimensions such as engagement
model, data flow and integration, and overall
performance measurements.
Subsidiaries and vendors are increasingly more
crucial to the success of organizations across
industries. Consequently, many companies have
come to rely more on strategic partners, which in
many cases has led to large-scale inefficiencies
for the client. Businesses tend to focus internal-
ly and, as a result, develop (and subsequently
neglect) complex engagement models with their
subsidiaries/partners. We highly recommend that
companies embarking on F&A platform transfor-
mation focus on this issue. Figure 3 (next page)
outlines several key levers that can drive effi-
ciencies and standardization among subsidiaries
and partners, significantly reduce overall finan-
cial close times and lessen the need for manual
intervention.
cognizant 20-20 insights 6
GUIDING
PRINCIPLE
#
4
Effective, sustainable engagement models sup-
port additional platform modernization as
partners strengthen their internal capabilities
and solution offerings.
Strengthen overall F&A platform governance
in three areas: organizational, technology and
data.
A durable, structured governance framework that
sets clear expectations from participating ven-
dors/practices is crucial to achieving the goals
of F&A platform optimization and tracking the
benefits from transformation initiatives. A best-
in-class F&A governance capability is based on
three core elements:
•	 The organization: We advise institutions to
reassess and enhance their accountability/RACI
(responsible/accountable/consulted/informed)
organizational matrix across different F&A-
related and operational functions within the
business. Additionally:
>> We recommend orchestration by the CFO
office, with the right levels of executive sup-
port and representation among various F&A,
business and IT functions.
>> We advise our clients to focus on change, as
well as workforce and skills management,
when rolling out large-scale changes.
>> We strongly support the development of a
continuous improvement imperative — com-
municated across the business to encourage
the identification and execution of optimiza-
tion opportunities.
Mortgage Services
Core Banking
Credit Cards
Brokerage, Asset
Management
Auto
...
Subsidiaries/
Partners
Organization F&A
Platform
Data & Services
Gateway
Operating Model Optimization
Overall Subsidiary Strategy
• Subsidiary Consolidation/Rationalization
Accounting Principles & Tools
• Chart-of-Accounts Mapping
Engagement/Communication Model
• Established Point of Contacts (including off-hour
support)
• Clear Escalation Paths
Technology Governance
• Technology Standards
• Vendor Tech Evaluation
Data/Services Integration
• File Transfer Integration Architecture
• Data Feed Standardization
Vendor Performance Governance
• SLA Establishment and Adherence
• Business Continuity Planning
• Vendor Resiliency Assessment & Optimization
Levers for a Successful Subsidiary Engagement/Operating Model
Figure 3
7cognizant 20-20 insights
Business Challenge
Although the client expended a significant
amount of manual effort managing several core
F&A activities, it lacked the maturity needed to
deploy and support technologies throughout its
value chain. Its financial closure cycle (10 to 12
days) was much longer than the industry average
(four to six days) — leading to significantly high
operating costs and inefficiencies. In addition, a
large part of the bank’s organizational functions
were allocated to manual tasks, which limited the
focus and resources required in strategic finan-
cial activities, such as data analytics. Against this
backdrop, the CFO of the banking group engaged
us to assess the bank’s entire F&A function and
technology landscape, and define an improve-
ment strategy.
Solution
Using our proposed framework, we approached
the project in two parts.
•	 First, we conducted a comprehensive
assessment — engaging stakeholders from
various F&A sub-functions to identify short-
comings and pinpoint opportunities for
improvement. We started with a review of
the client’s entire F&A value chain to uncover
gaps and set improvement measures, then
took a deeper dive into areas such as loan
accounting — deconstructing the process and
addressing problem elements individually to
develop a holistic solution. We also conducted
an in-depth study of models for subsidiaries to
use to detect, assess and resolve inefficiencies.
•	 The second stage of our engagement involved
developing a contextual target-state F&A
platform model to address key issues around
F&A processes and technology, including
improving overall F&A and segmenting IT capa-
bilities into distinct initiatives. We identified
opportunities in several focus areas, such as
the development of a data warehouse; overall
governance; general accounting; workflow
automation; planning and reporting, and
IT — all centered on financial close. We then
analyzed data and key processes in these
areas — addressing pain points in loan
accounting and reconciliation, for example.
