STEPS 1–2Complete Close & Release ActualsPost approved adjustments, close the period and release final actuals with source row count and control totals.
Process objective: turn approved cost-centre actuals into a reconciled, decision-focused management story. The dashboard performs technical checks and calculations; accounting control, interpretation, challenge and decision-making remain with defined human roles.
Human activity / judgementDashboard automation / supportLeadership decision / approval
Read left to right across the monthly cycle. Activities sit in the lane of the function or system performing the work; hand-offs between lanes make the human/technology boundary explicit.
Function / System
01Close & Release
02Prepare Data
03Load & Check
04Reconcile & Analyse
05Explain & Challenge
06Assess & Agree Actions
07Finalise & Decide
08Follow Through
General Ledger / R2R Team
FP&A Manager
STEPS 3–4Extract & Prepare Controlled DataExtract approved data; check completeness, mappings, signs, row count and control totals; prepare the monthly CSV.
STEP 5Upload Controlled CSVUpload the prepared monthly file to the self-contained HTML dashboard.
STEP 8Finance Reconciliation GateReconcile loaded row count, totals and representative drill-downs. Stop if any difference remains.
STEP 9Investigate DriversReview KPIs, waterfall, heatmap and GL movements; filter, sort and form hypotheses.
STEP 11Challenge & AssessTest explanations, assess forecast/risk implications and define the decision or intervention required.
STEP 13Finalise Management StoryFinalise reviewed narrative, risks, actions and decisions required; prepare presentation output.
STEP 15Record Follow-throughRecord decisions/actions outside the prototype; update forecast/action tracker and carry open items forward.
HTML FP&A Dashboard
STEP 6Technical Input GateValidate required fields, parse valid numeric rows and reject an unusable file.
STEP 7Calculate & RenderCalculate selected-view metrics and render KPIs, charts, waterfall, heatmap, GL drivers and rule-based narrative.
REACTIVE SUPPORTRefresh Selected ViewFilter/sort loaded data, recalculate the selected view and refresh visualisations and narrative as selections change.
REACTIVE SUPPORTRefresh Selected ViewDashboard remains responsive to analytical selections during challenge.
REACTIVE SUPPORTPresentation SupportProvide the reviewed analytical views used to support the management story.
Cost-centre Budget Holder
STEP 10Explain Material DriversEvidence material movements: timing, volume, price, headcount, scope and one-offs.
STEP 12Agree Accountable ActionsAgree actions, named owners and due dates with FP&A; confirm what changes before the next review.
CFO / Finance Leadership
STEP 14Review & DecideChallenge priorities, decide or approve actions, and confirm ownership and escalation.