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    Financial Planning

    Definition of FP&A

    Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) describes the strategic process of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and analysis in companies. The aim is to make better business decisions on the basis of sound financial data.

    Why is FP&A crucial for companies?

    In times of economic uncertainty, companies need transparency, agility and precise forecasts. FP&A provides this:

    • The ability to react quickly in the event of deviations from plans

    • Early identification of opportunities & risks

    • Sound decision-making basis for management

    The tasks in the FP&A area

    • Financial planning & budgeting
    • Forecasting
    • Deviation analyses (target/actual)
    • Scenario analyses
    • Management reporting

    FP&A vs. classic controlling - the difference

    Controlling focuses more on past analysis, FP&A is forward-looking and more integrative - it combines finance, strategy and operational planning.

    What role does software play in the FP&A process?

    Modern FP&A software automates planning, facilitates analyses and promotes collaboration between specialist departments.
    With Corporate Planning you benefit from

      • Integrated financial planning (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)

      • Visual scenario modeling

      • Real-time data integration (e.g. with Qlik, ERP systems)

      • Management-oriented reporting at the touch of a button

    From FP&A to xP&A - planning beyond the finance department

    Modern corporate planning does not end with the finance department. With Extended Planning & Analysis (xP&A), you can extend the classic FP&A approach to all areas of the company - from sales and HR to supply chain management.
    Corporate Planning supports you in mapping integrated planning across divisions - agile, data-based and future-oriented.

    Scalable performance for companies of all sizes

    Our solution processes large volumes of data efficiently and offers high performance, even in complex planning scenarios.

    Why Corporate Planning?

    We have been supporting companies in the DACH region with intuitive, high-performance planning software for over 35 years.

    • Cross-industry
    • Made in Germany
    • 100% focused on planning & analysis
    reference-logo-dueker

    FP&A in practice - what our customers say

    "A highlight is the integrated financial planning with sales planning, P&L planning, balance sheet planning and cash flow planning. The tree structure, which offers quick navigation options and information transparency, should also be emphasized. In addition, the software impresses with its good integration options for external data via standardized interfaces and the differentiated access rights management with data protection."
    -Commercial management, Düker Email Technologie GmbH

    👉 Further references

    Book an expert talk

    Operational controlling, financial planning and reporting at Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu

    100 employees, 20 types of beer, 5,000 partners from the catering and retail sectors: watch the film to see how the Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu brewery uses the Corporate Planner solution to cope with the major changes in the brewing industry.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    • FP&A stands for Financial Planning and Analysis. It refers to budgeting, forecasting, planning, and analyzing financial data to support strategic business decisions.
    • Controlling focuses on historical data and performance tracking, while FP&A is forward-looking and integrates forecasting, planning, and financial analysis into a strategic process.
    • It automates planning processes, improves data quality, and provides real-time insights to support faster and more informed decision-making.
    • xP&A expands the scope of FP&A beyond finance, enabling integrated planning across all business units – including sales, HR, and operations – on a unified data foundation.
    • Implementation time varies depending on your requirements, but with best practices and prebuilt templates, our FP&A solution can be up and running within a few weeks.
    • FP&A software is ideal for mid-sized companies and large enterprises. It's especially beneficial for businesses with decentralized structures, complex planning needs, or rapid growth.
    • Yes. Our FP&A solution seamlessly integrates with ERP, BI, and data warehouse systems – such as SAP, Microsoft, DATEV, and Qlik – for consistent and connected planning and reporting.