We also proposed solutions for simplifying
the client’s chart-of-accounts structure and
enhancing process flows, including packaged
solutions to support functions such as loan
accounting, managerial reporting and AP
processing — eliminating the need for extensive
manual intervention.
Benefits
We prioritized our recommendations in an
actionable roadmap — categorizing them as foun-
dational, short- and long-term tasks based on
business value and delivery layers. Our client is
well underway in executing several of the founda-
tional and short-term initiatives, and has started
to implement several recommendations for plat-
form modernization, including:
•	 Optimization of the data warehouse solution.
•	 Adoption of a workflow automation solution.
•	 Streamlined management and regulatory
reporting.
•	 A skills refresh and creation of new roles to
strengthen governance.
The bank has already seen a significant improve-
ments in its overall financial-close process,
including a substantial reduction in manual inter-
vention across several processes. The client
has also experienced a boost in accuracy and
efficiency in areas like loan accounting and AP
processing, and reduced manual involvement by
over 40%. As a result of these improvements, the
bank has streamlined its overall financial close —
trimming timelines by approximately 35% (with a
target of up to 60% in the near future).
Quick Take
An Optimized Financial Close Process and Technology Refresh
for a Large Regional U.S. Bank
We recently partnered with one of our largest U.S. regional banking clients to develop a program for
transforming its F&A platform.
cognizant 20-20 insights 8
•	 Technology:WerecommendasoundITstrategy
and supporting governance to optimize and
modernize the overall F&A platform. This
requires:
>> A continuous focus on heightening efficien-
cies around service and data integration,
platform rationalization, application ratio-
nalization and integration, and workflow au-
tomation, for example.
>> The cultivation of advanced capabilities and
competencies in areas like analytics, mobility
and knowledge management to identify and
enable higher efficiencies.
>> Standardization of IT delivery practices
across parent and subsidiary functions,
and progressive adoption of performance
improvement and control frameworks (e.g.,
Lean, Six Sigma, COBIT).
•	 Data: We advocate a data governance model
that focuses on the entire data lifecycle — from
guidelines for suppliers, source data integra-
tion, data cleansing and quality assurance
capabilities, to best-in-class data management/
maintenance. This requires companies to:
>> Institute audits for data marts, data ware-
houses and data flow channels on a periodic
basis (typically after every financial quarter
close) to identify and implement measures
for performance improvement.
>> Maintain a continuous focus on uninterrupt-
ed data monitoring and security. This incor-
porates an advanced firewall architecture;
a data vulnerability assessment; proactive
mitigation planning; scenario analysis; data
loss; safeguards; and the establishment of
an advanced, industrial-strength backup in-
frastructure.
Looking Ahead
It is a well-known fact that F&A platform optimi-
zation can bring significant operating efficiencies
and associated cost savings. Yet in reality, improve-
ment initiatives are often isolated — uncovered
reactively, detected in silos or addressed in
patches.
It is not too late for large companies to undertake
a holistic F&A value-chain assessment with a set
of prioritized initiatives to efficiently and effec-
tively modernize their F&A platform.
While refreshing business processes plays a criti-
cal role in such programs, a comprehensive study
of current IT capabilities is equally important to
leveraging the power of mature solutions in the
marketplace.
To summarize, there are two main areas that
can bring on the next wave of change in F&A
platform modernization: modularization of F&A
capabilities with an infusion of new technology
in the right places, and leveraging F&A-related
data using analytics to support decision making
in areas ranging from corporate investments,
budgeting and deal structuring, to regulatory
compliance and controls. When coordinated, both
offer immense potential for helping institutions
attain their strategic and operational goals for
the F&A platform, significantly accelerate growth,
and fulfill their objectives around operational
excellence and cost optimization.
Footnotes
1	
Cisco’s Virtual Close. http://hbr.org/2001/04/ciscos-virtual-close/ar/1.
2	
IFRS — International Financial Reporting Standards — IFRS as Global Standards: A Pocket Guide, 2014.
http://www.ifrs.org/Pages/default.aspx.
3	
GAAP — Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as part of FASAB (Federal Accounting Standards and
Advisory Board). http://www.fasab.gov/pdffiles/2013_fasab_handbook.pdf.
4	
XBRL — eXtensible Business Reporting Language. http://xbrl.sec.gov.
5	
FTP, SFTP — File Transfer Protocol and Secure File Transfer Protocol. http://www.wise-ftp.com/know-how/
ftp_and_sftp.htm.
