Product Description

Business Architecture in a Box for Finance and Accounting is a compilation of essential artifacts and customizable deliverables for creating a business architecture for the Finance and Accounting function.

In today’s dynamic and competitive, the Finance and Accounting function’s strategic importance and value are undeniable. F&A has emerged from being a recordkeeper of transactions to a strategic business partner. Of course, in the financial services industry, finance and accounting functions are levers for growth and flexibility.

Transforming the Finance and Accounting function from just a recordkeeper to a strategic business partner requires a holistic plan and a foundation based on sound structural constructs. Business architecture is the foundation that will help a structured and streamlined transformation of the F&A function.

What is Business Architecture in a Box for Finance and Accounting?

Business Architecture in a Box for Finance and Accounting is a treasure trove for leveraging the concepts and artifacts of business architecture for F&A transformation. The deliverables comprise:

• Finance and Accounting Business Capabilities Matrix: A comprehensive and coherent of ~XXX capabilities nested into four levels. The F&A Business Capabilities map is available in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word formats.
• F&A Capabilities Definitions: Capability definitions up to Level 3.
• Key Performance Indicators aligned to Capabilities (KPIs are generally at Level 2.)
• F&A Business Capability Profile Card Template: A well-structured template to document a Capability Profile on a Page. (Some capabilities are partially filled out as a sample.)
• Finance and Accounting Value Streams and Processes: A mix of detailed and brief Value Streams and Processes. (~XX)
• Finance and Accounting Business data and information entities: A mix of subject areas, data, and information entities (~XX).
• Finance and Accounting Operating Models Overview: A very brief overview of the various F&A Operating Models.
• Finance and Accounting List of Roles: A listing of common Finance and Accounting Roles.
• Finance and Accounting Glossary of Terms: Brief definitions of ~XX F&A terms.
• F&A Transformation Framework: A simple one-page framework you can customize.

Bonus Deliverables included in the Business Architecture  for Finance and Accounting:

• Business Capability Modeling Overview
• A Practical Guide to Business Architecture
• Capability-Relationship Mapping Template

Most deliverables are in editable formats, allowing you to customize them to your needs.

How to Use Business Architecture in a Box for Finance and Accounting:

• Jumpstart and accelerate the process of creating Business Architecture for the Finance and Accounting function.
• Leverage the artifacts to implement a Business Architecture led Finance and Accounting Transformation.
• Capture the essence of the Finance and Accounting function using structural elements such as Business Capabilities, Value Streams, and related components.
• Use the deliverables to contribute F&A Team’s perspective and inputs for the overall Enterprise Business Architecture endeavor.

Who Uses the Business Architecture in a Box for Finance and Accounting:

• Business architects are the primary users to leverage the artifacts and deliverables and customize them to the company’s needs.
• The F&A leadership can use the deliverables to capture the essence of their structural underpinnings and use it for transformation.
• The enterprise teams responsible for crafting a company-wide business and enterprise architecture will find these post-customized deliverables invaluable inputs to their endeavor.

What are the Benefits of buying the F&A Business Architecture Toolbox?

• Pre-built and customizable deliverables allow for an Accelerated Time to Completion.
• It helps teams avoid the Blank Slate Syndrome and functions as a Springboard for Success.
• Allows teams to focus on the company’s 20% that is vital and the secret sauce and adopt the remaining 80% out of the box.

How did you build this Business Architecture Resource?

We are software entrepreneurs and business consultants who have done countless business architecture and transformation engagements at several Global 2000 companies. We harnessed the accumulated knowledge over multiple engagements and several years to craft these deliverables.

A Perspective on the Cost:

We get two varying perspectives on the cost of our products. Why is it so cheap? Or why is it so expensive? In our (biased) opinion, the cost is meager compared to the value the Finance and Accounting Business Architecture can offer enterprises.

Scenario 1: A cross-functional team of business architects, enterprise architects, and F&A domain experts spend countless hours in conference rooms over 5-6 months to craft these deliverables. Instead, you can get started immediately, reduce your efforts by 60-75%, and tailor the deliverables to your unique needs.

