FP&A Blog
Margins, cash, forecasting and close for brands selling DTC, on marketplaces and through retail.
Featured Articles
Best FP&A Software for Consumer Brands (2026): Feature Comparison & Buyer's Guide
Compare FP&A software built for consumer brands: Niblin, Drivepoint, Iris Finance, Cube, Abacum, Datarails, Pigment, and Planful. Find which tools fit $5-100M brands with omnichannel operations.
AI in Finance and FP&A: What Actually Works (And What's Hype)
An honest look at AI for financial planning: variance narratives, source mapping, reconciliation. Learn what delivers ROI vs. what sounds good in a pitch deck.
Excel vs FP&A Software for CPG Brands: When the Spreadsheet Breaks
Excel works until it doesn't. For consumer brands with 500+ SKUs and 8+ channels, Excel becomes unmaintainable. Compare when spreadsheets still work vs why FP&A software becomes essential.
All Articles
Hiring Your First FP&A Analyst: Job Description, First-90-Days Plan & Team Structure
A ready-to-use FP&A analyst job description for $10-30M consumer brands. Includes first-90-days plan, compensation benchmarks, and how to make your hire productive in week two with the right tools.
Read MoreFractional CFO vs FP&A Software: Which Fits Your $5-20M Consumer Brand?
Fractional CFOs and FP&A software aren't competitors: they're partners. Learn when to hire each, how to vet a fractional CFO without getting scammed, and the combo that works best for $5-20M brands.
Read MoreNetSuite Alternatives: Sage Intacct, Business Central, and When NOT to Switch
Evaluating NetSuite? Compare Sage Intacct, Microsoft Business Central, Acumatica, and upgraded accounting stacks. Learn implementation pain points and total cost of ownership.
Read MoreQuickBooks Alternatives for Scaling Omnichannel Brands
Outgrowing QuickBooks Online? Compare Xero, NetSuite, Zoho Books, Sage Intacct, and FreshBooks. Learn when to stay on QBO + tools on top versus switching completely.
Read MorePlan, forecast and close with Niblin
Budget, rolling forecast, variance, cash and inventory for consumer brands, on numbers reconciled to your books.