6	
SOP-03 and ALLL SOP-03 Statement of Position (SOP) 03-3, Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt
Securities Acquired in a Transfer. https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/examinations/supervisory/insights/
sisum04/accounting_news.html. ALLL — Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses. http://www.federalreserve.
gov/bankinforeg/topics/alll.htm.
7	
COTS — Commercial off-the-shelf Products. http://searchenterpriselinux.techtarget.com/definition/
COTS-MOTS-GOTS-and-NOTS.
About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process out-
sourcing services, dedicated to helping the world’s leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in
Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry
and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 100
development and delivery centers worldwide and approximately 218,000 employees as of June 30, 2015, Cognizant
is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among
the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on
Twitter: Cognizant.
World Headquarters
500 Frank W. Burr Blvd.
Teaneck, NJ 07666 USA
Phone: +1 201 801 0233
Fax: +1 201 801 0243
Toll Free: +1 888 937 3277
Email: inquiry@cognizant.com
European Headquarters
1 Kingdom Street
Paddington Central
London W2 6BD
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7297 7600
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7121 0102
Email: infouk@cognizant.com
India Operations Headquarters
#5/535, Old Mahabalipuram Road
Okkiyam Pettai, Thoraipakkam
Chennai, 600 096 India
Phone: +91 (0) 44 4209 6000
Fax: +91 (0) 44 4209 6060
Email: inquiryindia@cognizant.com
­­© Copyright 2015, Cognizant. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission from Cognizant. The information contained herein is
subject to change without notice. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. 	 TL Codex 1375
About the Authors
Philippe Dintrans is the Vice President and Global Consulting Leader within Cognizant Business
Consulting’s Banking and Financial Services Practice. Philippe has led numerous consulting engage-
ments on business transformation, IT transformation and change management for marquee clients at
Cognizant. He holds a master’s of science degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) and an MBA from INSEAD. He can be reached at Philippe.Dintrans@cognizant.com.
Amit Anand is a Senior Director within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Banking and Financial Services
Practice. He has 13-plus years of experience in successfully leading and managing large IT transforma-
tion and operating model initiatives for various clients. Amit holds a bachelor’s degree from the IIT
Delhi and an MBA from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. He can be reached at Amit.Anand@
cognizant.com.
Abhishek Roy is a Senior Consulting Manager within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Strategic Services
Practice. He has 15-plus years of experience in leading business-aligned IT strategy, IT performance
improvement, business process re-engineering, cost optimization and related large-scale transforma-
tion initiatives. Abhi holds an MBA from Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the National Institute of Technology at Jamshedpur,
India. He can be reached at Abhishek.Roy3@cognizant.com.
Siddhant Dash is a Senior Consultant within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Strategic Services Group.
He has six-plus years of experience in management consulting in Finance & Accounting operating model
transformation, business process reengineering, business-driven IT strategy, performance improvement
and cost optimization across Banking & Financial Services and Insurance clients. Sid holds an MBA from
IIM, Ahmedabad and a bachelor’s degree from the National Institute of Technology, Surathkal. He can be
reached at siddhant.dash@cognizant.com.

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Transforming Finance and Accounting to Optimize Financial Close

  • 1. Transforming Finance and Accounting to Optimize Financial Close By segmenting processes, strengthening components and applying effective governance, financial institutions can heighten operational efficiencies and accelerate daily financial close. Executive Summary “Daily” or “same-day” financial close is no longer limited to a few leading companies in the high- tech industry. It is an increasingly pressing goal for CFOs and CIOs across large and medium-sized institutions in the financial services arena. More than just efficient bookkeeping, daily financial close is about optimizing vital business process- es, and effectively integrating key financial and operational systems. Most important, it offers institutions the distinct advantage of being able to quickly sense and respond to critical business needs and developments. Working with CFOs across industries, we have found that many firms are striving to fulfill the vision of the daily financial close, but are far from ready. Years of neglect — stemming from treating the finance and accounting (F&A) platform as a “cost center” — have resulted in complex, disjoint- ed processes and systems that require extensive manual intervention to accommodate even small changes. Increasing government scrutiny and the evolving accounting regulatory landscape, plus the relentless focus on cost and efficiency, are also challenging businesses to modernize their F&A platform. Nonetheless, while many companies understand this need, they continue to rely on large, enter- prise-level vendors, services and solution suites to deliver results. Yet industry studies — and our experience — suggest that the majority of the organizations that adopt this approach end up disillusioned. We believe that the principal reason for sub-optimal outcomes is the lack of a com- prehensive, structured and tailored strategy that starts with a focused assessment of key issues and gaps. This white paper applies our experience in sup- porting such initiatives, and outlines four guiding principles for institutions to follow as they embark on F&A platform transformation: 1. Formalize the F&A value chain. 