Strategy of a Finance Manager Flashcards
Five key objectives of a FD
Meets its strategic goals, Maintains its financial health, Identify future financial problems, Identify financial opportunities, Scalable and Integrated Systems and Processes.
First 100 days for finance department?
[X] Work with what you have to begin and then create what could or should be.
[A] (1) Self (2) Finance team (3) Organisation (4) Marketplace.
[B] (1) Clarity of Roles, Goals, Processes and Rewards.
[C] (1) Understand the Business.(2) Understand the People. (3) Evaluate Processes and Controls. (4) Understand unique commercial requirements of the business.
[D] (1) Take inventory of what you are good at extend out from your skills. (2) Determine what your organisation (REALLY) need and work backwards, even if that means learning new skills.
[E] More cohesion is required rather than more hierarchy. (2) What is required is a network of leaders. (3) Leaders do not need positional power to influence others.
Long-term to finish - Move the department through the stages - (1) Perception. (2) Metrics. (3) Info orientation. (4) Processes.
Key functions at core?
Budgeting, Performance, Reporting, Cash Flow, Forecasting plus SA, Working capital, Publication of accounts, Project appraisal, Statement analysis.
4 key points in approaching job / Department?
(1) Translate board objectives into financial plans. (2) Useful resource rather than police force. (3) Business intelligence. (4) Controls-conscious environment.
Elements of reporting pack?
P & Loss, Balance sheet, Sales/Price/Margin, Cost/variance - Ac payable and cash out, Ac Receivable and cash in, Cash flow forecast, Forecast + sensitivity analysis, Budgeting - For Ex, Cap Ex, Project appraisal, Statement analysis - KPI’s, Contracts review. Controls review, Other review.
Circle on matrix?
Forward-thinking financial leadership. Active participation in strategic decision making.
(1) Good corporate governance (2) Risk register (Strategic and Operational (3) ICT and Information governance (4) Commercial minded. (5) Regulatory and governmental compliance + Company Administration (6) Business Intelligence (Fin and non-fin info..) + Businesses are partnerships + Internal / External interface (7) Internal / External audit + Process and policy adherence + Control-conscious environment.
Green (2) on matrix (+7)?
**(1) Strategic objectives and Operational management.
(2) Plan, Record and Control an organisation’s activities.
(1) Identify objectives
(2) Identify potential strategies
(3) Evaluate strategies
(4) Choose alternative courses of action
(5) Implement the long-term plan
(6) Measure actual results and compare with plan
(7) Respond to divergences from plan
Optimum approach to strategies?
(1) You cannot implement what you do not know. (2) A flexible approach that adapts to the unexpected (3) Difference between operational and strategic thinking and people (4) Keep strategy on track, keep it adaptable and if it fails move from it sooner rather than later and develop another.
4 headings in prism of finance department??
(1) Perception. (2) Metrics. (3) Info orientation. (4) Processes.
Daily reporting?
Drive the business towards its targets, Flight instrument panel. Position and performance, Remedial - Narrative
Monthly reporting - Focus 1?
Focus in upon (-), Drive forward (+) - Accurate reliable information, financial and non financial… - Too little vs Too much information - Timely information vs Accurate information - A continually forward-facing organisation is hugely beneficial to (1) The performance of the business and (2) Relationships within the business.
Monthly reporting - Focus 2?
Working papers are principle link between accounting records and financial statements. - Record, Evidence, Reconcile, Adjust, Working papers - Well ordered documentary regime tracing and explaining any balance - Papers and Timetables, Conventions and Priorities.
Annual reporting?
Processes, Objectives, Management Accounts to Statutory Accounts, Disclosure and Audit.
Policies and Procedures - Areas of
Account Reconciliation
Revenue Recognition
Expense Prepayment and Accrual Reconciliation
Payroll administration and reconciliation.
Income Tax - Preparation and Reporting
Journal entries - Routine, Non-routine and Estimates
Property, Plant and Equipment
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Accounts Payable - Requests from parties for payment
Accounts Receivable - Credit, Collection and d’ful debts
Bank Reconciliation
Cash and Banking
Petty Cash and Source and Use of FX
Inventory - Count, Management and Valuation.
Intercompany transactions and reconciliation.
Authorisation
Communication
KPI’s
Element of analysing processes?
Cost, Creep, Identify, Flowchart, Buy-in, Challenge, Tools / Metrics / Controls (TMC), Make sure it works, Drive forward.
The effective management of a process or a series of processes entails a cycle?
Define, Action, Measure, Analyse, - Improve & Control or Report & Instruct.
What is internal control?
Processes, designed and effected by those charged with governance, where rules/procedures and mechanisms are introduced and implemented within a business to ensure integrity, accountability, compliance, fraud and effectiveness and efficiency of operations.
What are the prevent controls and detect controls?
Authorisation, Documentation, Reconciliation, Security and Segregation of duties. Prevent 4/5 Detect Reconciliation and Internal and External audit.
7 steps in the Planning and Control Cycle.
(1) Identify objectives [PLANNING]
(2) Identify potential strategies [PLANNING]
(3) Evaluate strategies [PLANNING]
(4) Choose alternative strategies if required. [PLANNING]
(5) Implement the long-term plan
(6) Measure actual results and compare with plan [CONTROL]
(7) Respond to divergences from plan [CONTROL]
The objectives of a budgetary planning and control system
(1) To ensure the achievement of the organisation’s objectives.
(2) To compel planning.
(3) To communicate ideas and plans.
(4) To coordinate activities.
(5) To motivate employees to improve their performance.
(6) To provide a framework for responsible accounting
(7) To establish a system of control
Risk management is greater than Liabilities and Investments?
Strategy, Financial, Legal, Security.
5 stages of dealing with risk?
Identify risk, Analyse risk, Prioritise risk, Deal with risk [Avoid, Accept, Mitigate or Transfer], Monitor risk.
Risk the 2 - part matrix
The Table of Risk
High risk of occurring / Low cost
High risk of occurring / High cost [Detailed plans]
Low risk of occurring / Low cost
Low risk of occurring / High cost [Outline plans]
4 main types of data analysis?
Descriptive, Diagnostic, Predictive, Prescriptive.