industry
Real Estate, Hospitality & Construction

Ecological restoration co. needs to restore sponsor’s faith in its close process

Key results:
  • Reduced close by over 50% from 30+ to 15 days
  • Increased visibility into the monthly close
  • Created monthly close checklist and implement automation tools
Value levers pulled:
  • Financial close process acceleration
  • Controller support and process optimization
  • Finance process automation and ERP execution

Picture this...

You’re a newly PE-backed leading ecological restoration company and you’re struggling to meet your sponsor's reporting deadlines just two months post-acquisition. You don’t have a detailed close checklist with tasks, owners, and target deadlines and, as a result, your close period often extends to 30+ days. Staff turnover is exacerbating your issues, and your team is not equipped to track and meet new reporting requirements. You need help.

You turn to Accordion.

We design a new process to accelerate your close timeline to effectively meet sponsor expectations. Specifically, we:

  • Conduct detailed interviews with key team members to assess the current state month-end close process.
  • Build a robust excel-based month-end close checklist inclusive of deliverables, preparers, reviewers, and due dates.
  • Implement a financial close solution that is cost effective, quick to implement, and easy to use, that has:
    • Centralized view of the month-end close providing visibility via dashboards and detailed KPIs.
    • Workflow automation and automated reconciliation tie-outs.
    • Strong internal controls over high-risk accounts.
    • Automated reconciliations.
    • Quick implementation and minimal client involvement.
  • Project manage the automated tool implementation, providing a dedicated team member with accounting experience to support configuration, training, troubleshooting of issues, and ongoing assistance beyond the implementation timeframe.

Your value is enhanced.

You successfully accelerate your month-end close process. Within two months of utilizing the new checklist and the suite of workflow automation tools, you reduce your close by over 50%, from 30+ to 15 days. Your CFO and Controller now have increased visibility into the monthly close via dynamic dashboards and KPIs, and the team can address bottlenecks or issues in real-time or before they arise. As your business continues to scale, you also improve process standardization across all entities, reduce risk, and implement stronger controls including segregation of duties, and improved audit support.

Enhanced value:

You reap multiple benefits, including:

  • Reducing close by over 50% from 30+ to 15 days
  • Increasing visibility into the monthly close
  • Creating monthly close checklist and implement automation tools