Controlling

Controlling makes an important contribution to a company’s success. However, this can only be successful if the four core activities of planning, information, analysis/control and steering are logically implemented. Precise planning as the basis for the provision of information for management is the basis of targeted entrepreneurial actions. The controlling of plan deviations through identification and analysis makes it possible to promptly identify various types of actions and to undertake corrective measures.

Planning Planning is a fundamentally important process in controlling. Confabs Management Consulting (CMC) considers this to be not only the preparatory decision-making work based upon numbers, but also argumentative preparatory decision-making work. This process is distinguished by the fact that, in addition to the goals to be striven for, the measures to be undertaken to attain goals are also identified.

Information means to keep the management informed of the current state of the company. In this case, reporting is of key importance. The reports provide information about which planning goals the units are aiming to attain, the extent to which they are expected to be attained or not and in what areas potential corrective measures must be undertaken.

Analysis and controlling In practice, analysis and controlling are closely intertwined. The comparison with normal dimensions offers the possibility of examining and monitoring a process.

Steering is the ongoing and goal-oriented influencing of a process or a condition. In this case, in contrast with the upstream functions, it concerns steering the course a company or a division takes in the future. Steering means management through goals, not through commands.

CMC has a lot of experience in controlling, particularly in the areas of reporting and planning systems. Transparency is the basis for decision-making and CMC provides this transparency. Our consultants use all popular controlling procedures and adjust them to the client’s requirements. In addition to the selection of appropriate methods and procedures, the main goal lies in enabling our clients to implement them on their own after the project is completed as well as to integrate them into the management cycle. Thus, company management is improved over the long term.

Management information systems are an important tool to support management decisions in general and the controlling cycle in particular.