13.3 System Features Overview

Let’s compare traditional AIS reporting functions with more specialized reporting software. We’ll look at more QuickBooks financial reports and then move into solutions for monitoring additional metrics.

QuickBooks Online

Figure 13.1: Statement of Cash Flows Report example with reporting period and format customization options.

The Management reports menu features basic Company Overview, Sales Performance, and Expenses Performance reports. The Company Overview, for example, consolidates the Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet reports into one document.

Figure 13.2: Create management report button allows users to customize standard QBO report templates.
Figure 13.3: Create management report example to create a quarterly document.
Figure 13.4: Example screen to select report type and parameter shows creation of quarterly Profit and Loss Comparison.
Figure 13.5: Example report preview of quarterly profit and loss compared with the previous period.
Figure 13.6: Example of additional management reports available through the Create management report function.

Sage Intacct Lease Accounting

For firms with lease accounting needs, Sage Intacct’s Lease Accounting software works with Sage Intacct GL and AP to automate lease calculations, generate payment schedules, and provide centralized lease data, as well as ASC 842 and IFRS 16 compliance reporting.1

Figure 13.7: Example New Lease entry with fields for lease information, bill, and payment details.
Figure 13.8: Example commercial building lease schedule view, with lease liabilities schedule details.

SAP Sustainability Control Tower

SAP provides an enterprise software solution for firms participating in sustainability reporting.

SAP Sustainability Control Tower delivers up-to-date sustainability metrics that can be used with regulatory or voluntary compliance framework reporting.2

In the following example Manage Metrics screen, users can access details such as

  • How many metrics are available

  • The available sustainability metrics by status of uploaded data

  • Which metrics are available according to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) area

  • How many of the metrics have organization-specific targets set

Figure 13.9: SAP Sustainability Control Tower.

It integrates with existing systems such as SAP S/4HANA to import other business data.

Figure 13.10: Example Manage ESG Data - Actuals screen displaying new Emissions to Air data import.1
Figure 13.11: Example search for Total GHG Emissions metrics, where we select Total Gross GHG Emissions - Location-Based metric for its details. This example metric is used for European Sustainability Reporting Standards.
Figure 13.12: Corresponding Total Gross GHG Emissions - Location-Based KPI tile is visible in the Sustainability Control Tower Launchpad.

As you can see in these Sustainability Control Tower examples, the metrics include both financial and non-financial data, where accounting and finance skills can be transferable to a sustainability analyst or specialist role.

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