When it comes to achieving internal goals and expanding your own competitive advantage, effective management reporting is essential. In order to illustrate this in the best possible way, controlling uses specific key figures, the so-called key performance indicators (KPIs). As a rule, these KPIs only refer to company-internal key figures.
We will explain in more detail in this blog post what exact functions these key figures have and what specific types there are. Read here how you can use key figures for controlling SAP Analytics Cloud can process and analyze.
What are key figures of controlling?
Within their financial problems, companies are confronted with key business figures on a daily basis. These play a special role in company-internal controlling. The KPIs illustrate certain facts through quantifiable numerical values. You can present the current success of a company objectively and understandably without having to refer to the actual business of the company. Furthermore, due to their information function, they are considered the most important part of reporting within controlling. They provide the basis for decisions that flow into the operational and strategic planning of management.
In practice, a distinction is made between absolute and relative indicators. Absolute metrics usually represent a sum or difference. These include sales, cash flow or the number of employees. These KPIs can often be taken directly from the company's data sources.
Relative metrics are calculated from the ratio of at least two absolute metrics. This results in either relationship indicators, index indicators or classification indicators.
Which key figures are important for controlling?
There are different numbers of key figures that controlling can make available to corporate management and top management. From this, the external balance sheet analysis and internal success control can be initiated. The most important KPI are the Earnings metrics, profitability metrics, Balance sheet ratios and liquidity metrics period.
- The (absolute) earnings figures map entrepreneurial partial results multidimensionally. These include, for example, the contribution margin, the operating result, or the cash flow.
- The profitability metrics give information about the quality of absolute stock sizes on another stock size. Examples of this are the return on equity or total capital employed, the return on investment and the return on capital employed.
- The various Balance sheet ratios show the capital structure of a company. They put various balance sheet items in relation to each other or to the balance sheet total. The equity ratio or debt capital ratio are classified as a balance sheet ratio.
- liquidity metrics make statements about the solvency of a company. This includes working capital or asset coverage.
Evaluate and present key figures of controlling
Key figures of controlling are basically presented in two different systems: A distinction is made between classification systems and calculation systems.
The order system connects the key figures shown with each other using logical arguments. By dividing it into individual business units, such a system enables a differentiated view of the key figures (e.g. key figures for production or sales areas). The profitability-liquidity system dispenses with a mathematical breakdown of the two variables. This classification system is used for ongoing planning, management and control of business processes.
An computing system on the other hand, creates a mathematical relationship between the key figures. They are usually visualized by staggering them in a pyramid shape, such as in the Du Pont scheme. In this case, the company's return on investment (ROI) alone is at the top of the list.
The evaluation of the key figures of controlling is usually carried out via a plan/actual comparison. The analysis is based on your own predefined optimal business processes or on the values typical of your industry or target market.
Control key figures with the Analytics Cloud
SAP Analytics Cloud SAP provides a new, holistic solution for reporting, planning and advanced or predictive analysis of your company. The SAC helps you make decisions faster and more efficiently. It is SAP's strategic solution for business intelligence, analytics and forecasting.
As a self-service tool, it offers you the opportunity to access and evaluate data from your entire company in real time via intuitive user interfaces. In addition to individual, flexible workflows, you can also combine different “stories” for your company. These are visualized and operated on several monitors.
You can manage and control the software solution yourself. This means you are no longer dependent on different applications or support from the IT department. The SAC can also be reached around the clock in your mobile services.
The role of SAP Analytics Cloud in controlling key figures
The Cloud Analytics supports a variety of internal and external source systems. These are connected in real time via import or live connection. The data can then be linked and visualized in so-called dashboards or stories. The intuitive self-service analyzes help you to analyze the data from your company and provide insights where they are needed for value-oriented business decisions.
At the same time, the user can define the KPIs flexibly. The functionalities are divided from the introduction of system-supported key figure acquisition, multi-year planning and forecast acquisition to the transfer of IT data for investment controlling.
The SAP AC works with so-called dimensions. This maps various transactional, categorical or numeric data. Some dimensions may be required to calculate a measure, such as by a lookup formula. The specific dimension 'Measure' represents transactional data in which the related data is previewed in the data foundation.
Diverse implementation options
A classic account model stores the model values in a single standard measure. It uses the account structure to specify units, add calculations, and set aggregation types. In the new model type, on the other hand, the corresponding key figures are prepared as individual entities. This allows you to add and configure multiple key figures with individual aggregation settings or units.
The Software-as-a-Service offer (SaaS) is based on the SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) and thus combines all the advantages of SAP HANA in-memory technology. Furthermore, the SAP AC can be integrated into different system environments and linked to data sources using connectors. Simply integrate other systems such as SAP BW, SAP BW4/HANA, SAP S/4HANA and many other solutions. A connection to non-SAP SQL databases, as well as an integration of OData services and an upload of flat files (XLSX,CSV,TXT) are also supported.
Depending on your IT infrastructure, you can Cloud Analytics either use it via live data connection. The entire data flow takes place in your own network and there is no replication of the data, but metadata is transferred to the cloud.
Or they use the import-data-connection, whereby the data is replicated contextually via a secure connection to the SAP Analytics Cloud, where the analytical functions are then applied.
INSIRE – your partner in controlling
The SAP Analytics Cloud As a new and modern solution, it helps you achieve your business goals by providing your strategic controlling with its comprehensive solutions.
If you would like to build up the necessary know-how in your department or if you need support with a specific question with the SAP Analytics Cloud tool, we are your contact! Thanks to our many years of experience and expertise, we are the right companion for your reporting and planning project with the SAP Analytics Cloud!
Arrange a free initial consultation with our expert Nicolas Schepp today!