2. Modernize and strengthen the F&A platform. 3. Assess and optimize existing operating models with vendor partners and subsidiaries. 4. Strengthen overall F&A platform governance. We will also recommend a set of success factors for measuring progress and aligning transforma- tion activities to achieve the end goal. • Cognizant 20-20 Insights cognizant 20-20 insights | august 2015
  • 2. And finally, we will showcase the core principles highlighted in this paper within the context of a recent F&A platform transformation at one of our largest clients, a North American regional bank. We were engaged to address some of the key CFO challenges associated with F&A platform optimi- zation and financial close. Our recommendations, based on our guiding principles and outlined approach, have started to deliver immediate, sig- nificant value within the client organization (see page 7). Drivers of F&A Platform Transformation Several factors are elevating the importance of F&A transformation to a level that is equivalent to other strategic challenges faced by many global companies. These trends, which have brought about key shifts in the F&A operating landscape, call for next-generation capabilities driven by: • A sharper focus on achieving the goal of single-day financial close: Global technology companies such as Cisco Systems1 and Intel have to a large extent successfully implement- ed solutions to turn this vision into a reality. • A holistic evaluation of today’s plethora of F&A optimization solutions to identify the right fit, based on vendor maturity, cost-effec- tiveness and long-term value. • An emphasis on enterprise analytics, centered on F&A data to support strategic activities such as annual growth planning; M&A valuation and screening; performance reviews; business expansion due diligence, and process transformation. • A recognition of the Increasing importance of standardized operating models across business units (e.g., subsidiaries) and the need for strict compliance with industry standards (GAAP,2 IFRS,3 XBRL,4 etc.) and principles (e.g., accounting, regulatory reporting, SEC filings). Guiding Principles for Improving F&A Effectiveness and Accelerating Financial Close Among the key issues that can thwart a lean and nimble F&A platform is the inherent complexity of financial accounting across the value chain. Variations in transactional data, various types of reconciliation assessments, different accounting approaches and a range of reporting require- ments can stymie F&A platform initiatives. To effectively manage these challenges, we recom- mend a set of guiding principles that CFO and CIO organizations should establish and adhere to as they initiate a sustainable F&A platform modern- ization program. Start by formalizing the F&A value chain — focusing first on understanding key financial close processes, then reengineering these processes (where possible) by applying lean methodologies and process automation. cognizant 20-20 insights 2 GUIDING PRINCIPLE # 1 The F&A Value Chain Figure 1 Data Capture Subsidiary Data Capture Data Transfer Business Events, Decisions & Other Non-Transactional Data Capture Data Inputs & Warehousing Data Processing/ Validation/ & Audit Outputs & Journal Entry Preparation Accounting Treatments (e.g. ALLL, SOP, Others) Accounting Principle (e.g. GAAP) Adherence Journal Entry Reconciliation & Discrepancy Mgmt. Data Aggregation/ Consolidation G/L Entry Close Reporting Data Preparation Documentation, Audits & Approval Transactional Data Management Accounting Treatment & Reconciliation Consolidation & Ledger Close Reporting & Analytics INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYTICS Internal Financial Reporting & Adjustments P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow & Other Statement Preparation Management Reporting (NIM, Portfolio Breakdown, Leadership Reporting) GAAP Calculations & Adjust- ments Footnotes, Disclosures & Compliance Preparations SEC, Call & Other Reporting Financial Performance Bench- marking/ Scorecard Data Analytics Inputs for Corporate Planning Budgeting & Forecasting Data Feeds
