I heard they become important when it comes to financial analysis. How do they help you out?

I have some historic data that we do not want to set up in our new ERP chart of accounts. I have heard that we can create a canonical data map between the old system and the new ERP to allow for analysis and reporting on this old data without bringing in redundant nominal codes into our new CoA. We are taking 20 redundant codes.

Can someone explain in practice what that means? Really break it down like i am a dummy please

FM with 8 YOE (late twenties); need advice on career trajectory:
1. Current role: FM at a large public tech company (well known brand, but not faang), TC 170k in HCOL. WLB amazing, flexible hybrid, 15 min commute, love my boss, don’t enjoy business partners or the culture though. Role is interesting-ish (not just your typical reporting, I business partner a lot and do a ton of projects). I also think I will have internal mobility opportunities eventually, my boss has said my name is in the hat for the Sr manager, hinted to expect it this year & I have received an “exceeds” rating twice. However I often ask myself if this is really it, if I’m getting too comfortable and whether I will stay marketable for long (especially entering my thirties very soon). Another point is that the company would be impacted if AI bubble burst (not AI or saas or anything like that, but heavily relies on overall economy doing well).

1. Offer: Pre-IPO tech, very anticipated IPO. Sr manager role, cash comp 230k in HCOL, not counting pre-ipo equity. Culture will be a fit, but expect shitty WLB for at least 2 years. Remote for now. I did like the people a lot & know people that work there. I know overall this would be a shining star on my resume and people would kill for this opportunity. However, the scope of the role is not clearly defined, it’s basically one big “we need someone to come in and fix everything”. I’ve done this type of work before as an FM and so I know in theory I can do it. But now that I’ve had a taste of good wlb, I wonder if it’s worth it.

TLDR: looking for advice on whether I should leave my comfort zone for something that sounds very cool & pays very very well. Is the grass truly greener? Maybe I just need a reality check.

Curious how others are feeling lately. I feel the shift in FP&A has been very much more about challenging costs, being a strategic partner, knowing the business, etc. This has been pushed hard by our Finance leadership. However, the disconnect on how the business views us and thinks of our role is huge. I'll have my team push for questions on how certain costs are built, the details behind the numbers, the structure of the contracts, etc., and I typically get an email in hours from business leadership questioning our intent. It doesn't even matter how I go about it (being tough, being fluffy and supportive, being completely honest about educating ourselves, etc.).

At the end of the day, if my Finance leadership isn't going to back us up, then I'm fine being a reporting team. Mostly venting, but Just curious if anyone else has similar experiences with business partners like this?

Looking for any advice on how people come up with their monthly rebate accruals for credit cards?

The issue that I’ve been running into is that every client has a different contract. So each spend amount to hit a tiered rebate level is different & spending enough to get it.

Has anyone taken the online behavioral assessment for Capital One recently? I took it back in January and didn’t pass it. I reapplied for a financial analyst Role, so no
Coding but there is some math and behavioral questions. Any tips?

Hi everyone, I was laid off couple months ago and I haven't been able to land an interview for a finance manager role. I have an MBA and a lot of experience in the FP&A world. So I assume it's my resume that is the issue. Please help. Be honest and brutal. I can use all the help I can get.

hi everybody,

i am a manufacturing financial analyst at stellantis in one of the plants. i have been working at this role for the past 10 months, since September 25. I love the job, i don’t have to work too much. Maybe 20-25 hours a week out of the 40. I have learned so much about manufacturing and how finance is handled. I’ve also learned how a company takes measures when they don’t have money problems vs when they do. I have an extremely nice manager. He gives me full freedom to do whatever I think can help me excel at this role. He has guided me through every single thing or task we do at the plant in finance. I mainly work on learning as much of excel, powerbi, sql data pulling, and data validation/ model building. I also do the daily/monthly tasks like daily morning meetings with plant leadership, monthly sox, close process, currently working on forecasts/budget so he is teaching me parts of it one by one. The only thing i dont like about my job is one 5 days in person and 2 manufacturing is not a high ceiling or high exposure environment i feel. It’s been the perfect playground for me though to learn and adapt as a new college undergraduate.

I did a ba in economics and graduated in august 25. Gpa was as close to 3.0 as possible but it wasn’t a 3.0. I did not focus much in college. I wanted to do finance and the college was competitive so I never got admission. Which led to me just passing classes and getting stuff done in economics. I was fortunate enough to find a job in finance. But nowww….

I feel like i would need to get out of manufacturing for sure to move up and even learn more. Yes I still probably can learn a lot more in this job and place but mentally I have the feeling that manufacturing is not good enough i need to do better. I just want to get human comments into what i have and if i am doing good or not or can i do better

at the end. I like my job, i like my manager, i am growing everyday, i can learn whatever i want, pay is great at 80k for starting.

Tuff parts are gpa, manufacturing maybe on resume, only 10 months in, maybe need to grow my communication skills.

