– Integrated Planning · Reporting · Forecasting · For All Industries · Vendor-Neutral and Independent
Your numbers are correct.
They just don't agree.
The plan sits in finance, the actuals in the ERP, the KPIs in the reporting tool — and somewhere in between, someone is keying values from one file into the next. We bring those layers into one governed model: a single source of truth that planning, forecasting and reporting all run from.
– Today
Where it breaks down.
Planning in Excel
Values are prepared by hand and copied between files. Every cycle takes days and creates yet another version.
No audit trail
Who changed which value, and when? Without a history, the numbers won’t hold up in front of banks, supervisory boards or auditors.
Disconnected systems
ERP, upstream systems, CRM and reporting run side by side. Operational drivers never reach financial planning.
Reports that only look backwards
Static reports don’t allow for scenarios. The insight arrives after the decision has been made.
Key-person dependency
The model depends on one person and their macros. If they’re out, planning stops.
– With Solution Designers
What takes its place.
One integrated model
Planning, forecasting, consolidation and reporting in one logic. No export, no copying back.
Auditable from day one
Versions, approvals, validation rules and audit logs are built into the application, not added as an afterthought.
Source systems connected
Data from ERP, HR, sales and operational systems is integrated and cleansed automatically.
Scenarios, not hindsight
Simulate within the model: price, volume, headcount, investment. See the impact on P&L, balance sheet and cash flow instantly.
No single point of failure
Roles, permissions and approval workflows are documented. On request, we run it for you as a managed service.
– Solutions
Three ways we work.
Different starting points, one goal: decisions based on numbers no one in the company disputes.
Solution
Integrated Sports & Financial Planning
Squad, salaries, transfer scenarios, matchday and sponsorship in one model, all the way through to P&L, balance sheet and cash flow.
Implementation
Enterprise Performance Management
Planning, forecasting, consolidation and reporting on Board or Aimplan, from modelling to rollout, including change management.
Service
Controlling as a Service
We handle forecasting, reporting and business partnering on an ongoing basis, even if you don’t have your own controlling team.
- Industries
Two environments we know inside out.
We know more than the KPIs. We know the discussions behind them, from live projects, not from a reference list.
Sports organisations
Saisonlogik, Lizenzierungsauflagen und ein Kader, der sich im Winter ändern kann. Wir kennen die Rahmenbedingungen, unter denen hier geplant wird.
Manufacturing industry
Multiple plants, an ERP landscape grown over years, sales planning in Excel — the starting point we encounter most frequently.
Don’t see your industry? Retail, financial services and infrastructure are also among our project areas. The model logic is industry-agnostic; the only difference is the ramp-up time. Let's talk..
- How we work
Three steps.
In this order.
We don’t start with the dashboard. We start with the number everyone can agree on.
Integrate
One shared data foundation
We model your source systems into a shared, write-enabled foundation, instead of a collection of exports.
See
Dashboards that support decisions
Cockpits for finance, sales, production and management. Same KPI, same definition, in every report.
Plan
Planning with scenarios
Controlled write-back, versioning and what-if analysis directly in the model. The plan reflects the decision the same day.
– Platforms
We choose the right platform,
not our favorite tool.
When consolidation, multiple entities or complex logic are involved. Planning, reporting and analytics on one platform, in the cloud or on-premises.
If you want to become more plan-oriented in the Microsoft stack - effortless. Agile, AI-supported planning without a large preliminary project.
For reporting and visualization in the Microsoft ecosystem, with planning capabilities when combined with Aimplan.
- Proven
Steer this way and the numbers change.
'Data is one of an organisation's most valuable assets – but only when it is accessible, understandable and actionable. That is what Solution Designers stands for.'
Andreas Sauer · CEO & Founder, Solution Designers.
– Frequently asked questions
Questions you may have before we first talk, and our answers.
How long does implementation take?
A first use case, such as cost center or workforce planning, typically goes live within eight to twelve weeks. From there, we expand rather than rebuild.
Do we have to replace our ERP system?
No. We read from your existing system and never write back to it. Planning sits alongside it, not inside it.
Board or Aimplan: which one is right for us?
Board if consolidation, multiple entities or complex logic are involved, or if you need an on-premises deployment. Aimplan if you want to get planning up and running quickly within the Microsoft stack. We make this decision in the first conversation, not in the proposal.
What if we don't have our own finance department?
Then we run it for you. Controlling as a Service covers forecasting, reporting and business partnering during ongoing operations.
Where does our data live?
In the cloud or on-premises, according to your requirements. Roles, permissions and audit logging are built into the application either way.
What does it cost to get started?
That depends on the scope. The figure will become reliable after a two-hour workshop in which we record the source systems and target state. The workshop is free of charge.
– Initial Consultation
Bring us your toughest planning question.
In thirty minutes we map your source systems to a target model and show where the impact on earnings and cash is generated — using your drivers, not a standard demo.