  • 3. cognizant 20-20 insights 3 GUIDING PRINCIPLE These efforts can result in significantly higher efficiencies, faster time-to-market, more accurate transactions, and an increase in overall customer satisfaction. Our recommendations incorporate the following steps: • Formalize the F&A value chain and determine those financial close processes that are key to the business: Based on our experiences, the F&A value chain (see Figure 1, previous page) and supporting platform incorporate five stages, beginning with the capture of data transactions through reporting. • Develop a best-in-class F&A value chain and supporting financial-close processes that encompass the following: >> Data capture: Aggregation of transactional data from subsidiaries in a standardized for- mat, along with non-transactional business operations/events data. >> Transactional data management: Effective integration of subsidiary data feeds, stan- dardization of data structures across subsid- iaries, and utilization of industry-standard data transfer capabilities (e.g. FTP, SFTP,5 Web Services). >> Data warehousing: A robust data warehouse (DW) solution to structure, store and process data systematically to improve financial rec- onciliation, reporting and analytics. >> Accounting treatment and reconciliation: The capability to support specialized ac- counting treatments such as SOP-03 and ALLL,6 along with a highly automated recon- ciliation process. >> Consolidation and ledger close: A high level of automated data aggregation and consoli- dation, general ledger (G/L) data entry, and the establishment of rigorous data validation rules within the DW solution to ensure effec- tive G/L data integrity and reporting data. >> Reporting and analytics: Highly automated capabilities for data extraction, reporting (of internal, external and management reports) and analytics — driven by and optimized through the DW solution. • Assess, reengineer and automate processes while improving time-to-market, accuracy and customer satisfaction: Business process reengineering is one of the most effective ways to optimize and streamline the overall financial close process. The following are key dimensions F&A leaders should consider as they undertake process-optimization initiatives: >> An end-to-end review of core processes within the F&A value chain, focusing on pro- cesses that need extensive manual interven- tion. These can be as simple as data flow within systems — or service integration with subsidiaries. >> Analysis of business process gaps (e.g., steps to cover all exception scenarios, streamlining tasks, appropriateness of hand- offs) involves identifying areas that lack automation, clearly distinguishing manual touchpoints, and pinpointing redundant pro- cess steps. >> Identification of lightweight packaged/ customized solutions such as workflow automation tools, to significantly boost automation across all processes areas — from the trivial to the complex. >> Packaged solutions to drive automation in targeted F&A areas such as loan account- ing and asset processing. Some of these solutions can be automated and seamlessly deployed. In other cases, low to moderate efforts in customizing COTS7 solutions can deliver good results in several large F&A functions. Modernize and strengthen the F&A platform by first segmenting it into distinct functional components, then optimizing those areas that need more attention. Through modular assessment and optimization, institutions can prioritize and address their most pressing needs (e.g., a specialized loan account- ing treatment) and streamline their F&A platform. One of the main challenges our clients struggle with is arranging the F&A platform into a set of clearly defined functional components, such as accounting hub; data store to integrate all sub- sidiary data; financial systems; and reporting solutions. As explained earlier, the centerpiece of our recommendations is a robust, modernized F&A reference architecture (see Figure 2, next page). This becomes the foundation for decou- pling key capabilities/components, then assessing them in depth to address functional, process and technology challenges. It can serve as a master blueprint for incrementally achieving a best-in- class F&A platform that is technology-led, agile and cost-optimized. # 2
  • 4. Key capabilities/modules within a modern F&A platform incorporate: • Optimal integration of subsidiary data feeds: Institutions need to invest in distinct file- transfer capabilities, along with data stan- dardization and governance, to streamline, automate and integrate subsidiary data — an area that typically requires extensive manual intervention. • An accounting hub for managing accounting transactions and applying contextual accounting treatments: The accounting hub will decouple, dissect and modularize key F&A processing and closing activities, and move them upstream from core ERP-depen- dent business processes. An accounting hub also automates critical areas that tradition- ally entail significant manual intervention. Today’s accounting teams spend a lot of time processing and transforming source-system transactions and corresponding accounting entries. A dedicated accounting hub enables the F&A process to take on additional capabili- ties (due to modularization) as needed. • Data warehousing: Data warehousing can play an important role in integrating and storing the majority of data across key source systems. Establishing baseline data models and comprehensive data-mapping cognizant 20-20 insights 4 Mortgage Services Core Banking Credit Cards Brokerage, Asset Management Investments Payroll Stock Options Auto & Consumer Loan Originations Insurance Commercial Loan Origination Collections ... Transactions to Accounting Entries SOP Treatment ALLL Treatment Other Accounting Treatments Aggregatopm & Reconciliation 1. Task/Job Scheduling 2. Data Validation FILE Transfer Layer Includes: 1. Different File Transfer Options 2. Data Transactions Standardization General Ledger AP, AR & Other Financial Systems External (e.g., Regulatory) SystemsODS Database: 1. Data Integration 2. Data Validation Rules 3. Extract-Transform- Load Rules Data Warehouse: 1. Loan Master 2. Operational Data 3. ALM Data, etc. 1. Budgeting 2. Forecasting 3. Profitability 4. Fund-Transfer-Pricing 5. Ad-Hoc Analytics (Cubes, etc.) 1. Data Validation Reporting 2. External/Regulatory Reporting & Disclosures 3. Internal Mgmt. Reporting 4. Ad-Hoc Reporting Support Subsidiary Data Sources Accounting Hub Data Warehousing Solution Financial Systems Document Management Managerial Planning & Analytics Reporting Manual Journal Entries A Functional F&A Reference Architecture Figure 2
