A business’s success heavily relies on having a strong strategy. However, what's even more important is implementing that strategy while tracking and measuring the performance. This can easily be done by investing in enterprise performance management (EPM) software. You can improve the financial processes of your company, streamlining operations and making faster, data-driven decisions.
EPM tools have evolved beyond simply financial planning and reporting. Today, they serve as central pillars for strategy, agility and growth while at the same time, integrating real-time data and analysis across your business functions. With so many solutions available on the market, how do you identify the truly exceptional one from the crowd?
Join us as we break things down to learn why Mercur Business Control is the platform that does it all.
EPM tools are comprehensive software platforms designed to help businesses plan, monitor and analyse their strategies and operations in real time. The best EPM tools don't just automate budgeting but rather integrate data from every corner of your business. This will help to drive informed decision-making and adaptability.
These tools come with many important advantages, and here are some of them:
Powerful scenario planning and analytics
Increased organisational efficiency
Enhanced collaboration
Better visibility and accuracy
With the market evolving, growing more competitive and more discerning, it may be difficult to choose the right tool. So, how do you distinguish between the best-in-class enterprise performance management solutions in a sea of capable contenders? Here are some tips on what to look for.
To create a seamless information flow and break down silos, EPM platforms aggregate data from ERP, SRM, HR and bespoke business systems. This ensures that you work with real-time, organisation-wide insights. In other words, no more wrangling with outdated spreadsheets and reconciling conflicting reports.
Some of the leading tools feature built-in workflow engines that automate repetitive tasks, approvals and notifications. Budget submissions and forecast revisions are complex processes that become traceable, streamlined and far less painful.
Modern EPM software isn't just about crunching numbers. It lets users visualise performance, KPIs, trends and forecasts in custom dashboards accessible to all and not just finance. Interactive analytics like drag-and-drop reports or scenario modelling make analysis accessible for everyone.
You can forge linear, siloed planning cycles. The best solutions empower cross-functional teams to contribute and comment in real time, aligning the entire business around shared goals.
High-ranking EPM tools provide ‘what if’ scenario capabilities as standard. It allows organisations to swiftly model the business impact of changes.
Great EPM solutions flex to your needs, regardless of whether you're a multinational organisation managing multiple entities and currencies or a focused SME. You should look for comprehensive configuration options rather than rigid modules. This allows you to adapt to changes in process and structure without the soft reengineering.
The landscape is set to keep changing. It's expected that more than half of the EPM software will come from cloud-based solutions. At the same time, in 2025, the EPM software market is expected to reach approximately US$5.53 billion. It is a shift that underscores the demand for high-accessibility, user-friendly and truly integrated performance management platforms.
However, EPM tools are not just about compliance and centralising data. They drive tangible results across every axis of business value.
Improved compliance: Automated financial close, audit trails and regulatory reporting mean fewer errors and reduced risk exposure.
Cost management and optimisation: Variance analysis and spend tracking make it easier to spot areas to cut costs or invest in growth.
Faster budgeting and forecasting: Automation shortens planning cycles, delivers more accurate budgets and enables rolling forecasts so finance can react to business in real time.
Real-time performance monitoring: Live dashboards and benchmarking empower agile management response to shifts in demand and performance.
Process efficiency: Automating manual, repetitive tasks frees skilled staff for value-adding work.
Bottleneck reduction: Clear workflow automation reveals and eliminates operational roadblocks, keeps projects moving and teams collaborating smoothly.
Agility and resilience: Businesses using EPM are better equipped to handle market uncertainty, thanks to forward-looking, insight-led decision processes.
Unified decision-making: EPM provides a single source of truth, making it much easier to align departmental priorities and strategic objectives.
Scenario planning: Simulate hypothetical events like market changes and regulatory shifts, to make strategic pivots before the competitors even notice the trend.
Mercur Business Control stands out from the pack by addressing every modern business need in one unified, highly configurable solution. Here’s why Mercur deserves the top spot on your shortlist.
Mercur offers a comprehensive set of tools to support your business needs. It enables detailed, versioned budget planning for areas like sales, production, projects and HR, all within a framework tailored to your processes. Instant dashboards and dynamic reports provide real-time insights across the organisation.
In addition, its advanced scenario analysis lets you model best-case and worst-case outcomes to stay prepared for any situation. The integrated workflow module tracks every task and stage, giving managers full visibility and helping employees prioritise effectively.
Depending on your business's demands, you can deploy Mercur in the cloud for instant scalability and mobile access, or opt for on-premise for total control.
This EPM platform makes complex performance management easy for every user, from finance to operations to executive leadership. This is possible due to its clean dashboards, intuitive navigation and customisable interfaces.
Unlike many platforms built on disjointed modules, Mercur consolidates data from your ERP, sales, production and HR systems. This way, it creates a single version of the truth for faster, more reliable decision-making.
Mercur is a trusted platform across industries that has built its reputation by listening to customer needs. This has led to delivering tailored implementations and supporting your journey every step of the way. Numerous vendors rely on us for decentralised P&L, branch management and global contact visibility.
Built on decades of Scandinavian software expertise, Mercur provides regular updates that keep you ahead of industry best practices in automation, analytics and performance management.
Businesses can use the numerous advanced functionalities of Mercur Business Control, such as:
KPI and scorecard tracking
Customisable conversions and multicompany support
Currency conversions and multicompany support
Workflow automation and audit trails
EPM tools have done away with slow, manual and fragmented business management. Today's leaders are developing a new narrative where timely insight, sharp strategy and seamless execution work hand in hand. You don't compete but set the pace when every department speaks the same financial language and where every forecast is an opportunity.
When it comes to performance management, playing it safe is the biggest risk. Therefore, choosing the best EPM solution gives you the confidence to make bold moves and the clarity to see exactly where they'll take you. Use the power of next-generation EPM and make it your organisation's not-so-secret weapon. Contact us today and make a personal demo request.
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