{"id":30321,"date":"2020-04-04T11:21:06","date_gmt":"2020-04-04T05:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/?p=30321"},"modified":"2021-03-30T12:43:47","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T07:13:47","slug":"why-cfo-should-move-away-from-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/why-cfo-should-move-away-from-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Why CFO should move away from numbers?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">CFO is an abbreviation for the Chief Financial Officer.&nbsp; CFOs are more commonly known as Chartered Accountants (CA), Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA), or the Heads of Finance in different countries. They play a pivotal role in an organization.&nbsp; As a key executive of an organization, their objectives must be in line with the success of an organization.&nbsp; They act as consultants and provide a wide variety of services for an organization to carry on its business operations. this article is describing why CFO to move away from numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the traditional perspective, a CFO\/CA performs functions related to accounts keeping and book-keeping.&nbsp; The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has defined the meaning of CFO\/CA as an individual who performs the functions of Management Consulting, Auditing, Book-keeping, Accountancy, and other related works. Over time, these functions have evolved rapidly due to digitization and urbanization.&nbsp; Apart from the above functions performed by a CFO, they act as a management executive. &nbsp;<strong><em>According to the Companies Act 2013<\/em><\/strong>, the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/roles-and-responsibilities-of-a-modern-day-cfo\/\">responsibilities of a CFO<\/a><\/strong> include management and governance functions in the organization, which is performed by managerial persons. The Act requires a company to have a whole time CFO performing functions relating to finance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The following are specific responsibilities played by a CFO:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Book Keeping<\/li><li>Cost Control and Planning<\/li><li>Signing off Balance Sheets<\/li><li>Auditing- Internal and External Audit<\/li><li>Risk Consulting Service<\/li><li>Advising management on finance strategies<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The above roles and responsibilities are not exhaustive as a CFO has more tasks. Technology has impacted how CFOs work. Various CFOs use traditional methods such as paper-based <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;Accounting&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;Accounting is the language of business, serving as the backbone of financial management and decision-making. It involves the systematic recording, analysis, and reporting of financial(...)&lt;\/div&gt;\"  href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/terms\/accounting\/\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>accounting<\/a> and number crunching. Using these methods are time-consuming and not productive. Therefore there is a <em>requirement of a<\/em><strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/cfo-support-services\">CFO<\/a><\/em><\/strong> to move away from numbers. <strong>The need for a CFO to move away from numbers benefits the organization in multiple ways<\/strong>. Some of the methods are as follows:<br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Using Advance Accounting Methods allow CFOs to prioritize their Tasks- <\/strong>Advance systems in place would assist the CFO in concentrating on essential functions of the organization. Having this will ensure that unnecessary time is not wasted. Advance Accounting can make a CFO to move away from numbers.<\/li><li><strong>Software methods adopted by CFO can be used anywhere<\/strong> &ndash;Using software&rsquo;s reduces the burden of responsibility on a CFO. <\/li><li><strong>Advanced Accounting Methods is comprehensive-<\/strong> An Advanced system provides complex information in a simplified manner. This will help a CFO to move away from numbers.<\/li><li><strong>Availability of Real-time information<\/strong> &ndash; There is also an added advantage that these advancements provide <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;Market&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;A market is a structured environment, either physical or virtual, where buyers and sellers convene to trade goods and services. This trading hub operates based on the principles of supply and(...)&lt;\/div&gt;\"  href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/terms\/market\/\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>market<\/a> statistics and information about changes in the law. Using this process would allow the CFO to move away from numbers.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Hence using\nadvanced systems benefit a CFO to move away from numbers.&nbsp; There would be a significant shift from\ntraditional accounting methods to modern based practices. With advancement, CFOs\nhave to face a lot of challenges, such as technology and business disruptions.\nCFOs have to ensure that there is continued compliance with the laws of the\nland. Apart from this, there is the requirement of a CFO to take part in\noperations, which will allow reaching specific organizational objectives. Planning\nand analysis are required for this purpose. These goals will help the CFO to\nmove away from numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As per the\nrequirement of the present era, the expectations of the market have increased. <strong>Some of these market expectations are as\nfollows<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Risk Analysis<\/li><li>An increased amount of monetary compliance<br><\/li><li>Stakeholder Awareness<\/li><li>Industry Response<\/li><li>Customer satisfaction<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>India Perspective- CFO to move away from numbers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Companies\nAct, 2013, has taken consideration of all the above market expectations, and\nthe responsibility of a CFO has transitioned from the earlier traditional role\nas per the previous company law. According to the present set of circumstances,\na CFO has more responsibilities just than handling accounting and\nbookkeeping.