  • 5. GUIDING PRINCIPLE Quick Take Accounts Payable Optimization Through Process Automation Organizations can employ robust, automated solutions to: • Establish centralized receipt of invoices. • Automate approvals for single, double (two levels of approval) and line items, and review invoices. • Configure business rules within the AP workflow system in areas such as AP check processing. • Automate invoice inquiries with enhanced self-service capabilities for general users. • Automate IT processes in areas such as PO/Non-PO invoice completion, company structure definition, data exchange and file handling. • Improve capabilities around vendor portals (data entry interfaces), supplier networks, procurement systems, notifications and escalation management, and workflow for non-invoice items, for example. # 3 5cognizant 20-20 insights elements for various systems is the first step in developing an enterprise data-warehousing capability. To achieve optimal benefits from the data warehouse, we also recommend strong governance, along with a seamless data flow from subsidiary systems and individual business lines. • Managerial planning, reporting and analytics: Based on our experience and industry best practices, data warehouse support for planning/analytics capabilities (i.e., budgeting, forecasting, profitability and FTP) is the new norm for F&A industry leaders. Furthermore, automating key accounting activities through packaged solutions and integration with the DW is driving productivity and cost optimization in several global organizations. Automation and a pre-defined, catalog-based approach to support the majority of reporting processes — external/regulatory, internal and ad hoc alike — are critical to achieving efficiency and effec- tiveness. Assess and optimize existing operating models with vendor partners and subsidiaries — focusing on dimensions such as engagement model, data flow and integration, and overall performance measurements. Subsidiaries and vendors are increasingly more crucial to the success of organizations across industries. Consequently, many companies have come to rely more on strategic partners, which in many cases has led to large-scale inefficiencies for the client. Businesses tend to focus internal- ly and, as a result, develop (and subsequently neglect) complex engagement models with their subsidiaries/partners. We highly recommend that companies embarking on F&A platform transfor- mation focus on this issue. Figure 3 (next page) outlines several key levers that can drive effi- ciencies and standardization among subsidiaries and partners, significantly reduce overall finan- cial close times and lessen the need for manual intervention.
  • 6. cognizant 20-20 insights 6 GUIDING PRINCIPLE # 4 Effective, sustainable engagement models sup- port additional platform modernization as partners strengthen their internal capabilities and solution offerings. Strengthen overall F&A platform governance in three areas: organizational, technology and data. A durable, structured governance framework that sets clear expectations from participating ven- dors/practices is crucial to achieving the goals of F&A platform optimization and tracking the benefits from transformation initiatives. A best- in-class F&A governance capability is based on three core elements: • The organization: We advise institutions to reassess and enhance their accountability/RACI (responsible/accountable/consulted/informed) organizational matrix across different F&A- related and operational functions within the business. Additionally: >> We recommend orchestration by the CFO office, with the right levels of executive sup- port and representation among various F&A, business and IT functions. >> We advise our clients to focus on change, as well as workforce and skills management, when rolling out large-scale changes. >> We strongly support the development of a continuous improvement imperative — com- municated across the business to encourage the identification and execution of optimiza- tion opportunities. Mortgage Services Core Banking Credit Cards Brokerage, Asset Management Auto ... Subsidiaries/ Partners Organization F&A Platform Data & Services Gateway Operating Model Optimization Overall Subsidiary Strategy • Subsidiary Consolidation/Rationalization Accounting Principles & Tools • Chart-of-Accounts Mapping Engagement/Communication Model • Established Point of Contacts (including off-hour support) • Clear Escalation Paths Technology Governance • Technology Standards • Vendor Tech Evaluation Data/Services Integration • File Transfer Integration Architecture • Data Feed Standardization Vendor Performance Governance • SLA Establishment and Adherence • Business Continuity Planning • Vendor Resiliency Assessment & Optimization Levers for a Successful Subsidiary Engagement/Operating Model Figure 3