Scenario 2: A company hires a consulting firm to develop these artifacts. They spend 12-14 weeks involving the cross-functional teams and eliciting the knowledge to create deliverables. A typical consulting endeavor may cost $100,000 – $250,000 (or more), depending on the firm and geography.

Instead, our F&A Business Architecture cost is commensurate with a few pizza lunches and a celebratory dinner at the end.

No standard off-the-shelf digital products can fully meet your company’s needs. Therefore, we strive to create a baseline with about 60-75% relevance, a jump-off point for tailoring the products to your needs.

A Note on the Templates, Tools, and Artifacts:

Most business architecture tools, templates, and deliverables are like a Swiss Army knife that one can repurpose for different enterprise goals and objectives.

As a generic, multipurpose set of tools, templates, and deliverables, we strive to meet 60-80% of a firm’s needs, not 100%. Please contact our business architecture consulting team for paid engagements if you need additional customization.

• Business Capabilities Matrix: A functional area occupies one box in many business capability maps. Some may wonder why we decomposed the capabilities into 100X or more capabilities. We humbly submit that one box or entry in a one-page diagram is Wall Art, not an implementation tool. Decomposing capabilities into a nested list of granular items will help understand a capability’s depth, breadth, scope, and importance. It is also possible that some capabilities in our matrix may not be relevant to you. Similarly, we may have captured and documented some relevant and essential capabilities of your firm.
• Capability Definitions: The definitions do NOT cover each and every capability as, at a certain level of granularity, the capabilities are self-evident, and their meaning is self-explanatory. We try to provide definitions at a granular level we think is appropriate. Please feel free to add, expand, or modify the definitions.
• Capability KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): We added a few KPIs for capabilities (mostly at Level 2) to get you started. You may not measure these KPIs in your company and have an entirely different set of metrics. Again, use them as a springboard, and not debate the applicability to your firm.
• Capability Profile Card Template: The capability profile card is a template with a few details partially filled in to get you started. We cannot complete this information as it is internal to your company. You can also determine at what level of granularity you will need to define these capability profile cards. If you need help, our consultants are available for hire.
• Processes and Value Streams: Each process and value stream is detailed as Level 2 Steps. These are NOT full-fledged Process maps. And the list may not cover how your company’s processes work and flow. Please use these as a starting point and tailor them to your enterprise needs.
• Operating Model Archetypes: Understanding the operating model is essential to transforming the function, re-engineering processes, re-platforming systems, etc. However, defining a Target Operating Model is complex, time-consuming, and often expensive. What we offer here are basic ideas of typical operating models. Please do not construe them as comprehensive or exhaustive. Use this one-pager to foster a discussion among your team so that you can understand your current operating model and the desired target state.
• List of Roles: Understanding a function’s roles and structural underpinnings is essential for making informed choices about various transformation objectives and implementation approaches. Our list of roles is generic and broad-based and does not account for any of your company specifics – size, location, sector, competitive landscape, and business model. Hence, use our list of roles to customize your organization and reflect its structure. Please also realize this is not an Org Chart.
• Business Data and Information Entities: We provide essential data and information entities. This deliverable aims for business architects to understand and appreciate the role of data and information in today’s enterprise. This should NOT be construed as a Data or Business Information Model. Ideally, your data architecture team will already have such models.
• Glossary of Terms: The glossary of terms is not exhaustive or complete. We suggest that business and enterprise architects consider the company’s terminology and ensure a common understanding of the terms. If, as an example – there is no clear definition of “Customer,” “Lead,” “Campaign,” or any of the other myriad terms, it could lead to solution and process design flaws.
• Transformation Framework: The transformation framework reflects our thinking of what it entails to transform a function, department, or enterprise. Obviously, not every transformation is similar in size, scope, or complexity. Use it to reflect a picture of your enterprise transformation.

Fine Print:

• We sell digital products, so there are no returns, refunds, or replacements. Therefore, please read the product description carefully before making a purchasing decision.
• A generic set of deliverables and templates may or may not fit your needs, or the content relevance will vary substantially.
• Sold on an as-is basis and without any implied or explicit warranties
• Consultants and firms wanting to use it for their clients have a different pricing models.
• The sale is for digital products only and does not include customization or implementation help.
• Please review our standard terms of service.