Outdated, inflexible finance software is one of the key frustrations of financial leaders. Working across multiple and often incompatible applications, having to process critical financial data manually, is time consuming and frustrating.
The accuracy, or inaccuracy of spreadsheets and manual data processing can limit the success of the organisation. For example, reporting retrospectively from disparate spreadsheets or entry-level software often renders reports out of date before they even reach the recipient. And it’s the people experiencing these issues day after day, month after month - people like you perhaps - who can see that there is a genuine need for change.
So, you're a frustrated financial leader, acutely aware of the need for new technology. But how do you convince the people around you of the need for change?
Board-level buy-in can be hard. Requesting budget for a software refresh and often coming up against peers who believe everything is fine because 'this is how it's always been done' can make it difficult to be heard. You need to prove to your team and your board members that what you are suggesting is:
Now's the time to build a business case.
A strong business case breaks your proposed project into 4 parts:
A strong business case should outline the issue to be solved, listing the limitations of the current set up and how it hinders the business. It should then detail what you are trying to achieve, including the business benefits and how the new software will improve performance.
CPiO can help you prepare a powerful business case.
Our new eBook, 7 Steps to Implementing New Finance Software, provides the information needed to help you put together a strong business case. We outline the key questions you should ask yourself and the steps you need to include in your document to make a compelling case to put forward to your board members. Read it here.
If you are pushing the limits of your current finance software and considering something new, contact us – we're here to help.