Budget, forecast and last year
Every view compared against every baseline, at any level.
Platform / Variance and performance
AIchieve for Variance and performance
Variance · Drivers · KPIs
Every variance explained by its driver
Actuals against budget, forecast and last year, split into volume, price, mix and cost, with every movement traced to the transactions behind it. KPIs are defined once and tracked against target, so performance reviews start from the cause, not the number.
Connects to your ERP and the budget you already have. Live in hours.
← Back to BoardsBoards/Variance Analysis
Variance Analysis · Group
Dashboards + AI Overview
Scenario: Actual vs BudgetEntity: AllPeriod: YTD Sep FY26Measure: EBITDA+
YTD vs budget
−£6K
EBITDA variance
Largest driver
−£14K
Benelux freight
Favourable
+£9K
Operating costs
Attributed to drivers
100%
Variance explained
EBITDA Bridge: Budget to Actual
£K · YTD September · every variance attributed to a driver
£346K
Budget
+9
Volume
+4
Price
-3
Mix
-14
Freight Benelux
-11
Other COGS
+9
Opex
£340K
Actual
Variance by Entity
£K · YTD · against budget
| Entity | EBITDA var | Main driver |
|---|---|---|
| UK Ltd | +12 | Volume |
| KSA LLC | −2 | Timing |
| Benelux BV | −19 | Freight |
| Ireland Ltd | +3 | Opex |
| Group | −6 |
AI Overview
AnalystEBITDA is £6K behind budget year to date. Benelux freight explains £14K of adverse variance, offset by UK volume and lower operating costs.
Open BeneluxDrill to invoices
- Variance split into volume, price, mix and cost
- Every driver traced to source
- Benelux freight still rising
What is included
Everything a performance review needs
From the headline gap to the transaction behind it, on one set of definitions.
Driver attribution
Variance split into volume, price, mix and cost, by entity and line.
Drill to transactions
From the group number to the invoice behind it.
KPI scorecards
Targets from the budget, actuals from the close, one definition for each KPI.
Early warnings
Trends flagged before they become a month end surprise.
Sector comparison
Cost movements compared with your sector where data is available.
See it in AIchieve
From the headline gap to its cause
Margin
From a margin gap to the cost driving it
When margin moves, the Analyst isolates the driver, checks it across sources and shows how far it has moved against your sector. The recommendation comes with the evidence behind it.
- Driver isolated and cross checked
- Sector comparison where available
- Recommendation with its expected effect
← Back to BoardsBoards/Margin Performance
Margin Performance
Dashboards + AI Overview
Scenario: Actual vs BudgetEntity: AllPeriod: QTDProduct: All+
▼ 1.1 pts
38.4%
Group gross margin QTD
Benelux
−4.2 pts
Largest variance
Sector median 6%
+18%
Freight cost per unit
If unchanged
£18K
Projected FY impact
Freight Cost per Unit · Benelux
£ per unit · actual vs budget · running 18% above budget since March
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep
Gross Margin by Entity
QTD · actual vs budget
| Entity | Actual | Budget | Var |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Ltd | 41.2% | 40.8% | +0.4 |
| KSA LLC | 36.9% | 37.5% | −0.6 |
| Benelux BV | 29.4% | 33.6% | −4.2 |
| Ireland Ltd | 39.0% | 38.8% | +0.2 |
| Group | 38.4% | 39.5% | −1.1 |
AI Overview
AnalystBenelux margin is down 4.2 points. Freight cost per unit is up 18% since March and still climbing. Sector median is 6%.
Accept recommendationInvestigate
- Driver isolated · freight cost per unit
- Cross checked across 4 sources
- Re-route via Rotterdam carrier · +2.6 pts
Scorecard
KPIs that mean the same thing everywhere
Each KPI is defined once, with its owner, target and source. Scorecards for the group, entities and teams use the same definitions, so performance is discussed rather than reconciled.
- Targets taken from the budget
- One definition per KPI
- Drift flagged before it becomes a miss
← Back to BoardsBoards/KPI Scorecard
KPI Scorecard
Dashboards + AI Overview
Scenario: Actual vs TargetEntity: GroupPeriod: Sep FY26Owner: All+
Of 8 KPIs
6
On track or ahead
Gross margin, debtor days
2
Off target
▲ vs last year
+10.2%
Revenue growth
Since June
+3 days
Debtor days drift
Group Scorecard
Targets from the budget · actuals from the close · every KPI defined once and used everywhere
| KPI | Owner | Target | Actual | vs target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | CFO | 9.0% | 10.2% | +1.2 pts | On track |
| Gross margin | COO | 39.5% | 38.4% | −1.1 pts | Off target |
| EBITDA margin | CFO | 18.8% | 18.4% | −0.4 pts | Watch |
| Opex, % of revenue | CFO | 20.7% | 20.0% | −0.7 pts | On track |
| Cash conversion | Treasury | 90% | 92% | +2 pts | On track |
| Debtor days | Credit | 45 | 48 | +3 days | Off target |
| Forecast accuracy | FP&A | 97.0% | 97.9% | +0.9 pts | On track |
| Inventory cover | Operations | 6.0 wks | 6.2 wks | +0.2 wks | On track |
AI Overview
AnalystSix of eight KPIs are on track. Debtor days have drifted from 45 to 48 since June, mostly KSA invoices raised late in the month.
Open debtor daysShare scorecard
- Targets taken from the budget
- Definitions shared across reports
- Debtor days drifting
Agents
Three agents behind every variance
They explain the movement, keep the definitions consistent and turn the answer into an action.
Analyst
Explains the variance
Analyst · 06:04
Benelux freight per unit is up 18% since March against a sector median of 6%. It accounts for £14K of adverse EBITDA variance this year.
- Attributes every movement. To volume, price, mix or cost.
- Traces to source. Down to the invoice or journal.
- Compares with the sector. Where data is available.
Planner
Turns it into action
Planner · 06:10
Re-routing Benelux volume via the Rotterdam carrier recovers 2.6 pts of margin within one quarter.
- Models the fix. The effect of each option on margin and cash.
- Updates the forecast. When a variance is going to persist.
- Tracks the outcome. Against what the fix was expected to do.
Modeler
Keeps definitions consistent
Modeler · 06:00
Debtor days defined from the receivables ledger for all 4 entities, with the 45 day target taken from the budget.
- Defines KPIs once. With owner, target and source.
- Maps the ledger. So every line lands in the right place.
- Adapts. New entities and lines added without a rebuild.
One connected cycle
Part of one finance cycle, on one model
Every capability works on the same model and the same live data, so the budget, forecast, close and board pack never need reconciling with each other.
Questions
What finance teams ask about variance
Anything not covered here, we would rather answer on your own numbers.
Ready when you are
Bring last month's variance report.
Your own numbers and your own budget. See every variance split by driver, traced to source and tracked against target, before the performance review.
✓ Your KPIs, defined once
✓ Your data, not a sample dataset
✓ Every figure traced to source