I recently completed my CIMA qualification, but I’m finding it really difficult to break into FP&A in London. I’ve only had one interview in the last month, and it’s starting to feel quite discouraging.

Is this fairly normal in the current market, or am I doing something wrong?

I sacrificed a lot of time and effort to become CIMA qualified, so I was hoping it would open more doors. At the moment, it doesn’t feel like I’m getting much return on that investment.

Does anyone know of any finance or FP&A networking events in London that are worth attending? I’d also really appreciate any advice from people who have successfully made the move into FP&A.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Analysts,

Like the title says, I’m trying to break into FP&A. I’m currently an accounting manager and am trying to break out of month end close on the accounting side. I know FP&A does month end too but it feels like there aren’t as many black out days like accounting has. I don’t wanna reconcile another balance sheet.

I doubled majored in finance and accounting with 12 YOE and I’m trying to pivot my skills into an FP&A role. I’ve done some already in the past like monthly BvAs with each department, reclasses, forecasting, financial review calls with subsidiaries, etc…

If anyone would be so gracious to help out with some of my questions, I’d greatly appreciate it!

1. Trying to find tips and tricks on how to get my foot in the door. Networking is so soul draining and my current network doesn’t have anything outside of senior manager roles that I don’t think I’m qualified for.

2. With my experience, would I be able to land a senior FP&A analyst role or should I start over at an entry level analyst?

3. What skills, technical and non technical, should I brush up on? SQL? I don’t have a ton of financial modeling experience. Are there certain reports you think is necessary at every company? Any course work that isn’t college you’ve found really helpful?

4. Most successful people in FP&A I’ve seen are problem solvers and do their best to help every department via automation. My problem is, I don’t know what they mean by automation. Is it just automating reports? Do I need to know how to code to write scripts? Any insight is helpful!

If I’m asking dumb questions, please be kind and humor me. I’m just desperate to get out of accounting. Thanks in advance!!

I am currently an FP&A manager (7 months) and was previously a senior financial analyst (4.5 years). I’ve been in the manufacturing space the entire time with typical FP&A responsibilities.

I’m looking to get out of FP&A but I don’t really know what opportunities and careers are a good exit from FP&A.

All of a sudden, just scheduled 4-5 different interviews with various comps, most seem to be decent, growing companies with good glass door reviews. I think I have something locked down but it feels very heartening.

FP&A Manager/Senior Manager (or equivalent for corp finance, finance & strat)

Our CFO wants us to work more hours in person than the 8 to 5 schedule. But I can’t do that! I have to leave at 5 to pickup my 2 kids but I always log in after work if I need to. I just started this job and I want to make a good impression. He knows I have to go pickup the kids too, and he knows I work on weekends. What would you do?

Hi, I have spent 4 years in Big4 Auditor and left as an Assistant Manager to start CPA. now after 9 months of career break, I have completed FMVA (CFI) and a US CPA examination. As the title says, I want to break into FP&A.

From CPA- I have theoretical knowledge of Variance Analysis, Budgeting etc but ofc no hands on experience.

Can someone help me with all the skills needed (Currently I am learning PowerBI and SQL) but what else would i need to know.

I started my career at a Big 4 firm and moved into FP&A after four years. I've now been in FP&A for almost 10 years. However, my experience has been exclusively with small to mid-sized companies.
As a manager at a small company, should I consider making a lateral move to a Fortune 500 company? One advantage of working at a smaller company is that I have broad exposure to the business's entire financial picture and make an impact. However, I’m not getting a lot of tractions when I look for opportunities. I’m not sure if it has to do with the brand name.

At this stage of my career, would you recommend continuing to target small and mid-sized firms, or would a move to F500 be a better long term career decision? I’m hoping to get a broader experience in a public company, such as IR, M&A. However, based on my experience at B4, I worry that I could end up owning only a small piece of the business. From the hiring manager perspective, do you value a candidate’s broad experience with small company, or a candidate with a F500 experience?

I'm feeling burned out in my current job and career. For a long time, I've been in survival mode because I have a family to support. Recently, though, I've been able to pay down a lot of debt and get my finances into a much better place. That gives me the opportunity to go back to school and pursue a career that's more stable, pays well, and offers better long-term growth.

I recently watched a video that suggested earning a degree in finance or accounting if I want to move into FP&A. That path sounds appealing to me. The only issue is that the university I want to attend recently eliminated its finance master's program, but it still offers a Master's in Accounting.

I'd love to hear your opinions. If my goal is to work in FP&A and eventually have the flexibility to work remotely or in a hybrid role, would a Master's in Accounting be a good choice, or should I look for a school that still offers a finance degree?

23M - Unique finance role at a nonprofit. Good experience, but worried about long-term growth. Looking for FP&A advice.

I recently graduated from a state school with a finance degree, and my long-term goal is to build a career in FP&A.

A few months before graduating, I was hired as the “finance guy” at a nonprofit trade organization that represents one of the largest industries in my city. I don’t live in a major metro, so I’ve been grateful for the opportunity and the network I’ve been able to build.

