Main responsibilities of FP&A
FP&A teams vary in size depending on the maturity of the company. Start-ups and small businesses may not even have a dedicated FP&A professional, whereas businesses that are scaling up, and medium to large size enterprises often have several members of the finance team specialized in financial planning and analysis.
As a general rule of thumb, FP&A professionals perform the following responsibilities:
Prepare financial statements
Public companies are legally obligated to distribute annual financial reports to shareholders every closing period. The P&L statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet help company leadership understand the financial performance of the business throughout the fiscal year.
Track and analyze company finances
All company finances and expenses–including assets, payroll, revenue, investments, and liabilities–are documented in detail and analyzed for cost savings optimization and strategic financial planning.
Forecast financials and model budgets
Actionable insights are drawn from past and current business activity to inform future strategy. FP&A model different scenarios and budgets to forecast potential outcomes and understand the possible risks and opportunities of each.
Evaluate financial performance
FP&A teams compare forecasts with the actual performance of budgets to measure campaign success, as well as to maximize returns and continuously improve financial models.
Roles in a FP&A team
Depending on the size of the company, FP&A teams can range from one expert who covers multiple responsibilities, to several finance analysts and finance managers who each cover specific functions. There are three typical roles that make up a robust FP&A team, which reports to the chief financial officer.
Financial Analysts
Track, measure, and analyze company finances and performance
Prepare financial statements on monthly, quarterly, yearly basis
Identify trends and patterns in financial activity of forecasting vs actual budget results
FP&A Managers
Support company executives and leadership on major decisions that impact business finances and growth
Advise on strategies for improving asset allocation, cost savings, and revenue streams
Model budgets and forecast scenarios to mitigate investment risks
Analyze overall business performance to develop long term financial strategy
FP&A Director
Lead the FP&A team and establish process for financial reporting and analysis
Allocate company-wide budgets and assets for the fiscal year
Provide CFO and executives with key insights and high-level strategy to scale and expand the business
Why financial planning & analysis is important
Every business performs accounting as part of its standard operations. For companies that want to grow and scale exponentially, investing in strategic corporate finance is equally as important. Great FP&A professionals support and strengthen numerous aspects of the business, including:
Faster and smarter growth
Identifying new revenue channels and cost savings
Helping executives and shareholders make smarter investments
Improving the allocation of budgets and resources within the company
Risk Management
Evaluating risk by assessing consequences of past and projected financial behavior and transactions
Proactive budgeting with expert understanding of company finances
Ensuring company finances and accounting are audit-ready at closing
Strategic financial planning
Using advanced financial modelling to plan and prepare for different outcomes
Developing a strategic finance roadmap that supports rapid company growth
Analyzing projections and results to set the right financial goals for the business
Key FP&A terms
A few phrases or terms related to the financial planning & analysis processes:
Budget modelling
Also known as financial modelling, FP&A teams use budget modelling to support leadership in making the best business decisions–especially when it comes to investments, M&As, and pricing. It combines accounting, finance, and business data to create a representational model of the company, which is then used to predict the results and consequences of hypothetical budgets, investments, and corporate transactions.
Forecasting
A method of financial planning that analyzes the past financial data of a company to predict possible future outcomes. FP&A teams use financial forecasts to estimate the costs and returns of potential investments and business operations, in order to measure the likelihood of profitability. Forecasting also helps businesses improve risk management by reducing highly volatile factors in their decision-making and operations.
Profit and loss (P&L) statement
One of the three key financial statements that FP&A teams prepare every closing period, in addition to the cash flow statement and balance sheet. Also known as an income statement, it calculates business revenue, income, and expenses to determine profit or losses over the fiscal period.
Cash flow statement
This documents the exact amount of cash that has moved into or out of the business over the financial period, excluding any pending credits (in double-entry accounting). This provides executives with a quick assessment of the business’ financial health–and whether it’s succeeding or not.
Balance sheet
The annual balance sheet essentially gives a detailed overview of what the company owns and what it owes. This includes the company's investments as current and noncurrent assets, current and noncurrent liabilities, and shareholder equity from the current reporting period.