&nbsp; A CFO is also responsible\nfor activities such as resolutions taken by the company, stakeholder interests,\nand corporate social responsibility. These new roles which have emerged with\nthe developed markets allow a CFO to play a more crucial role in the\norganization. These methods, which are adopted from the legal perspective,\nwould make way for a CFO to move away from numbers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the\nabove changes, which make the CFO move away from numbers, will not be in line\nwith the trends in the market. Therefore for CFO to move away from numbers\nthere is a requirement of constant innovation, which can be supported by\nstrategic planning and continuous development.&nbsp;\n<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges faced by a CFO to move away from numbers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Technological Challenges-<\/strong> With the emergence of technologies such as <a class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;Artificial Intelligence&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;Artificial Intelligence, often abbreviated as AI, is a transformative technology that has captured the imagination of scientists, engineers, and visionaries for decades. In this comprehensive(...)&lt;\/div&gt;\"  href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/terms\/artificial-intelligence\/\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>Artificial Intelligence<\/a>, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Enterprise Resource Planning, and the Internet of Things (IoT), there is a requirement for the CFO to think from a practical perspective of the company. These technologies can be a boon for the organization. However, from a traditional standpoint, CFOs relying on conventional methods are reluctant to use technological processes and software.&nbsp; From this aspect, it can be seen that the emergence of technology can be a significant challenge to various organizations. The use of technologies is an advantage to the CFO of an organization.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/virtual-cfo\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"730\" height=\"90\" src=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hire-a-Virtual-CFO.jpg\" alt=\"Hire a Virtual CFO\" class=\"wp-image-23371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hire-a-Virtual-CFO.jpg 730w, https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hire-a-Virtual-CFO-300x37.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lack of Innovation-<\/strong>\nOrganisations are reluctant to adopt new technologies. They are complacent with\nusing traditional methods. Innovation in an organization is required daily.\nWithout change, an organization cannot compete in the present market. Due to\nthis, CFOs are reluctant to adopt new processes. This would be a barrier for a CFO\nto move away from numbers.<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team processes-<\/strong> It is not just the CFO who needs to be updated with technological and <strong><em>virtual processes<\/em><\/strong> of an organization. His employees would also have to be updated with all the methods. Without streamlining the technologies, employees would not have any knowledge regarding the use of this technology. This will pose a significant challenge for the business. Updating the team with relevant technologies is crucial.&nbsp; Hence there is a requirement to know about analytics, information technology, and other business processes, which make the department more efficient. Using this will help a CFO to move away from numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Knowledge of other departments of the\norganizations-<\/strong> CFOs not only need to be updated\nvirtually to face market challenges, but they need to have relevant expertise\nwith the operations of other departments in their organization. When coming to\nMergers and Acquisition (M &amp; A), Informational Technology (IT), and the\nintroduction of services, a CFO would have to liaise with the respective\ndepartments.&nbsp; A complex M &amp; A would\nrequire advice from the CFO on the financial impact of the transaction.\nSimilarly, a CFO learning a new technology would have to liaise with the IT\ndepartment. Hence apart from the other challenges faced by a CFO, there are\ndepartmental challenges also. This is another process that has to be taken into\nconsideration for a CFO to move away from numbers.<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though an\norganization faces the above challenges, it is beneficial for a CFO to adopt\nnew trends in the market. This would help the CFO prioritize goals and move\naway from the traditional aspect of managing finance. These techniques will\nallow a CFO to move away from numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advantages of CFO to move away from numbers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Though there are challenges faced by a CFO to adopt technologies such as predictive analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and Enterprises Resource Planning processes, there are far-reaching benefits of using such techniques in the market.