Data Analytics
Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting Solutions
Connect operational drivers to financial outcomes with planning models that update in hours, not weeks, and give every department one plan to work from.
Plan Continuously, Not Once a Year
The annual budget is often out of date before it is approved. Markets, costs and demand move faster than a process built on dozens of linked spreadsheets, emailed templates and manual consolidation. Finance teams spend most of the cycle collecting and reconciling numbers, leaving little time to analyze them or advise the business on trade-offs.
Hanoi Technology designs and implements connected planning solutions that link sales, workforce, operations and capital plans to the P&L, balance sheet and cash flow. We build driver-based models, rolling forecasts and scenario analysis on modern planning platforms, fed automatically from your ERP, HR and CRM systems.
The Challenge
Common Pain Points in Planning and Forecasting
Finance leaders describe the same frustrations, regardless of industry or company size.
Spreadsheet Fragility
Complex workbooks with broken links, hidden formulas and version conflicts make the plan hard to audit and dependent on a few individuals who understand how it works.
Slow, Labor-Intensive Cycles
Budget rounds take weeks of template distribution, chasing submissions and manual consolidation, leaving little time to challenge assumptions or test alternatives.
Disconnected Departmental Plans
Sales targets, headcount plans and operational capacity are planned separately, so the financial plan does not reflect what the business can actually deliver.
No Fast Answer to “What If”
When fuel prices jump, a major customer churns or exchange rates move, finance cannot quickly show the impact on profit and cash, so decisions are made on instinct.
Business Value
What Connected Planning Changes for Finance
Shorter Planning Cycles
Automated data loads, standardized templates and workflow reduce the time spent collecting and consolidating, so cycles complete faster and with fewer iterations.
Forecasts That Reflect Reality
Driver-based and rolling forecasts update as actuals and assumptions change, keeping the outlook relevant throughout the year rather than once a year.
Scenario Agility
Leaders can compare best, base and worst cases, or model specific events, and see the impact on P&L, balance sheet and cash flow side by side.
Cross-Functional Alignment
Sales, operations, HR and finance plan in one connected model, so targets, capacity and budgets are consistent with each other.
Auditability and Control
Every change is logged with user and timestamp, approvals follow defined workflows and calculations are transparent rather than hidden in cells.
Finance as a Business Partner
With less time spent on mechanics, FP&A teams can focus on variance analysis, insight and advising budget owners.
Model the Business, Not Just the Ledger
A strong plan starts with the drivers managers actually control: volumes, prices, conversion rates, headcount, utilization and unit costs. When financial outcomes are calculated from those drivers, budget conversations shift from negotiating numbers to agreeing on assumptions, and forecasts can be updated by changing a few inputs instead of rebuilding the model.
Our Services
Hanoi Technology’s End-to-End Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting Services
Advisory, implementation and support for every stage of your planning transformation.
Planning Process Assessment
We review your current calendar, templates, models, data flows and pain points, and benchmark them against established FP&A practice to define a realistic target process.
- Current-state process map
- Target planning process design
- Prioritized improvement roadmap
Platform Selection Support
We help you compare planning platforms on functional fit, modeling flexibility, integration, usability, licensing and the skills you will need to maintain them.
- Requirements catalog
- Vendor demo scripts and scoring
- Selection recommendation
Driver-Based Model Design and Build
We design and build planning models for revenue, workforce, operating expenses, capital expenditure and the three financial statements, connected through shared dimensions.
- Model architecture and dimensions
- Revenue, workforce and opex modules
- Integrated financial statements
Rolling Forecasts and Scenario Planning
We implement rolling forecast horizons, scenario versions and sensitivity analysis so leaders can test assumptions and react quickly to change.
- Rolling forecast configuration
- Scenario and version management
- Sensitivity and what-if analysis
Data Integration and Automation
We automate the flow of actuals, master data and operational drivers from ERP, HR, CRM and data warehouses into the planning model.
- Source system connectors
- Automated actuals loads
- Data validation and reconciliation
Support and Continuous Improvement
After go-live we provide user support, model administration and enhancements, so the solution evolves with your business and organization.
- Administrator training
- Change request handling
- Periodic model health checks
Our Approach
Our Planning Implementation Approach
Iterative delivery that keeps finance in control and shows working models early.
- 01
Discover and Define
We map your planning calendar, organization, drivers and reporting needs, and agree on the scope of the first release with finance and business owners.
Deliverables: Requirements and scope document · Planning calendar and roles
- 02
Design the Model
We define dimensions, hierarchies, driver logic and integration points, and validate the design with key users before building.
Deliverables: Solution design document · Driver and calculation logic
- 03
Build in Sprints
We build modules iteratively and demo them every sprint, using your real data so users can validate numbers and usability early.
Deliverables: Configured planning modules · Integration pipelines
- 04
Test and Parallel Run
We reconcile results against your existing process, run user acceptance testing and, where appropriate, run one cycle in parallel.
Deliverables: Reconciliation results · UAT sign-off
- 05
Go Live and Hand Over
We train end users and administrators, support the first live cycle closely and hand over documentation for ongoing ownership.
Deliverables: Training and user guides · Hypercare and support plan
Use Cases
Planning Scenarios We Support
Examples of planning processes we design and automate.
Annual Budget with Bottom-Up Submissions
Cost-center owners submit budgets in guided web templates with pre-loaded actuals and allocations. Finance consolidates instantly and tracks submission status in one dashboard.
