Monthly Reporting For Linking Operations & Finance

The Monthly Analysis & Forecasting (MAF) system provides executives with integrated monthly reports combining financial and operational results.

  • Financial metrics: Profitability and cash-at-bank each month, projected up to two years ahead, to provide early warning of margin pressures and liquidity risks.

  • Automated interest and tax: Indicative calculations are built in, so strategic changes in operations can be automatically linked to profitability and cashflow.

  • Operational summaries: Metrics can cover each key stakeholder, such as staff working hours, safety compliance tests, and market share.

An independent review found this approach pragmatic and especially suited to SMEs, compared with more complex frameworks like the Balanced Scorecard.

👉Scroll down to see a sample outline of a report.

Monthly Reporting For Linking Operations & Finance

The Monthly Analysis & Forecasting (MAF) system provides executives with integrated monthly reports combining financial and operational results.

  • Financial metrics: Profitability and cash-at-bank each month, projected up to two years ahead, to provide early warning of margin pressures and liquidity risks.

  • Automated interest and tax: Indicative calculations are built in, so strategic changes in operations can be automatically linked to profitability and cashflow.

  • Operational summaries: Metrics can cover each key stakeholder, such as staff working hours, safety compliance tests, and market share.

An independent review found this approach pragmatic and especially suited to SMEs, compared with more complex frameworks like the Balanced Scorecard.

👉Scroll down to see a sample outline of a report.

Monthly Reporting For Linking Operations & Finance

The Monthly Analysis & Forecasting (MAF) system provides executives with integrated monthly reports combining financial and operational results.

  • Financial metrics: Profitability and cash-at-bank each month, projected up to two years ahead, to provide early warning of margin pressures and liquidity risks.

  • Automated interest and tax: Indicative calculations are built in, so strategic changes in operations can be automatically linked to profitability and cashflow.

  • Operational summaries: Metrics can cover each key stakeholder, such as staff working hours, safety compliance tests, and market share.

An independent review found this approach pragmatic and especially suited to SMEs, compared with more complex frameworks like the Balanced Scorecard.

👉Scroll down to see a sample outline of a report.

How the MAF System Works

The MAF monthly system combines three types of information:

1.
1.

Financial Performance Data

A summary of profitability, balance sheets, cash flow.

2.
2.

Continuity Metrics (Key Indicators)

A summary of compliance and operational measures that keep the business running.

3.
3.

Strategic Key Performance Indicators

A summary of progress against long-term objectives.

A coordinator prepares monthly reports for review by the CEO and executives for action.

A diagrammatic summary is as follows:

MAF System

MAF System

MAF System

Financial Performance Data

Fin.
Perf.
Data.

Continuity Business Metrics (KI)

Cont.
Bus.
Metrics.
(KI)

Strategic Performance Indicators (KPI)

Strat
Perf
Indic.
(KPI)

Coordinator: Monthly Reports

Coordinator: Monthly Reports

CEO and Executives: Review and Act

CEO and Executives: Review and Act

Research and Evidence


The MAF system reflects research by GLW in management, accounting, strategy, and governance. This work is summarised in a paper linked below.

The paper considers eighteen qualities of a monthly reporting system designed to secure prompt action. It also includes suggestions on governance and provides example reports. In the paper, ChatGPT5 reviewed the method and concluded that it “observes strategic discipline and avoids conceptual complexity. Its step-by-step visual planning is especially well-suited to SMEs lacking the infrastructure for full Balanced Scorecard deployment.” (Appendix A5). Note: ChatGPT5 review does not constitute a peer-reviewed endorsement.

Key findings were:

Poor governance is a common root cause of business failure.

Neglect of safety and compliance preceded major accidents.

Significant changes in the environment and economic changes in the modern world necessitate sensitivity analysis, with frequent re-forecasting, and planning of countermeasures.


Monthly reports concentrating on performance of stakeholders are an efficient way of covering key issues of business continuity data and strategic direction.

For background, see the preliminary paper:

Excel-Based Software for License

Excel-Based Software for License

The MAF Excel template supports monthly reporting, integrating financial and operational results in one secure model:

Integration:

Facilitate link of operational drivers to financial performance.

Comparisons:

Track actuals against budgets, targets, or prior year.

Calculations:

Indicative interest and taxes calculated automatically.

Operations:

Stakeholder metrics on continuity business and/or strategy.

Forecasting:

Automatic or manual forecasts up to two years ahead.

Scenarios:

Sensitivity analysis to help planning.

Security:

Protected formulae, Windows-compatible.

Trial:

Trial:

Trial:

One month, free of charge.

Pricing:

Pricing:

Pricing:

Available on enquiry.

A MAF MONTHLY REPORT FOR A SME

A MAF MONTHLY REPORT FOR A SME

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Profitability:

Profitability:

Revenue & Operating Costs

Revenue & Operating Costs

Gross Profit

Gross Profit

Administration, Interest  & Taxes

Administration, Interest  & Taxes

Net Profit

Net Profit

Balance Sheet:

Balance Sheet:

Cash, Debtors, Creditors

Cash, Debtors, Creditors

Other Assets & Liabilities

Other Assets & Liabilities

Cashflow

Cashflow

Net Cashflow after Interest & Taxes

Net Cashflow after Interest & Taxes

OPERATIONS SUMMARY

OPERATIONS SUMMARY

Internal Stakeholders:

Internal Stakeholders:

CEO, Directors & Shareholders

CEO, Directors & Shareholders

Marketing Division

Marketing Division

Manufacturing Division

Manufacturing Division

Finance Division

Finance Division

External Stakeholders:

External Stakeholders:

Customers

Customers

Suppliers

Suppliers

Financiers

Financiers

Community Organizations

Community Organizations

The MAF Template includes provision for user-defined reports.

An accountant should input and manage the financial data of the software.

The MAF Template includes provision for user-defined reports.

An accountant should input and manage the financial data of the software.

Enquire or Request a Trial

If you are interested in modifying your inhouse reporting system, or licensing the MAF software, please provide:

Enquire or Request a Trial

If you are interested in modifying your inhouse reporting system, or licensing the MAF software, please provide:

Enquire or Request a Trial

If you are interested in modifying your inhouse reporting system, or licensing the MAF software, please provide:

© GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd 2025

Website Created by Tim Stewart Web Design

© GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd 2025

Website Created by Tim Stewart Web Design

© GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd 2025

Website Created by Tim Stewart Web Design