Analytics Overview There are two major trends in information technology that are significantly impacting the accumulation and processing of data today. On one hand, a massive volume of data is being generated about customers, products, industries, and marketplaces, including financial and non-financial, quantitative and qualitative, structured and unstructured data from various sources such as OT sensor data and social media feeds from platforms like Facebook and Twitter. On the other hand, advancements in computing power, software technology, and application tools have significantly improved. Cloud-based delivery models have also made the usage of information technology more economical.
Big Data and Analytics With these data processing trends, the use of ‘big data’ and data analytics has gained immense importance. Initially focused on simple statistics and trend analysis, modern analytics now includes more sophisticated applications such as:
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Predictive Analytics: Analyzing historical data to predict future outcomes.
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Prescriptive Analytics: Providing recommendations based on data analysis.
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AI and ML Integration: Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning for advanced decision-making and developing new or improved business models.
Key Steps in Adopting Analytics
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Determine Business Use Cases: Identify the specific business problems to be solved using analytics.
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Build the Roadmap and Data Modeling: Develop a structured plan and data models to guide the analytics process.
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Identify the Right Tools: Choose analytics tools that match the business needs.
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Prepare Data through ETL: Extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes to prepare data for analysis.
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Generate Visualizations: Create dashboards and reports to visualize data insights.
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Incorporate Decision-Making Functionality: Enhance decision-making processes with analytics-driven insights.
Popular Analytics Tools Various analytics tools are available, each with strengths in visualization, ETL functionality, machine learning, AI, and mathematical modeling. Some frequently used enterprise-level analytics tools include:
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Tableau
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Microsoft Power BI
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SAP Analytics Cloud
Analytics in Finance and Accounting (F&A) There is significant potential for the use of analytics in the finance and accounting function (F&A). The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) plays an expanded role in ensuring that financial reporting is effective and valuable for all stakeholders, both internal and external to the organization. Analytics provides insights for strategic and operational decision-making. Examples of analytics in F&A include:
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Accounting Analytics
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Finance Process Analytics
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Treasury Analytics
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Corporate Governance Analytics
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Audit Support Analytics
