The International Association of Fire Fighters represents over 300,000 professional firefighters and paramedics across the US and Canada. They were facing challenges with their manual and time-consuming budget preparation and reporting process. They implemented a cloud-based enterprise performance management solution that allows their budget to be prepared in weeks rather than months, with more detailed and transparent reports that end users can access more easily. In the future, they plan to consolidate budget lines, increase data availability to users, improve reporting timeliness, and integrate additional systems like grants and documents into the cloud solution.

1. 1© 2013
The Evolving Role of
Finance Leaders: Driving
Technology Across the
Enterprise

2. 2© 2013
Case Study: From Fire
Fighter To Rainmaker
With Cloud Computing
Warren May, CPA
Comptroller, International Association of Fire Fighters

3. 3© 2013
Who is the International Association of
Fire Fighters?
Represent 300,000 + professional fire fighters and
paramedics across the United States and Canada
Headquartered in Washington, DC,
Office in Ottawa, Canada
120 employees
Remote users require access to data

4. 4© 2013
Business Challenge:
Budget Preparation & Reporting
Time consuming
Labor intensive
Manual manipulation of data
Inability to perform “What-if” scenarios
Difficulty reporting: reports are static
Remote consumers of information
Timeliness of data
Budget
Prep.
Analysis

5. 5© 2013
How Could We Improve Our Process?
Ease of use: user friendly; familiar interface
Web based
Easily configurable
Minimal IT support/maintenance required
Integrates seamlessly with accounting & other
systems
Time tested proven solution
Customer support

6. 6© 2013
Solution:
Cloud-Based Enterprise Performance Management Solution
• Budget is prepared in weeks rather than months,
• With additional supporting detail and transparency
• Reports can be run by end users
• Data is more accessible to end users
• Actual figures are updated regularly
• Able to set security based on areas of responsibility
• Empower users to better manage their functional areas

7. 7© 2013
Future Plans:
Continue to review our chart of accounts
Consolidate selected budget lines to provide more streamlined,
meaningful reporting
Increase data and reporting available to end users
Improve timeliness of reporting to internal users & outside
agencies
Move the burden of report generation from finance department
Enable users to create ad hoc reports, as needed

8. 8© 2013
Future Plans:
Move grant budgeting/reporting into the application
Integrate with other existing systems
Membership database
Document management system
Create dashboards for key executives

9. 9© 2013
Lessons Learned
Have a complete understanding of the business
problem/process (process to be automated)
Be able to communicate details
Devote adequate resources to project
Communication; regular status updates
Clear understanding of required IT resources
Training, training, training

10. 10© 2013
Thank You!
Case Study: From Fire Fighter To Rainmaker
With Cloud Computing

11. 11© 2013
Thank You Sponsors!
PLATINUM
GOLD
SILVER
DIAMOND