Corporate Performance Management Exposed
Guidelines for defining strategies quickly and identifying opportunities early
Corporate health assessment applications have become critical to the existence of organizations and are no longer just simply part of company's competitive strategy. Increased regulatory mandates, calling for financial transparency and near flawless execution of strategy, have forced executives and CFOs in particular to satisfy inquiries from their respective boards, the SEC, and stockholders quickly and accurately. Software companies have responded by offering a plethora of Corporate Performance Management (CPM) products (products to assist with planning, budgeting and forecasting and linking those processes with strategic goals), with some claiming to bring the results of a “crystal ball” to the desktops of CFOs everywhere. These tools have generated a tremendous amount of excitement and confusion in equal proportions in the corporate world. This article defines some guidelines on how to plan, budget, and forecast effectively.   More>>

Making Company Strategy Everyone's Priority
"If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else." - Laurence J. Peter
Knowing where you want the company to go strategically is one thing, communicating it throughout the enterprise so that all employees at each level of the organization understand how their efforts roll up into the big picture is quite another. Employees in all types of organizations should be relying on the corporate strategy to guide their decisions and focus their energies on the areas of highest priority. If they don't know where they should be going, then a lot of time, money, and energy will be wasted on activities that do not support the overall corporate objectives.  More>>


ABAP/4 - Data Dictionary - Tables in Review
An overview of the various SAP R/3 tables found within the Data Dictionary
This article discusses the various SAP R/3 tables. These tables are identified, categorized and accessed within the SAP R/3 Data Dictionary.   More>>


Trainer's Talk

• Error: "(Error: INF)" opening or refreshing Desk Intelligence document
  After migrating from BusinessObjects 6.x to BusinessObjects Enterprise XI, opening or refreshing Desk Intelligence document with prompts in InfoView causes the following error message to appear: "(Error: INF)". Why does this error message to appear and how do you resolve it?   More>>

Linking Strategic Plans to Operational Goals
Your strategic planning process shouldn't stop after executives meet offsite to create a plan. To make sure you follow through on your strategy, break down your planning process into these six phases.   More>>

Spreadsheet-based Planning: Rough Road Ahead
Spreadsheet-based planning is inherently error prone and negates real-time, version control, data relevance and confidence, among other planning necessities.   More>>

Best Practices in Enterprise Planning
Seven Proven Steps to Superior Business Execution
Suggests ways to make planning successful, from high participation and real-time alignment to timeframe appropriate planning.   More>>


Data Management Group Gains National Recognition
In recognition of the economic power of multicultural businesses, DiversityBusiness.com, the nation's leading multicultural internet site, recently named Data Management Group as one of the top 100 diversity-owned businesses and one of the top 100 small businesses in Virginia (Div100).   More>>