Beyond the Close – Consolidation Expands into ESG and Disclosure Management
BARC today published the third edition of “The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26″ – with 600 participants, one of the world’s largest independent studies on consolidation and group accounting.
Core consolidation functionality has reached a high level of maturity across most organizations. 76% use specialized consolidation software – significantly higher than the comparable figure for enterprise planning from “The Planning Survey.” Average satisfaction on the Business Benefit Index (BBI) rose from 6.2 to 6.6. The focus is shifting: organizations are investing in extended modules such as Disclosure Management, ESG, GRC, Tax, and Account Reconciliation.
“Consolidation solutions are being renewed at a faster pace. For the first time, we measure an average installation age of under 8 years,” says Stefan Sexl, Senior Analyst at BARC and one of the study’s authors. “New implementations typically have a broader scope than legacy installations and include topics like Disclosure Management, Tax, Global Minimum Tax – and ESG, which remains high on the future investment list despite the Omnibus uncertainty.”
Key findings
- 76% adoption of specialized solutions (+2 percentage points year-over-year). Only 10% of organizations rely primarily on Excel for consolidation. In sub-processes like Tax Reporting, Account Reconciliation, and Disclosure Management, Excel usage remains strong.
- BBI rises from 6.2 to 6.6. Users are getting measurably more value from their consolidation tools than in the previous edition.
- 15 products from 14 vendors evaluated. SAP is represented twice through SAP BPC and the newer “Group Reporting.” The survey provides a detailed view of user satisfaction and deployment scenarios.
- ESG and Disclosure Management top the investment agenda. The expansion from pure consolidation to integrated group accounting platforms continues. Both topics are cited most frequently as future investment priorities.
- A generational shift accelerates. The average installation age has dropped to 7.9 years – below 8 years for the first time. For comparison: planning solutions average 4.7 years according to “The Planning Survey.” The move to the cloud is driving this transition.
About The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26
The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26 is the third edition of the world’s largest independent study on consolidation and group accounting. It covers 15 products from 14 vendors and is based on feedback from 600 participants worldwide.
“The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26” is available now.