  • 7. 7cognizant 20-20 insights Business Challenge Although the client expended a significant amount of manual effort managing several core F&A activities, it lacked the maturity needed to deploy and support technologies throughout its value chain. Its financial closure cycle (10 to 12 days) was much longer than the industry average (four to six days) — leading to significantly high operating costs and inefficiencies. In addition, a large part of the bank’s organizational functions were allocated to manual tasks, which limited the focus and resources required in strategic finan- cial activities, such as data analytics. Against this backdrop, the CFO of the banking group engaged us to assess the bank’s entire F&A function and technology landscape, and define an improve- ment strategy. Solution Using our proposed framework, we approached the project in two parts. • First, we conducted a comprehensive assessment — engaging stakeholders from various F&A sub-functions to identify short- comings and pinpoint opportunities for improvement. We started with a review of the client’s entire F&A value chain to uncover gaps and set improvement measures, then took a deeper dive into areas such as loan accounting — deconstructing the process and addressing problem elements individually to develop a holistic solution. We also conducted an in-depth study of models for subsidiaries to use to detect, assess and resolve inefficiencies. • The second stage of our engagement involved developing a contextual target-state F&A platform model to address key issues around F&A processes and technology, including improving overall F&A and segmenting IT capa- bilities into distinct initiatives. We identified opportunities in several focus areas, such as the development of a data warehouse; overall governance; general accounting; workflow automation; planning and reporting, and IT — all centered on financial close. We then analyzed data and key processes in these areas — addressing pain points in loan accounting and reconciliation, for example. We also proposed solutions for simplifying the client’s chart-of-accounts structure and enhancing process flows, including packaged solutions to support functions such as loan accounting, managerial reporting and AP processing — eliminating the need for extensive manual intervention. Benefits We prioritized our recommendations in an actionable roadmap — categorizing them as foun- dational, short- and long-term tasks based on business value and delivery layers. Our client is well underway in executing several of the founda- tional and short-term initiatives, and has started to implement several recommendations for plat- form modernization, including: • Optimization of the data warehouse solution. • Adoption of a workflow automation solution. • Streamlined management and regulatory reporting. • A skills refresh and creation of new roles to strengthen governance. The bank has already seen a significant improve- ments in its overall financial-close process, including a substantial reduction in manual inter- vention across several processes. The client has also experienced a boost in accuracy and efficiency in areas like loan accounting and AP processing, and reduced manual involvement by over 40%. As a result of these improvements, the bank has streamlined its overall financial close — trimming timelines by approximately 35% (with a target of up to 60% in the near future). Quick Take An Optimized Financial Close Process and Technology Refresh for a Large Regional U.S. Bank We recently partnered with one of our largest U.S. regional banking clients to develop a program for transforming its F&A platform.
  • 8. cognizant 20-20 insights 8 • Technology:WerecommendasoundITstrategy and supporting governance to optimize and modernize the overall F&A platform. This requires: >> A continuous focus on heightening efficien- cies around service and data integration, platform rationalization, application ratio- nalization and integration, and workflow au- tomation, for example. >> The cultivation of advanced capabilities and competencies in areas like analytics, mobility and knowledge management to identify and enable higher efficiencies. >> Standardization of IT delivery practices across parent and subsidiary functions, and progressive adoption of performance improvement and control frameworks (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, COBIT). • Data: We advocate a data governance model that focuses on the entire data lifecycle — from guidelines for suppliers, source data integra- tion, data cleansing and quality assurance capabilities, to best-in-class data management/ maintenance. This requires companies to: >> Institute audits for data marts, data ware- houses and data flow channels on a periodic basis (typically after every financial quarter close) to identify and implement measures for performance improvement. >> Maintain a continuous focus on uninterrupt- ed data monitoring and security. This incor- porates an advanced firewall architecture; a data vulnerability assessment; proactive mitigation planning; scenario analysis; data loss; safeguards; and the establishment of an advanced, industrial-strength backup in- frastructure. Looking Ahead It is a well-known fact that F&A platform optimi- zation can bring significant operating