IBM Case Studies Harmonizing global management reporting and financial planning with IBM and Aviana

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	Harmonizing global management reporting and financial planning with IBM and Aviana IBM

Harmonizing global management reporting and financial planning with IBM and Aviana

IBM

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries	Apparel
Applicable Functions	Business Operation Discrete Manufacturing
Use Cases	Predictive Maintenance Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	Columbia Sportswear was undergoing a large-scale ERP systems implementation and substantial business process transformation, which threatened the viability of its existing finance reporting and planning processes. The company was at risk of losing its ability to execute core financial processes without a significant level of time-consuming manual intervention combining data sets from the disparate ERP systems. The company needed a solution that would not only maintain the flow of information to key decision makers but also enhance it. In addition to streamlining information delivery, Columbia Sportswear wanted to find a solution that would provide deeper insight into the performance of various parts of its business, helping to enable better corporate decision-making. Read More
About Customer	Columbia Sportswear Company is a leading innovator in the global outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment industry. Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia products are sold in approximately 100 countries and have earned an international reputation for innovation, quality and performance. Columbia products feature innovative technologies and designs that protect outdoor enthusiasts from the elements, increase comfort, and make outdoor activities more enjoyable. The firm is listed on NASDAQ under COLM, and achieved net sales in 2013 of approximately USD1.68 billion. Read More
Solution	Columbia Sportswear selected IBM Cognos TM1 and Aviana, an IBM Business Partner, to help design and implement the solution to support management of financial planning, reporting and analysis as well as the related master data. The company also integrated the Cognos TM1 solution with its existing IBM Cognos Business Intelligence software. In the short term, the new IBM solution acted as a bridge between the legacy ERP environment and the new SAP ERP landscape. The TM1 platform was integrated with the general ledgers of both systems, enabling the harmonization of data to support global management reporting and financial planning. Enhancements were also made to Columbia’s financial planning processes to enable driver-based planning, rolling forecasts and headcount planning. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Apparel

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Discrete Manufacturing

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

Columbia Sportswear was undergoing a large-scale ERP systems implementation and substantial business process transformation, which threatened the viability of its existing finance reporting and planning processes. The company was at risk of losing its ability to execute core financial processes without a significant level of time-consuming manual intervention combining data sets from the disparate ERP systems. The company needed a solution that would not only maintain the flow of information to key decision makers but also enhance it. In addition to streamlining information delivery, Columbia Sportswear wanted to find a solution that would provide deeper insight into the performance of various parts of its business, helping to enable better corporate decision-making.

About Customer

Columbia Sportswear Company is a leading innovator in the global outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment industry. Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia products are sold in approximately 100 countries and have earned an international reputation for innovation, quality and performance. Columbia products feature innovative technologies and designs that protect outdoor enthusiasts from the elements, increase comfort, and make outdoor activities more enjoyable. The firm is listed on NASDAQ under COLM, and achieved net sales in 2013 of approximately USD1.68 billion.

Solution

Columbia Sportswear selected IBM Cognos TM1 and Aviana, an IBM Business Partner, to help design and implement the solution to support management of financial planning, reporting and analysis as well as the related master data. The company also integrated the Cognos TM1 solution with its existing IBM Cognos Business Intelligence software. In the short term, the new IBM solution acted as a bridge between the legacy ERP environment and the new SAP ERP landscape. The TM1 platform was integrated with the general ledgers of both systems, enabling the harmonization of data to support global management reporting and financial planning. Enhancements were also made to Columbia’s financial planning processes to enable driver-based planning, rolling forecasts and headcount planning.

Impact #1	The IBM Cognos TM1 software provides Columbia Sportswear with improved visibility to report and analyze business performance using a large range of variables, including region, business channel, brand, product line, as well cost center level detail.
Impact #2	Data can now be loaded into the reporting system much faster than before, allowing Columbia Sportswear to generate reports on demand with data updates performed multiple times per day, rather than being tied to a twice-daily schedule.
Impact #3	The solution eliminates manual work and provides a harmonized view of financial data. The company uses the IBM Cognos TM1 software to manage both planning and financial reporting processes – removing the need for planning data to be exported into a different system for reporting.

Impact #1

The IBM Cognos TM1 software provides Columbia Sportswear with improved visibility to report and analyze business performance using a large range of variables, including region, business channel, brand, product line, as well cost center level detail.

Impact #2

Data can now be loaded into the reporting system much faster than before, allowing Columbia Sportswear to generate reports on demand with data updates performed multiple times per day, rather than being tied to a twice-daily schedule.

Impact #3

The solution eliminates manual work and provides a harmonized view of financial data. The company uses the IBM Cognos TM1 software to manage both planning and financial reporting processes – removing the need for planning data to be exported into a different system for reporting.

Benefit #1	Without the implementation of IBM Cognos TM1, Columbia’s planning and reporting cycle times would have increased by days, making it increasingly difficult to provide timely information to Columbia’s leadership team as well as prepare for time-sensitive board meetings, earnings releases and regulatory filings.

Benefit #1

Without the implementation of IBM Cognos TM1, Columbia’s planning and reporting cycle times would have increased by days, making it increasingly difficult to provide timely information to Columbia’s leadership team as well as prepare for time-sensitive board meetings, earnings releases and regulatory filings.

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Overview

Harmonizing global management reporting and financial planning with IBM and Aviana

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit