From PwC Switzerland, here's how to implement business systems

In an economic landscape characterized by volatility and rapid transformation, successful companies do not simply react to changes, but anticipate them and exploit them as opportunities: this is the example of PwC. Effective management of corporate performance is the key to navigating these complexities and ensuring sustainable growth.

Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a strategic approach that integrates data, processes and technological tools to monitor, analyze and optimize business performance, supporting informed and targeted decisions

PwC explains what an EPM system is

An EPM system is an integrated technology solution that enables companies to optimize key processes such as financial planning, budgeting, and balance sheet closing. By centralizing data from multiple business sources and offering advanced analytics, these platforms provide a single, reliable view of business performance.

Key features include financial consolidation, which automates the collection, validation and integration of data from multiple business entities, ensuring faster and more accurate closing. Planning allows you to create detailed financial plans, with the ability to quickly adapt to changes (eg Rolling forecast), further supported by predictive models.

Thanks to technological advances and the contribution of consulting firms, EPM systems have evolved targeted functionalities to meet specific industry needs, reducing implementation times and ensuring constant compliance with complex regulations. They also integrate best practices, both in accounting directives and sustainability regulations.

Examples of pre-parameterized EPM systems:

• ESG (e.g. CSRD, EU Taxonomy)
• Tax (eg BEPS Pillar 2, Tax Provisioning)
• xFPA planning (eg Sales, HR, CAPEX)
• Lease accounting (eg IFRS 16, ASC 842)

Why a new EPM system?

Many companies still rely on legacy EPM systems, often nearing their end of life, such as Oracle HFM or SAP BPC. These outdated tools create operational inefficiencies, limit adaptability to market changes, and often fail to meet growing demands for integration and scalability, mostly burdened by outdated approaches, non-communicating systems, and an ever-increasing use of disconnected Excel sheets. A modern EPM system addresses these challenges by providing a robust foundation for increased business agility and ensuring the adaptability needed to respond quickly to regulatory, economic, or market changes.

PWC Considerations for Implementation

To ensure the success of an EPM system, it is essential to define clear and modular objectives, understand and prioritize business needs. It is useful to rely on experts for the selection of the software, in order to structure the requirements and evaluate the most suitable solutions. Once the application has been chosen, it is necessary to select an accredited partner, analyzing timing, approach used, resources required and references.

Managing the implementation of an EPM system requires a structured and collaborative approach, where each phase has a well-defined role to ensure the success of the project. It is advisable to start the project by designing the functional component of the EPM, well beyond the technical issue, in order to integrate strategy, governance and financial processes to optimize the management of business performance. Key elements include the definition of an operational data model based on the organizational structure, cost allocation, management accounting and internal and external reporting. If the scope of the project also includes planning, it is advisable to extend the model to include detailed processes and their dependencies at the functional level.

During implementation, where the system is configured in line with the design, customer involvement is crucial, to facilitate an effective transition to the new system.

Successful cases

Numerous companies have benefited from implementing EPM systems. For example, a global chemical company reduced its financial statement closing time from weeks to a few days by standardizing and centralizing the closing and consolidation process, automating interfaces, and managing multiple accounting standards in a structured manner at the same time. Similarly, a multinational pharmaceutical company integrated closing, planning, and lease accounting into a single EPM application.

Conclusion

An EPM system is not just a technological tool, but a strategic lever needed to drive innovation, improve efficiency and support business growth.

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*Alberto Della Santina has established himself as a key professional in supporting global and local companies in optimizing closing and consolidation processes, financial and operational planning and in implementing advanced technological solutions to improve the quality of financial reporting. During his career, Alberto has contributed to the definition and implementation of innovative EPM solutions, helping clients overcome challenges related to digital transformation and business systems integration. His expertise includes industry-leading software tools and the management of complex projects with an approach that combines strategic vision and operational focus. Thanks to the synergy between Alberto's know-how and PwC's global network, he is able to offer tailor-made solutions for SMEs, multinationals and private clients.