efficiencies and associated cost savings. Yet in reality, improve- ment initiatives are often isolated — uncovered reactively, detected in silos or addressed in patches. It is not too late for large companies to undertake a holistic F&A value-chain assessment with a set of prioritized initiatives to efficiently and effec- tively modernize their F&A platform. While refreshing business processes plays a criti- cal role in such programs, a comprehensive study of current IT capabilities is equally important to leveraging the power of mature solutions in the marketplace. To summarize, there are two main areas that can bring on the next wave of change in F&A platform modernization: modularization of F&A capabilities with an infusion of new technology in the right places, and leveraging F&A-related data using analytics to support decision making in areas ranging from corporate investments, budgeting and deal structuring, to regulatory compliance and controls. When coordinated, both offer immense potential for helping institutions attain their strategic and operational goals for the F&A platform, significantly accelerate growth, and fulfill their objectives around operational excellence and cost optimization. Footnotes 1 Cisco’s Virtual Close. http://hbr.org/2001/04/ciscos-virtual-close/ar/1. 2 IFRS — International Financial Reporting Standards — IFRS as Global Standards: A Pocket Guide, 2014. http://www.ifrs.org/Pages/default.aspx. 3 GAAP — Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as part of FASAB (Federal Accounting Standards and Advisory Board). http://www.fasab.gov/pdffiles/2013_fasab_handbook.pdf. 4 XBRL — eXtensible Business Reporting Language. http://xbrl.sec.gov. 5 FTP, SFTP — File Transfer Protocol and Secure File Transfer Protocol. http://www.wise-ftp.com/know-how/ ftp_and_sftp.htm. 6 SOP-03 and ALLL SOP-03 Statement of Position (SOP) 03-3, Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer. https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/examinations/supervisory/insights/ sisum04/accounting_news.html. ALLL — Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses. http://www.federalreserve. gov/bankinforeg/topics/alll.htm. 7 COTS — Commercial off-the-shelf Products. http://searchenterpriselinux.techtarget.com/definition/ COTS-MOTS-GOTS-and-NOTS.
  • 9. About Cognizant Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process out- sourcing services, dedicated to helping the world’s leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 100 development and delivery centers worldwide and approximately 218,000 employees as of June 30, 2015, Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant. World Headquarters 500 Frank W. Burr Blvd. Teaneck, NJ 07666 USA Phone: +1 201 801 0233 Fax: +1 201 801 0243 Toll Free: +1 888 937 3277 Email: inquiry@cognizant.com European Headquarters 1 Kingdom Street Paddington Central London W2 6BD Phone: +44 (0) 20 7297 7600 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7121 0102 Email: infouk@cognizant.com India Operations Headquarters #5/535, Old Mahabalipuram Road Okkiyam Pettai, Thoraipakkam Chennai, 600 096 India Phone: +91 (0) 44 4209 6000 Fax: +91 (0) 44 4209 6060 Email: inquiryindia@cognizant.com ­­© Copyright 2015, Cognizant. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission from Cognizant. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. TL Codex 1375 About the Authors Philippe Dintrans is the Vice President and Global Consulting Leader within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Banking and Financial Services Practice. Philippe has led numerous consulting engage- ments on business transformation, IT transformation and change management for marquee clients at Cognizant. He holds a master’s of science degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an MBA from INSEAD. He can be reached at Philippe.Dintrans@cognizant.com. Amit Anand is a Senior Director within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Banking and Financial Services Practice. He has 13-plus years of experience in successfully leading and managing large IT transforma- tion and operating model initiatives for various clients. Amit holds a bachelor’s degree from the IIT Delhi and an MBA from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. He can be reached at Amit.Anand@ cognizant.com. Abhishek Roy is a Senior Consulting Manager within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Strategic Services Practice. He has 15-plus years of experience in leading business-aligned IT strategy, IT performance improvement, business process re-engineering, cost optimization and related large-scale transforma- tion initiatives. Abhi holds an MBA from Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the National Institute of Technology at Jamshedpur, India. He can be reached at Abhishek.Roy3@cognizant.com. Siddhant Dash is a Senior Consultant within Cognizant Business Consulting’s Strategic Services Group. He has six-plus years of experience in management consulting in Finance & Accounting operating model transformation, business process reengineering, business-driven IT strategy, performance improvement and cost optimization across Banking & Financial Services and Insurance clients. Sid holds an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad and a bachelor’s degree from the National Institute of Technology, Surathkal. He can be reached at siddhant.dash@cognizant.com.