James Richard
Key takeaways from Microsoft’s Finance Team: Excel, Automation, and Efficiency
There are a lot of positive things to learn from tech giant Microsoft. After all, you have to be doing something right to be the 4th most...
top of page
Welcome to the
Solving Finance Blog
James Richard
- Mar 9
- 4 min
Staying Ahead of the Curve: The Top 4 Communities for Finance Professionals
The traditional approach that finance directors and CFOs have taken when seeking solutions to workplace challenges is changing. In the...
James Richard
- Feb 16
- 3 min
Is Excel a Programming Language?
Excel is a form of computer programming in that it allows you to create, calculate, and change data sets in a number of different ways....
James Richard
- Feb 2
- 5 min
Upgrade Your Financial Processes: Say Goodbye to Waterfall Chasing in Excel
Finance executives devote too much time to chasing waterfalls. Whether you're creating a simple financial waterfall chart to illustrate...
James Richard
- Jan 24
- 3 min
5 Important Financial Ratios For Assessing the Health of a Company
Financial ratios are important for assessing the health of a company – namely how a company generates revenue and profits using business...
James Richard
- Jan 19
- 4 min
Will ChatGPT Replace Jobs? This Might Sound Familiar
Important note: This blog was not written by ChatGPT. The question of automation and new tools replacing jobs is nothing new. During the...
James Richard
- Jan 12
- 4 min
The Benefits of Continuous Planning: Is it Time to Make the Switch?
Effective financial planning and analysis (FP&A) plays a vital role in supporting the financial well-being of a company. This business...
James Richard
- Oct 23, 2022
- 5 min
The 5 Best FP&A Courses to Improve Your Finance Career
Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) is a fast growing and multifaceted job description. FP&A requires different levels of accounting...
James Richard
- Oct 13, 2022
- 4 min
The Ultimate Guide to Trend Analysis
Professionals in the fields of finance, business, and economics utilize trend analysis to identify historical and current market patterns...
James Richard
- Oct 9, 2022
- 4 min
Increasing FP&A Accuracy by Forecasting Seasonally
Budgeting and forecasting is traditionally done yearly. Even though more and more organizations are replacing traditional budgeting with...
James Richard
- Sep 12, 2022
- 4 min
Tech Skilled Candidates Can Help Solve the Finance Job Shortage
For close to 2 years, the talent shortage has been haunting companies of all kinds. A 2022 ManpowerGroup survey found that 75% of global...
James Richard
- Aug 21, 2022
- 4 min
Scenario Analysis vs. Sensitivity Analysis: Which one is Better for your Organization?
Sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis are methods of assessing risk. Before making an investment or any big decisions, organizations...
James Richard
- Aug 16, 2022
- 5 min
When to Change KPIs: The Complete Guide
Measuring success and goal setting is one of the most pivotal elements of strategic planning. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) allow us...
James Richard
- Jul 28, 2022
- 4 min
Gaining a Competitive Edge by Mastering FP&A Storytelling
Storytelling is one of the oldest professions in the world. From parents passing down skills to their children, to written and oral...
James Richard
- Jul 24, 2022
- 5 min
Leveraging What-If Analysis in Excel
‘What if’ analysis uses built-in tools for budgeting and forecasting in Excel. Financial planning and forecasting tools help your company...
James Richard
- Jul 10, 2022
- 5 min
Guide Your Company Into Corporate Governance Excellence
CFOs play a critical role in advising the board of directors on corporate governance. When analyzing the company's finances, the CFO must...
James Richard
- Jun 15, 2022
- 4 min
The Transition from Growth At Any Cost to Sustainable Growth
The “growth at any cost” mentality that has been so prevalent among young companies, specifically in the technology sector, is no longer...
James Richard
- Jun 8, 2022
- 3 min
Accelerate Your Invoice Error Repair this Quarter
Invoice errors too often prove to be a black hole for your time. The customer not only has to reach back out to the supplier in order to...
James Richard
- May 22, 2022
- 4 min
How to Accelerate the Month-End Close Process
Speeding up the headache that is the month-end close is a finance team’s dream. Fewer days spent in consolidation, forecasting, and...
James Richard
- May 16, 2022
- 5 min
The Must-Haves for Your Board Reporting Package
A board report package, also known as a board pack, is a collection of corporate updates, metrics, KPIs, and financial statements that...
James Richard
- May 15, 2022
- 4 min
Retrospectively Understanding the Art of the Budget
When we consider how to move forward with an improved budgeting and forecasting strategy, we are always forward thinking and have our...
bottom of page