Video & Slides: http://www.proformative.com/events/cloud-financial-apps-then-now-study-reveals-why-cfos-are-cloud-ready The adoption rate of cloud financial applications continues to explode at companies of all industries and sizes. CFOs at these companies are leveraging these applications to drive growth and competitive advantage. Join Brian Sommer, accounting software expert, and founder of Vital Analysis and Tom Brennan, VP, FinancialForce.com, as they discuss the findings of in-depth interviews with CFOs and a subsequent research report, revealing how attitudes towards cloud financials have changed in recent years, and why the adoption rates are rising. They’ll highlight the unique, often enlightening perspectives on why CFOs are embracing cloud financial systems today and the specific benefits they are seeing from their implementations.

1. Ask, Share, Learn – Within the Largest Community of Corporate Finance Professionals
Cloud Financial Apps: Then & Now
Brian Sommer, Founder & CEO, Vital Analysis
Tom Brennan, VP of Marketing, FinancialForce.com

2. After participating in this event you will be able to:
 Understand the top reasons why executives made the
shift to the cloud - then (3 years ago) and now
 Why cloud financials have fast become the preferred
solution over on-premise systems
 Understand the future path of cloud financial systems
in building a more connected front and back office

3. Proformative is the largest and fastest growing online
resource for senior level corporate finance, treasury, and
accounting professionals.
A resource where corporate finance and related
professionals excel in their careers through:
 Uniquely valuable, online Peer Network
 Direct subject-matter-expert advice
 Valuable Features and Resources
All of it completely noise-free
Check it out at www.proformative.com

4. Ask, Share, Learn – Within the Largest Community of Corporate Finance Professionals
Cloud Financial Apps: Then & Now
Brian Sommer, Founder & CEO, Vital Analysis
Tom Brennan, VP of Marketing, FinancialForce.com

5. 1960 - 1980
SaaS Cloud
2010 - Present
Proprietary Platforms
1980 - 1992
Web Enabled
2002 - 2010
Client Server
1992 - 2002

6. TALC Buyers classifications
•
Innovators - first to experiment with new technologies, willing to take risks
•
Early Adopters - the next wave of firms to adopt a new technology
•
Early Majority - buy from established vendors, less apt to take significant technology
risks
•
Late Majority - wait for markets to settle, only buy from established leaders, not looking
for competitive advantage in software selection - instead want competitive parity
•
Laggards - last to buy a given technology and are exceptionally cheap

8. •
CRM, Human Resources, Talent Management, Office Automation, etc. are well into
their cloud adoption phase – Is Financial Accounting the next sector to move?
•
Will the use of cloud technology in other departments make Finance adoption easier?
•
Will the same reasons for moving to the cloud in other departments also hold true in
Finance?
•
Has the CFO/Controller’s mindset changed re: cloud financial accounting software?

9. Marketing
Surprise! Many CFOs
reported using
5 cloud applications
in their firm.
•
•
Eloqua
Marketo
Finance
•
•
•
•
FinancialForce.com
Adaptive Planning
SVB
Anaplan
Sales/CRM
•
•
Salesforce
Xactly
Human
Resources
•
•
•
•
ADP
Workday
SuccessFactors
Paylocity
Office
Administration
•
•
Office 365
Google Apps
Storage
•
Box

12. Fear!
Uncertainty!
Doubt!

13. • Open an office anywhere,
anytime with just an Internet
connection and a smart mobile
device
• Provides a measure of
flexibility to workers to do work
on their timetable and at their
location of choice
• Permits the retention of key
Finance talent

14. • Like the ability to acquire
complimentary products, in
abundance
• Enjoy products already
pre-integrated and/or
tightly coupled with one
another
• Want the tools to extend,
tailor apps if needed

15. • Multi-tenancy was the most loved
aspect of these solutions. The
vendor maintains the software.
• Permits IT to work on more
strategic applications
• Gets Finance out of the upgrade
work cycle

16. • No lumpy step change
• No additional hardware purchases
• No local technology required
• Scales up and down
• No ILFs

17. Business Value

18. Ask, Share, Learn
Within the Largest Community
of Corporate Finance Professionals
The future of cloud
financial systems…

20. “In our survey, threequarters of finance
executives (76%)
agree that a solid
cloud-computing
strategy will be
important for their
company’s success
within the next 12 to
18 months.”

22. Forrester report, predicted in 2012 that "C-level execs [would]
officially name customer experience a top strategic priority.“
Forrester cites an IBM 2012 CEO study to corroborate that it's
coming to pass:
• CEOs named "customer obsession" as the top leadership trait
required to steer their organizations effectively.
• 66% listed "customer relationships" as a key source of
sustained economic value.
• 73% said that they’re investing heavily in "customer insights.”

23. 1. Driving growth
2. Increasing gross margin
3. Improving responsiveness and meeting customer
expectations
4. Improving EBIT
5. Generating free cash flow

24. 1960 - 1980
SaaS Cloud
2010 - Present
Proprietary Platforms
1980 - 1992
Web Enabled
2002 - 2010
Client Server
1992 - 2002

25. Enterprise Resource Planning
(ERP)
Borderless Back Office
Internally focused
Externally focused
•
•
Technology stack designed to work
inside the building
•
Cost centric
Technology designed to work
outside the building
•
Revenue and customer centric
Organize around departments
Organize around the customer
•
Data silos
•
One view of the customer
•
“Over the wall” processes
•
Seamless front and back office
•
Service owns the customer?
•
Us vs. Them
•
Everyone owns the customer
•
Value built on internal process
•
Us - project collaboration
efficiency
•
Value built around around the
processes
customer

26. Enterprise Resource Planning
(ERP)
Transactions
•
Customer is a number
•
Customer is past due
•
Email, voicemail, and IM
•
CRM deals with customers
Borderless Back Office
Transactions and conversations
• Customer is a person
• What is the customer feeling?
• Social interactions
• Back office serves external and
internal customers

27. Your back office to go

28. Marketing
Automation
Sales Force
Automation
Call Center
Automation
Customer
Relationship
Management
• VP Sales buyer
• Manages
progression of
lead to deal
closure
• Marries external
and internal data
re: prospect
• CMO Sale
• Manages
evolution of raw
prospect to
qualified sales
lead
Pseudo
Customer
Experience
• Sell to CRM
buyer
• Adds social
listening to CRM
Real
Customer
Experience
• Sold to Chief CX
Officer
• More than
Pseudo CX
• Possesses
process
challenge
capabilities,
lifetime customer
values
calculations, etc.
Optimal
Customer
Experience
• Requires a
different kind of
financial data
• Attune to new
metrics like
customer lifetime
value
• One set of data
from which all
decisions are
made
• Likely requires
next generation
financial software
that is integrated
with CRM and
other apps

29. • Vital Analysis Report - How I Learned to Stop Worrying &
Love Cloud Financial Software – Free Download!
• To speak with a FinancialForce.com representative, contact
your Account Executive, or email info@financialforce.com
• View our demo center and
events page for on-demand
videos
- See it in action!
- Order to cash
- Social Media in Finance

30. Thank You

31. You will be prompted to take a short survey once
this webinar concludes, we would greatly
appreciate your feedback regarding this event.
Please join us at www.proformative.com to ask any
additional questions and to continue this
conversation with your peers.
If you have questions about CPE Credit, please
send an email to cpe@proformative.com

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