Because we’re a small team (8 people), my responsibilities are pretty broad. On a typical day I’m:
Processing invoices and managing cash
Preparing financial reports for the board
Helping with budgeting and forecasting
Performing financial analysis
Assisting with operations and event logistics when needed

One thing that’s been interesting is that the person before me was primarily a bookkeeper. My boss has encouraged me to expand the role by doing more analysis, forecasting, and providing information that helps leadership make better decisions. So far, both my boss and the board have been happy with my work.

I genuinely enjoy the variety of the job, and it’s been a great opportunity to present financial information to some very successful business leaders early in my career.

My concern is the long term. I don’t see myself staying in nonprofit finance forever, there isn’t much room for advancement, and because I’m the only finance person, I don’t have a senior FP&A professional mentoring or developing me.

If you were in my position, would you:
Stay for a couple of years to continue building experience?
Try to move into a larger company sooner where there’s more mentorship and a structured FP&A team?
Focus on building technical skills in my downtime?

I’d appreciate any advice, especially from people who started in small organizations and later moved into corporate FP&A.

I've already completed technical and hiring manager interviews, and tomorrow's conversation is with executive leadership / ownership and is expected to be more of a culture-fit discussion.

For those who've been through this type of interview, what questions caught you off guard? What do owners or CEOs tend to care about that differs from, say, a CFO interview?

Any advice on how to stand out at this stage?

For context: this is a mid-sized privately held telecom company.

Like title says? Wondering if it’s worth pursuing the certs. Especially for someone mid career if they want to break off onto their own as a consultant

Been trying since last year to break into fp&a with no prior experience

I have 6 yoe at BB (5 years ops and 1 year finance) in the dmv area

What can I do to build my resume to be more presentable? I’ve been just watching YouTube videos on accounting and taking courses from udemy on financial modeling but none of them can be used on the resume

I have also took the advise from wso for the resume format but haven’t had any luck at all

Appreciate any advice and thank you in advanced

If you are a veteran FP&A person, do you expect/want to stay in this field until you retire? Do you think you will retire with your current company, or do you think you will bounce around? How much does age-ism and AI worry you?

I have about 8-10 yrs until retirement. I would like to stay in the field, and at this specific company, until I retire. But we're going through a bunch of layoffs, and it seems inevitable I'll get the boot at some point. A job search would definitely cause me mass stress, especially in this job market. However, I don't see myself trying to pivot to another field at this stage in life.

I have a background in management accounting and financial analytics.

I am considering launching a consultancy focused on financial reporting and analytics for SMEs. Before I go all in I want to understand whether this is a real pain point for people actually working in finance or whether I am solving a problem that does not exist the way I think it does.

I am thinking about:

• End-to-end month-end and period-end management reporting, automatically feeding from ERP, Accounting Systems, SQL warehouse to Power BI/Tableau/Excel Power Query
• Cross-department/Operational dashboards in Power BI/Tableau connected to live data
• Variance analysis and management commentary
• Data warehouse setup in Azure SQL/Fabric for businesses ready to scale their finance data infrastructure.

I would like to know:

• How much of your time goes on manual reporting every month-end? Do you use any external help for this or is it all done in-house?
• Have you ever hired someone externally to build dashboards, analyse or automate reporting? What made you decide to do it or what stopped you?
• What made you trust them enough to hire them? What would have put you off?
• I know cold emails are largely ignored. What would actually get your attention - if anything?

I genuinely want to understand whether the market exists the way I think it does before I commit fully. Any real experience - positive or negative - is more useful to me than a Google search/AI right now.

Thanks in advance.

I'm a Senior Analyst at a bank with a hybrid schedule. The commute is fine (10 min drive) and I don't mind the office itself, but it's hard not to feel a little bitter driving in and paying for parking when literally no one on my team is even in the same state as me. Like, what am I actually going into the office for?

I feel like there is room for growth up to a manager position, as my team is on the older side and a couple of colleagues have already retired, but I don't see myself ever making it into a director role on this team unless there were some major changes to the team.

I feel like I am paid very fairly (TC 120ish), considering my WLB is so good that I sometimes consider it a con. I fear looking elsewhere might bring me back into a position where I am working 70-80 hours a week.

Would anyone give up a decent, stable position for something that pays more and sets you up better for the next step on the FP&A ladder? I'm in a spot where I could commute into a large city and try to land something at a big tech company.. I see Google's hiring, for example. The commute would be way worse, but the pay bump looks HUGE based on what I'm seeing for similar roles, I'd actually be in person with my team for once, and it might put me in a stronger position to hit my goal role down the road. Worth it, or am I romanticizing the grass-is-greener thing? Or maybe I think I should be making more money than I should be in FP&A..

Was promoted to senior audit and would like to pivot into fpna. Question is that I been applying to fpna roles but no response so far. At this point I dont even know what went wrong.