For years, organizations have been on the quest for a financial management Holy Grail—a single source of truth for accurate reporting and budget planning. However, the reality is that financial information often resides in disconnected spreadsheets and applications, leading to cumbersome and time-consuming data management. 
A significant part of this challenge stems from the lack of a comprehensive data management approach. Less than half of business and technology leaders have a clearly defined data and analytics strategy. This fragmented approach results in data silos that hinder collaboration, impede information sharing, and create inconsistencies due to varying formats and update schedules across applications. Manually transferring data into spreadsheets and reports further exacerbates the problem, introducing the potential for errors.
The integration of financial data into a unified cloud-based platform offers a transformative solution by improving data accuracy, enhancing information sharing, and streamlining processes. Instead of individuals "owning" their isolated datasets, an integrated solution provides a common, up-to-date, and accurate set of numbers for the entire organization.
Enhancing data accuracy has a tangible impact on business performance, and is poised to play an even more significant role in business strategy as leaders leverage advanced analytics for insights. According to a recent study, 78% of leaders anticipate data and analytics fundamentally transforming their business operations in the next three years. Leveraging the cloud and advanced capabilities facilitated by AI and machine learning empowers companies to proactively chart their future course.
When armed with an accurate view of the present, AI and analytics enable projection of data to anticipate future needs and capacities. This equips companies to effectively handle unforeseen demand surges and make adjustments to marketing campaigns based on performance. Consolidated reporting and connected systems facilitate smoother overall business operations.