1. Close, Consolidate, and
Reporting Cycle
Paul Young CPA CGA Senior Data and AI Specialist
August 31, 2023

2. Paul Young - Bio
• CPA, CGA
• Academia (PF1, FA4 and MS2)
• SME – Risk Management
• SME – ESG and Sustainability
Reporting
• SME – Financial Analysis and Planning
• SME – Data Strategy and Data
Management
• SME – Close, Consolidate and
Reporting
• SME – Public Policy
• SME – Emerging Technology
• SME – Business Process Change
• SME – Financial Solutions
• SME – Supply Chain Management
Email: Paul_Young_CGA@outlook.com

3. • Top priorities for CFO and Office of Finance 2023/2024
• Close Cycle
• Time to close
• How to improve the close cycle
• AI
• Sales Planning
• Consolidated solutions
• Cash flow Management
• ESG
• Integrated planning and reporting
Agenda

4. Source - https://amzur.com/blog/top-priorities-for-finance-leaders
Top Focus areas by Office of Finance and CFO
1. Regulatory Compliance and
Risk Mitigation
2. Strategic Financial Planning
3. Close Technology GAP with
ERP

5. 5
Close, Consolidate, and Reporting Cycle
Source - https://blogs.sap.com/2011/06/15/financial-reporting-cycle-close-saps-product-
suite/

6. September 9, 2014
Statutory reporting falling short
Source - https://www.gtnews.com/

7. Times it takes to close
Source - https://www.cfo.com/accounting-tax/accounting-accounting-
tax/2023/02/cycle-time-to-perform-year-end-close-speed-up-annual-close/

8. SOX and the Cost of Compliance
• Source - http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2017/jun/companies-spending-more-time-on-sox-compliance-
201716857.html

9. What can be done to expedite the close
• More automation between ERP systems with reporting systems
• Movement to FOPM and FPM solutions
• Strengthening controls on all aspects of the organization (Ongoing internal
audit programs)
• Developing and implementing an effective data strategy
• More integration between systems (Data Management)
• Use of mobile applications to access real-time reporting
• Re-engineering other business processes as part of streamlining the close,
consolidate and reporting cycle

10. What is continuous accounting
• Source - http://www.digitalistmag.com/finance/2017/02/17/what-is-continuous-accounting-04917410
September 9,
2014
• Continuous accounting is a paradigm shift for finance professionals
responsible for closing the books and producing financial
statements. “The way we’ve always done it” is to wait until period
end, work long hours, and get the end of the period reporting done.
This traditional way of doing things is based on repeating what’s
been done period after period in the past. The reports are getting
done so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Change is hard.
• The concept of continuous accounting is not waiting until the end of
the period to execute the multiple tasks that need to happen to close
the books. With the advancements in technology over the past
years, it is now possible to execute tasks required for the close
throughout the period. Similar to the concept of a soft close,
continuous accounting provides better visibility into financial results
throughout the period – live and in real time.

11. Risk Management
September 9, 2014
• Risk Management
•The total global expenditure on risk IT systems and services by financial institutions (FIs)
will be $70bn during 2016.
•The two biggest areas for investment are in the risk governance and integration field
($22.4bn), which is being driven by compliance demands, stress test reporting obligations
and risk data aggregation requirements, and financial crime risk, which follows closely
behind in terms of growth, as cyber and fraud risks multiply and converge.
•The Chartis 2016 Global Risk IT Expenditure report aggregates all of the firm’s 2015
research to derive a global risk IT spend. The market sizing exercise by Chartis is based
on a comprehensive bottom up methodology driven by thousands of demand side data
points. Furthermore, the analysis has been validated by top-down data from hundreds of
technology vendors and consulting firms.
The report provides an overview of the risk technology market and forecasts 2016
expenditure for specific risk categories, examining the regulatory, operational and
reputational drivers for different sizes of financial institution (FI) and across different
regions

12. Internal Audit
September 9, 2014

13. AI and Accounting
September 9, 2014
Blog – Accounting and AI - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_investment-in-ai-growing-
as-benefits-become-activity-7098639823854305280-
cPF6?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Amazing post by John Colthart
This ties nicely a few of my blogs:
Blog – Big data and AI Trust - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_responsible-
design-can-ensure-ai-serves-society-activity-7098282450400804864-I4l-
?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Blog – How are Retail Companies leveraging AI as part of their Business Model -
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_how-retail-companies-are-using-talking-about-
activity-7097578519102193664-t9Bj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
AI will play a key role as part of more automation related to the office of finance. Blog – What is
Autonomous Finance - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blog-what-autonomous-finance-paul-young

14. Sales / Forecasting -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R40nAm
Nf1CE
Integrated Planning and Reporting -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FIaasS
M264
September 9, 2014
Tips:
1. Integrate predictable analytics into sales planning cycle
2. Look at combination of fed cells and rules as part of building your sales plan
3. Decide on the level granularity in terms of sales planning (SKU, product table, etc)
4.

15. Analysis and Reporting
September 9, 2014
1. Cognos Controller - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ALmxTNIWs
2. Tagetik - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnBgFs7pBhg
3. Onestream - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzUuDq0tGKw

16. ESG Reporting
16
1. Demo – IBM Planning Analytics – ESG - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIYcx4SnD7w
Additional Links:
Key Environmental Areas – https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_7-environmental-factors-for-esg-reporting-activity-7071476082784276480-
EYDt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Scenario Planning - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_6-ways-scenario-planning-is-essential-for-activity-7086384141918752768-
P7cE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
GAP Analysis https://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/how-gap-analysis-can-better-support-business-decisions
ESG reporting Standards? - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_esgreporting-esgreporting-issbstandards-activity-7079823962368606208-
NVac?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Close, consolidate, and reporting - https://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/close-consolidate-and-reporting-cyclepptx-256864692
Data Management - https://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/how-to-solve-data-management-isuses-for-both-the-private-and-public-sectorspptx-257454162
Circularity - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lindsayhampson_tipwednesday-netzero-sustainability-activity-7006238715744333824-KU-
s?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Biodiversity - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-young-055632b_what-is-biodiversity-and-how-does-it-affect-activity-7038115093066223617-
CUHj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

17. Cash Flow Management
September 9, 2014
Cash Forecasting - https://revelwood.com/cash-flow-modeling-with-ibm-tm1/ or https://ioco.tech/wp-
content/uploads/2021/05/iOCO-IBM-Planning-Analytics-cashflow-forecasting-solution-brief_FINAL.pdf
Tips:
a) Identify all your data sources (Inputs (ERP, Treasury Manaement, etc.)
b) Linking capital planning, HR planning, and other models with your Cash Flow process
c) Scheduling the data loads through job management

18. Thank you
18