You know your planning and reporting processes need to change. The spreadsheets are creaking, the budget takes too long and the board wants answers faster. The next step is convincing the rest of the leadership team to invest. This guide shows how to build a business case for FP&A software that a CEO and board will support, with a free Excel calculator and PowerPoint board template to help you build your own.
1. Start with the problem, not the software
Boards fund solutions to business problems, not software. Describe what is not working today in plain terms: how long the budget takes, how late reporting arrives, the risk of spreadsheet errors and the decisions that are delayed as a result. Our article on the top six challenges for FP&A teams can help you frame this.
2. Measure the current cost
Put numbers on the status quo. A simple way is to estimate the hours spent on each process and multiply by the cost of the people involved.
| Process | Hours per cycle | Cycles per year | Hours per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual budget | 600 | 1 | 600 |
| Quarterly reforecast | 150 | 4 | 600 |
| Monthly management reporting | 80 | 12 | 960 |
| Ad hoc analysis requests | 20 | 12 | 240 |
| Total hours | 2,400 | ||
| Annual cost at £50 per hour | £120,000 |
The figures above are an illustration; use your own. In this example, 2,400 hours at a blended cost of £50 an hour means the business spends £120,000 a year on manual planning and reporting. Remember to include time spent by budget holders outside finance, not just the finance team.
3. Quantify the benefits
Time saved
Estimate how much of the manual effort can be removed through automated data loads, collaborative budgeting and reports that refresh automatically. In the example above, removing half of the manual effort releases 1,200 hours a year, worth £60,000. That time can go into analysis and business partnering instead. Be conservative: a credible case beats an optimistic one.
Better decisions
Harder to quantify but often more valuable: faster scenario planning, earlier warning of problems and better visibility of cash. Use examples from the past year where better information would have changed a decision.
Reduced risk
Spreadsheet errors, key-person dependency and lack of audit trail are real risks. See our real-life Excel horror stories for examples.
Scalability
If the business is growing, acquiring or adding entities, show how the current process will cope. Often the honest answer is that it will need more headcount.
4. Use real-world evidence
Boards are reassured by results achieved elsewhere. Jedox customers report outcomes such as:
- Churchill China: expected payback in under a year
- Agrogen: 50% faster budget cycles
- Henkell Freixenet: 80% reduction in work hours annually
- Construction Forms: close reduced from 3 weeks to 7 days
Browse all Jedox success stories by industry to find examples close to your own organisation.
5. Set out the costs honestly
Include software subscription, implementation, internal time, training and ongoing support. Being transparent builds credibility. For Jedox, see Jedox pricing, subscriptions and packages.
6. Reduce the risk of the project
- Propose a phased approach, starting with the process that causes most pain.
- Choose a partner with finance expertise and a track record with the software.
- Show the evidence from independent analysts, such as the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Financial Planning Software, the BARC 2026 FP&A software survey and Dresner’s 2026 Wisdom of Crowds EPM study.
- Agree clear success measures before you start.
Stephen Hambling’s five steps to FP&A project success cover how to plan a project that delivers.
7. Make the recommendation
Finish with a clear recommendation: what you want to buy, what it will cost, what it will deliver and when. Include the cost of doing nothing; as we argue in why standing still is a CFO’s most expensive decision, staying put is rarely free.
If you would like help building your business case, book a discovery call with Kybos. Our guide on how to choose FP&A software is also a useful companion.
Download the free business case templates
To save you starting from a blank page, we have created two free templates that follow the steps in this guide. The example figures match the ones above, so you can see how they fit together before adding your own.
- Business case calculator (Excel): enter your own hours, costs and expected savings to work out the three-year net benefit, return on investment and payback period.
- Board presentation template (PowerPoint): an 11-slide deck that takes the board from the problem to the recommendation, with speaker notes on every slide.
Fill in your details below to download both templates.
Frequently asked questions
What should a business case for FP&A software include?
The current problems and their cost, the expected benefits (time saved, better decisions, lower risk, scalability), evidence from similar organisations, the full costs, a plan to reduce project risk and a clear recommendation.
How do you calculate ROI for FP&A software?
Estimate the time and cost of current manual processes, the share that can be removed, and other benefits such as reduced risk, then compare with the total cost of software, implementation and support over several years.
How long does it take to see a return?
It depends on scope and starting point. Some Jedox customers report a payback period of under a year.
Who should sponsor an FP&A software project?
Usually the CFO, with support from the CEO and the heads of the main business areas that will contribute to planning.
About Kybos
Kybos is a dedicated UK & Ireland Jedox Platinum partner. We build planning and analysis solutions that deliver value fast using accountancy qualified consultants. Whether you want a fully customised application or to build upon an existing solution, Kybos consultants are here to help.