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Artificial Intelligence (AI) &ndash;<\/strong> The emergence of AI has made humans life simple. Artificial intelligence is a program which is installed in a machine to carry out automated processes. <strong>Artificial intelligence<\/strong><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Artificial_intelligence\"><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup> is used in many service sector industries. For example, many International law firms use AI for contract management. AI can review the entire contract and collect crucial information. This would take an individual a lot of time to review. Similarly, by using AI processes by a CFO would considerably improve the individuals&rsquo; performance and management of time. This would help the CFO prioritize essential tasks and work on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)<\/strong> &ndash; ERP software is used to handle various business processes of an organization. The use of ERP is for collecting information processes on the organization. Such information can be used and managed by the organization. &nbsp;By using ERP software, a CFO can efficiently manage the business processes of an organization. A CFO can manage information such as finances, payroll, accounting, and cash deliverables with the use of ERP software.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"read\"><p><b>More on CFO:<\/b> <mark><a href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/role-of-virtual-cfo-in-sme\/\">Role of Virtual CFO in an SME<\/a><\/mark>.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Predictive Analytics Software<\/strong>&ndash; Predictive Analytics software is more like behaviour software,\nwhich determines the behaviour pattern. This software is beneficial to a CFO\nfor payment and collection processes.&nbsp; By\nusing this, a CFO can move away from numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Emerging Technologies<\/strong>&ndash; Using the above technologies would keep the CFO updated with\ncurrent trends in the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Making Business Decision-<\/strong> Software such as the above would help an organization in the planning process and budgetary control. By adopting this, a CFO can make financial and business decisions that will directly affect the growth of an organization.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Assessing of Risk-<\/strong> Risk Assessment mechanisms would also be available if a CFO adopts various measures. Information regarding market volatility would allow the CFO to analyze the risk posed against the business.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Corporate Governance-<\/strong> Corporate Governance is the relationship between the shareholders,\ndirectors, and stakeholders of an organization. Having transparency in an\norganization is one of the keen factors which thrive in an organization. By using\nERP software, a CFO would be able to analyze and manage good governance\npractices in an organization. Reporting compliance would also be possible with\ntechnologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the above\ntechnologies would allow the CFO to move away from numbers. Though there are a\nlot of challenges in adopting modern accounting and technological practices,\nthe benefits outweigh the challenges. Thereby considering the above current\nmethods will allow a CFO to move away from numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From the\ntraditional perspective, a CFO\/ CA carry out processes such as accounting and\nbookkeeping<strong>. Over a period, CFOs faced\ndifferent challenges, such as regulatory, technological, and market challenges.\nThis has increased the purview of the role played by a CFO in an organization.\nCompany Law in India has taken several considerations regarding the role played\nby a CFO in an organization.<\/strong> Apart from managerial responsibilities, there\nare other responsibilities related to reporting and compliance. <strong>To add to this, technologies such as AI,\nERP, and Software play a significant role in the way a CFO works. The above\nwill help a CFO to move away from numbers, and the role of a CFO does not just\ndeal with number crunching<\/strong>.<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"read\"><p><b>Read, Also:<\/b> <mark><a href=\"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/important-rules-for-ceo-and-cfo-when-raising-funds\/\">Important Rules for CEO and CFO when Raising Funds<\/a><\/mark>.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CFO is an abbreviation for the Chief Financial Officer.&nbsp; CFOs are more commonly known as Chartered Accountants (CA), Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA), or the Heads of Finance in different countries. They play a pivotal role in an organization.&nbsp; As a key executive of an organization, their objectives must be in line with the success of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":30331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[2879],"acf":{"service_id":"219"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v14.6.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why CFO to Move Away From Numbers? 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He has a Masters in Commercial and Corporate Law from the Queen Mary University of London and LLB Honours from Bangor University, UK.  He specialises in law related to corporate, artificial intelligence and technology law.","postViews":395,"readingTime":6,"nextPost":{"id":30332,"slug":"types-of-nri-bank-accounts-in-india"},"prevPost":{"id":30325,"slug":"review-of-financial-creditors-under-ibc"},"featuredMediaUrl":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Why-CFO-should-move-away-from-numbers.jpg","postTerms":"CFO Service","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30321"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30321\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterslice.com\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}