Column5 Consulting: Driving Better Business Through Actionable Intelligence

Enterprise Performance Management [EPM] has become a must-have for competitive organizations that seek to outperform their peers in the global marketplace. Extended Planning & Analysis [xP&A] builds on EPM principles to deliver the latest in AI-driven Analytics for enterprises that demand high returns from technology and business process investments. The evidence is clear in every industry sector; the agility, transparency, and efficiency derived from EPM and xP&A strategies simply can't be realized by cobbling together legacy systems and protocols, approaching EPM tasks without alignment around a vision for xP&A, or without the guidance of an experienced partner who specializes in implementing EPM technology aimed at delivering an exclusive competitive advantage.

While the value of an effective Performance Management capability is undisputed, Gartner believes "…more than half the investments in Business Analytics will be wasted." This sombre prediction was recently updated when Gartner stated that “…on the order of 5% of projects attempting to align operational and financial plans succeed…”. These red flags underscore the criticality of partnering decisions for companies seeking to embrace an improved performance management capability. Every company with initiatives designed to advance the maturity of their performance management process will want to ensure all potential value is realized from those investments.

This is where Column5 comes in. Column5 Consulting is the world's elite consulting firm dedicated to providing visionary and pragmatic solutions leveraging  SAP Analytics technology. The company was founded in 2005, by key players from the team that made OutlookSoft an international success, with the sole goal of properly enabling high-value solutions to an elite list of global clients.

In subsequent years, the Column5 team has partnered with SAP to create tailored solutions that address performance management needs across a wide range of industries and client types. Column5 combines pre-packaged solutions unique knowledge-sharing experiences, esteemed thought leadership, and an unparalleled team that is accessible worldwide to deliver creative and high-value solutions for any size client in any industry.

The ultimate goal in any competitive business is to achieve peak performance relative to one’s peers—and in the enterprise performance management world, that means reaching "column five" in the EPM Maturity Model. Column5 is that elite stage in which the EPM process marries strategic, operational, and financial plans to enable company leadership to execute strategic goals, immediately address changes in the market, and strengthen the organization. Gartner and other software vendors label such a state of nimble business management efficiency ‘xP&A’. The Coulmn5 team says this advanced state is realized when business insights are updated in near real-time for rapid and frequent analysis and on-the-go decision making. Most important, it's the point when your EPM and xP&A effectiveness transforms into an elite competitive advantage that enables your business to stand out among competitors and investors. Column5 recognizes that organizational change is challenging – it is Column5’s job to provide the vision, talent, and tools that make the journey up the mountain of EPM enlightenment as painless as possible.

“The successful implementation of SAP BPC as the column5 reporting tool has been instrumental in significantly enhancing Discovery’s ability to analyze and report on the performance of its business units in an efficient manner,” said Discovery Communications.

Column5 Consulting prides itself on an approachable, friendly style, and unwavering commitment to sharing its deep expertise in business process design and execution. In transitioning a client organization from where it is today to achieving "column five", the company starts with a comprehensive understanding of an organization's culture, management style, and appetite for change. Throughout the process, they ensure that an  organization gets the most from its EPM investment by transforming the process, technology, and team's capabilities into an integrated solution that delivers outstanding enterprise performance while positioning a company to achieve:

• Prompt return on investment
• The lowest possible total cost of ownership
• Long-term independence

As SAP´s largest global Enterprise Performance Management partner, Column5 has earned a reputation for leadership and excellence in world class EPM solution and process implementation for an exclusive client base. This position at the leading edge of intellectual property and EPM execution has been secured by a team of the industry's top practitioners.

About the Leader

David Den Boer, Chairman and Founder

David Den Boer founded Column5 Consulting in 2005. A dedicated professional services practitioner and entrepreneur, he has applied his significant technical delivery experience and broad experience providing solutions across a wide variety of industries — and raising the standards for what success means within EPM. As a founding principal with the launch of Column5, David sought to extend the focus of EPM beyond just implementing technology, assembling a team of business process visionaries and senior product talent with unmatched ability to deliver world-class EPM solutions.

Under David´s leadership, Column5 has evolved beyond its reputation for technically superior solutions to be an influential global provider of high—value EPM solutions. His prior experience includes consulting experience as Director of Services at OutlookSoft from 2000 to 2005.

“Column5 Consulting prides itself on an approachable, friendly style, and unwavering commitment to sharing its deep expertise in business process design and execution.”

“Column5 Consulting is the world's elite consulting firm dedicated to providing visionary and pragmatic solutions leveraging  SAP Analytics technology.”