Twelve-Month Rolling Forecast
Each month actuals load automatically and the forecast window rolls forward, so leadership always sees a full year ahead rather than only to year-end.
Workforce and Headcount Planning
HR and finance plan hires, leavers, salary increases and benefits by role and location, with costs flowing directly into the operating expense plan.
Sales and Revenue Planning
Revenue is planned by product, channel and region using volume, price and mix drivers, connected to pipeline data from the CRM.
Cash Flow and Working Capital Forecasting
Receivables, payables and inventory assumptions translate the operating plan into a monthly cash forecast to support treasury and financing decisions.
Scenario Planning for Market Shocks
Leaders model changes in input costs, exchange rates or demand and compare the effect on margin and liquidity before committing to a response.
Technology
Planning Platforms and Integration Tools
We implement on leading planning platforms and the data tools that feed them.
- Anaplan
- Jedox
- Board
- Workday Adaptive Planning
- Oracle EPM Cloud
- SAP Analytics Cloud
- IBM Planning Analytics
- Microsoft Excel
- Power BI
- SAP S/4HANA
- Microsoft Dynamics 365
- NetSuite
- Snowflake
- Azure Data Factory
- Python
Platforms
Deliver Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting on Your Preferred Platform
Why Hanoi Technology
Why Organizations Choose Hanoi Technology
Senior, Cross-Functional Teams
Strategy, data, AI, cloud and engineering specialists work as one team, so nothing is lost between hand-offs.
Proven Delivery
More than 50 projects delivered for clients in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Radical Transparency
A written update every week and a demo of working software every sprint, so you always know where things stand.
Cost-Effective Global Delivery
Experienced engineers from our Hanoi delivery hub, with working-hour overlap for every major time zone.
Success Story · Fintech
All-in-one digital banking app for a traditional bank
A traditional financial institution wanted to compete with neobanks for mobile-first customers. We replaced a set of separate banking, investing and payment apps with one product that people use every day.
Read the Full StoryMore Success Stories
HR tech
80%faster hiring processAI candidate screening and matching for an HR tech startup
An HR tech startup processing thousands of applications a month needed recruiters to spend less time screening CVs. We built resume parsing, job matching and an automated shortlisting workflow.
Logistics
−25%operational costsRoute optimization and fleet visibility for a regional logistics company
A regional delivery company handling thousands of shipments a day was planning routes and dispatching by hand. We built dynamic route optimization, a fleet dashboard and a driver app.
Resources
Featured Resources
Industry trends and practical guidance to help you get more value from data, AI and technology.
FSMA 204 After the Delay: Using Shipment Monitoring to Get Traceability-Ready by 2028
The FDA Food Traceability Rule deadline moved to July 2028, but the data work is large. Here is how to use shipment monitoring and event data to get ready without wasting the extra time.
CSRD After the Omnibus: What the Revised ESRS Mean for Reporting From 2027
The Omnibus and the simplified ESRS reshaped EU sustainability reporting in 2026. Here is who is in scope, what changed in the standards and how to adapt your data and process.
OpenTelemetry in 2026: Building a Vendor-Neutral Observability Strategy
OpenTelemetry has become the default way to collect telemetry. Here is what changed in 2026 and a practical roadmap for a vendor-neutral observability stack.
Make Your Next Planning Cycle the Last One in Spreadsheets
Tell us how you plan today and where it hurts most. We will reply within 24 hours to arrange a free consultation and outline a practical path to connected planning.
Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting FAQ
Which planning platform should we choose?
It depends on your planning complexity, modeling needs, existing ERP and BI landscape, user skills and budget. Some platforms excel at highly flexible, large-scale connected planning; others are faster to deploy for mid-sized finance teams or integrate tightly with a specific ERP. We run a structured selection with scripted demos based on your own scenarios, so you compare vendors on what matters to you rather than on generic presentations.
How long does a planning implementation take?
A focused first release, such as an operating expense budget with workforce planning and integrated reporting, typically takes two to four months. Broader programs covering revenue, capital, cash flow and multiple entities are usually phased over several releases. Timing depends mainly on data readiness, the number of entities and currencies, and how quickly design decisions can be made. We plan releases around your fiscal calendar so the new solution is ready for a real cycle.
What are the main cost drivers?
The main drivers are the number of planning processes and modules, model complexity (dimensions, entities, currencies, allocations), the number of source system integrations, reporting requirements and the level of training and support needed. Platform licenses are separate and are usually priced per user or capacity. We provide a phased estimate after discovery, so you can start with the highest-value module and expand once the business sees results.
Can we keep using Excel?
Yes, where it makes sense. Many planning platforms offer Excel add-ins that let users work in a familiar interface while data and logic stay centrally governed. We typically move calculations, consolidation and workflow into the platform, and allow Excel for analysis and ad hoc views. This keeps the flexibility finance teams value without the version conflicts, broken links and audit risks of standalone workbooks.
How do you integrate with our ERP and HR systems?
We build automated integrations to load actuals, chart of accounts, cost centers, employee data and operational drivers, using native connectors, APIs or a data warehouse as an intermediate layer. Every load includes validation and reconciliation checks so finance can trust the numbers. Where possible we write approved budgets and forecasts back to the ERP or data warehouse for variance reporting in your BI tools.
How do you make sure users adopt the new process?
We involve budget owners from design onward, demo working modules every sprint and keep templates simple and guided. Before go-live we deliver role-based training, quick-reference guides and office hours, and we support the first live cycle closely. We also train your administrators to maintain hierarchies, users and model changes, so the solution does not depend on us for routine work after handover.