Webinar Series: Achieving the Modern Fast Close: Renewing your Close, Consolidate, Report Process for Performance

Part 1 of 5: Delivering financial results – with or without spreadsheets – that is the question.
There is a clear distinction between organizations working with world class financial consolidation systems and those that continue to rely on spreadsheets and spreadsheet enhanced systems. The Hackett Group will present the contrast between World-Class and Peer Group companies in terms of their usage of spreadsheets for critical finance activities, and the impact that has on the cost, quality and responsiveness of the finance organization. Demonstrations and discussions will help you understand the roadmap to performance management, with introduction of IBM Cognos 8 Controller, the modern foundation required for renewing the automation of the close, consolidate, report process.

Part 2 of 5: Automating financial consolidation – The first, best step in close, consolidate, report makeover.
Join us as The Hackett Group, Gary Simon, Editor of Financial Systems News and Author of “Fast Close to the Max" review key process improvements enabled through the automation of the financial consolidation process and the impact this has on the cost, quality and responsiveness of the finance organization. You’ll hear how automation in the hands of finance is the first, best step to accurately streamlining the close process, reducing data errors and facilitating timely results while supporting statutory and compliance requirements.

Part 3 of 5: Ensuring Best Practices for Internal Controls and Financial Consolidation
Renewing the consolidation process requires organizations to evaluate, incorporate and improve as necessary their internal controls for financial data. The Hackett Group, Deloitte and Cognos, an IBM company, will discuss and review the opportunity at hand as organizations improve their internal control environments in conjunction with automating financial consolidations.

Part 4 of 5:
Performance and Compliance - Combining To Deliver Financial and Operational Insight
This Webinar will share how best practices in reporting are critical to world class organizations, enabling better confidence and decision making. Specifically, you'll see how business intelligence enhances information communication of timely, validated financial results.