OREANDA-NEWS. June 29, 2012. IBM registered a special solution created by GMCS (on the basis of IBM Cognos) geared towards comprehensively automating midterm planning in energy companies with a geographically dispersed structure and regulated budget processes.

This GMCS solution allows one to automate a whole cycle of midterm planning (1-5 years ahead). The main advantages of such a solution are the following: less time spent on composing and correcting a business plan, increased controlling activity efficiency and plan implementation as a result of conducting multi-faceted ‘plan-fact’ analysis, planning precision and data accuracy, less time spent on preparing and restating data based on the International Financial Reporting Standards.

This solution gives companies the opportunity to forecast their main indices by taking into consideration unique market characteristics and conducting “what if” and factor analysis. Furthermore, the solution contains instruments for receiving summary reports (partially due to integration with IBM Cognos BI). Reports (depending on customer demand/preferences) can include calculations of the company’s main financial coefficients, such as EBITDA, ROS, ROE and ROI.

The functional solution consists of a few modules, each of which contains a set of methods for planning, forecasting and analysis (all within the IBM Cognos system). Modules for planning income, semi-variable expenses, semi-constant expenses and investment activities are part of the solution’s components along with a model for downloading actual data from the accounting system and a module for transferring data to comply with the International Financial Reporting Standards.

“Midterm planning is one of the key business processes for the company; specific business unit plans (coordinated in such a manner to achieve the company’s strategy goals) yield a particular result. The solution we developed encompassed our very own ‘know how’ regarding automating planning and budget processes at fuel and energy companies”, comments Petr Sibirtsev, Consulting and BPM systems Department Director at GMCS. “We are planning on continuing to develop new planning and business analysis solutions, including those necessary for manufacturing and telecommunication companies”.