FD Group Pillars - Planning
"The need to improve the level of planning and hence the financial control over a business is a key reason why SME owners make the decision to bring on board a part-time Finance Director"
Preparing a business plan is one of the most important tasks for a business owner. If you don't know where you are going - how do you know how to get there or when you have arrived?
The truth of the matter is that most businesses do not undertake planning effectively. Our research shows that less than 10% of businesses have an annual budget. Even fewer businesses compare budget against actual figures.
Most small to medium sized businesses, if they produce monthly accounts at all, simply rely on prior month or last year's figures to measure performance. This historical approach does not provide the direction and information needed to grow the business.
Different forms of financial planning
Plans are often given different names such as a budget, a forecast, a business plan, or a strategic plan. Irrespective of the name, a plan is more than a set of numbers, it is a forecast.
At The FD Group, we differentiate between Financial Planning for the short term, by which we mean the next 1 to 2 years, and Strategy which looks at the long term 5 to 10 year forecast for a business.
The FD Group business financial planning services, deal with short term matters such as:
- The financial budget for the next 12 months
- What additional resources are required
- Reviewing the prices charged for products or services
- The organisation's cost structure
- Staff reward and incentivisation
The starting point for this process is the question 'Where is the business now?' We offer all new clients a Business Health Check. By reviewing the current position and immediate past. Using our business advisory services can help identify what changes to systems and processes would most benefit their business.
Short term planning means assumptions and actions associated with the numbers must be implemented as a matter of urgency to ensure the business stays on course to achieve its longer term goals. Taking action in a timely fashion is extremely important to business success.
Our Financial Directors will help you with planning issues which includes the following:
- A financial health check
- The forecasting and budgeting process
- Identifying and quantifying the key assumptions
- Integrated financial modeling
- Profit and loss account, cash flow forecast and balance sheet
- Preparing a business plan to seek funding
Get in Touch
It is never too late to start to plan, so call our Finance Directors today on 0800 112 3375 or Contact us.
