Project Info

Struggling with manual reporting and rising accounts receivable delinquency, the client lacked profitability visibility. Our financial suite unified data, eliminating margin leakage and accelerating cash flow recovery.
  • Industry : Finance
  • Category : BI & Data Analytics
  • Date : Nov'24 - Jan'25
  • Location : Los Angeles, CA, USA

Project Info

Problem Statement

Our client faced significant hurdles in maintaining a clear view of their financial health due to a lack of integration between operational volume and bottom-line profitability. The CFO and upper management struggled with manual reporting cycles that delayed their understanding of margin leakage from credit rebates and high standard costs. Furthermore, the organisation was experiencing rising delinquency in accounts receivable, as it lacked a centralised system to track aging buckets effectively. Without real-time visibility into sales performance versus order trends, Sales Managers could not pivot quickly during market fluctuations, and executive leadership lacked a “single source of truth” across their preferred visualisation platforms like Power BI, Tableau, and IBM Cognos.

The Solution: Integrated Financial Intelligence and AR Management

To address these challenges, we implemented a robust financial analytics suite designed to provide transparency from the warehouse floor to the executive boardroom.

Comprehensive Profitability Analysis

The core of the financial visibility was the Six Point Summary Report. This powerful tool enables the client to analyse Stock and Custom types of Lbs alongside New Business GPD. By providing a detailed view of Total Sales, Standard Cost, and Total Cost, we highlighted the impact of Credit Rebates at both the Sales Rep and Customer levels. Advanced filtering by warehouse, item, and period allows Sales Managers to drill down into specific accounts to ensure that high-volume shipments (Lbs Shipped) translate into actual net profit.

Strategic Receivables & Liquidity Control

We deployed an Aged Trial Balance and a comprehensive Ageing Report to provide a granular look at the company’s liquidity. These reports categorise outstanding balances into Current, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 120+ days buckets. By integrating filters for Chargeback Codes, Term Codes, and AR Reps, the finance team can now identify the root causes of payment delays. This is supported by the AR Summary Report, Customer AR, and AR Transaction History, which provide a complete audit trail of every dollar owed and collected.

Operational Financial Linkage

To bridge the gap between physical inventory and financial records, we introduced the Item and Pallet Sold Dashboard and the Available Lbs Summary. These tools allow the finance department to see exactly how warehouse movement impacts the balance sheet, ensuring that inventory valuations are accurate and reflective of real-time sales.

Crisis Response and Real-Time Monitoring

For high-pressure scenarios, we developed the Crisis Sales Analysis and the Order and Sales Analysis (Screen Projection Report). The Screen Projection Report is specifically designed for executive war rooms and sales floors, providing a high-visibility, auto-refreshing feed of performance metrics that keeps the entire leadership team aligned on daily targets and market volatility.

Technical Implementation and Delivery

Multi Tool Versatility

Understanding that executive preferences vary, we delivered these financial solutions across the client’s existing ecosystem. We created specialised views in Power BI for interactive exploration, Tableau for deep visual analysis, and IBM Cognos for enterprise-grade financial reporting.

Automated Scheduling and Accessibility

To ensure that the CFO and upper management stay informed without manual effort, we configured automated scheduling. Critical summaries, such as the AR Summary and Six Point Summary, are delivered to key stakeholders' inboxes at set intervals, providing a proactive approach to financial oversight.

Value Provided

Enhanced Margin Integrity

By isolating Credit Rebates and Standard Costs in the Six Point Summary, the client identified and corrected pricing discrepancies that were eroding margins on custom orders.

Reduction in Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)

The Aged Trial Balance provided the transparency needed to target 90 and 120+ days delinquencies, significantly improving the company’s cash position.

Unified Executive Vision

Implementing the same financial KPIs across Power BI, Tableau, and Cognos ensured that all leaders, regardless of their department, were making decisions based on identical data.

Immediate Strategic Agility

The Screen Projection Report and Crisis Sales Analysis allowed the client to react to sudden market shifts in real time, protecting revenue during volatile periods.

Operational Efficiency

Automated report scheduling saved the finance team dozens of hours per month in manual data consolidation, allowing them to shift their focus from reporting to strategic analysis.