Companies globally, depending on their size, are often faced with multiple subsidiaries, acquisitions, joint ventures, and various financial transactions. As a consequence of this, managing the financial data of multiple companies, companies in different countries and in different currencies, can become a challenging and complex task, leading to inefficiencies, errors and a lack of clear visibility on the financial health of the company and a large allocation and consumption of business resources. Financial consolidation offers a powerful solution to this challenge and these complexities, giving organizations the means to optimize their finances, improve accuracy and gain valuable insights. In this article, we’ll delve into the concept of financial consolidation, its importance, explore how it’s done, discuss the roles involved in the process, and highlight the many benefits companies can reap from this essential financial management practice.

Financial consolidation is the process of combining and presenting the financial information of a parent company and its subsidiaries into a single, unified set of financial statements. That is, combine all transactions, entries or accounting visibility of multiple companies as if it were only one. This consolidation enables interested parties such as management, investors, regulators and other interested parties to gain a comprehensive and accurate view of the overall financial performance and position of the corporate group as a whole. It is a fundamental practice for organizations that operate multiple entities, each with its own financial data and accounting records.

In today’s globalized business world, companies often grow their businesses and operations through mergers, acquisitions, and the formation of subsidiaries in different countries to tap into new markets and resources. While this growth strategy can increase sales, market share, and profitability, it also introduces complexities to financial reporting and bookkeeping for multiple subsidiaries. Each subsidiary may have its own accounting practices, currency, and financial systems, making accurate consolidation of financial data difficult.

Financial consolidation addresses these challenges by providing a holistic view of the entire corporate group. The need for stakeholders to analyze separate financial statements for each subsidiary is eliminated, streamlining the reporting process and providing a comprehensive view of the company’s financial performance. This, in turn, enables more effective strategic decision-making, greater transparency, and greater investor confidence.

Carrying out financial consolidation involves several essential steps and requires coordination between various departments and stakeholders within the finance teams. Here we examine the key stages of the consolidation process:

1. Data Collection and Reconciliation:

The first step is to collect financial data from all subsidiaries and ensure its accuracy and completeness. This involves the reconciliation of transactions between companies and the elimination of duplicates or discrepancies. Data can be collected through a variety of means, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, spreadsheets, and financial reporting software.

2. Currency Conversion:

For multinational companies with subsidiaries in different countries, currency translation is a crucial aspect of financial consolidation. Financial statements are generally prepared in the local currency of each subsidiary and then converted. To consolidate the data, it is necessary to convert these amounts to the presentation currency of the parent company. Exchange rates are used to convert amounts and gains or losses from exchange fluctuations are recorded.

3. Elimination of Intercompany Transactions:

Companies with multiple subsidiaries often transact with each other to more efficiently manage cash balances. These intercompany transactions may distort the true financial position of the corporate group. To avoid double counting, such as including the income of one subsidiary in the income of another, these transactions must be eliminated.

4. Adjustments and Reclassifications:

Due to the high number of transactions, certain adjustments and reclassifications may be required to ensure consistency between subsidiaries and compliance with accounting standards. This includes aligning accounting policies, consolidating special purpose entities, and making necessary changes to financial data to create a consistent, integrated view.

5. Calculation of Minority Control:

If the parent company owns less than 100% of a subsidiary, a portion of that subsidiary’s net income and equity must be allocated to minority interests, also known as non-controlling interests. This step ensures that the financial statements adequately reflect the economic interest of the parent company in the subsidiary.

6. Preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements:

Once all the necessary adjustments have been made, the consolidated financial statements can finally be prepared. These financial statements generally include the consolidated balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of cash flows, and the statement of changes in equity.

The financial consolidation process can be slow and can be resource intensive both in time and personnel, especially for large multinational corporations with numerous subsidiaries. To improve efficiency and accuracy, many companies are turning to automation. Advanced financial consolidation software streamlines the process by automating data collection, validation, and reconciliation. It also allows for real-time updates, ensuring that stakeholders have access to the most up-to-date financial information.

Automation reduces the risk of human error and allows finance teams to focus on more strategic tasks, such as data analysis and interpretation. In addition, it facilitates faster financial reporting, providing management with timely information to make informed decisions.

The financial consolidation process involves collaboration between different people and departments within the organization. It is generally an exercise that is done by the finance team and this is usually reviewed by auditors or accounting consultants. Some key roles and their responsibilities include:

1. Chief Financial Officer (CFO):

As the head of the finance department, the CFO oversees the entire financial consolidation process. He plays a key and critical role in ensuring that the process is efficient, accurate, and compliant with accounting standards and regulations.

2. Financial Team:

The finance team is responsible for collecting the financial data of the subsidiaries, reconciling accounts and performing currency translations. The entire team is usually made up of accountants, treasury staff, accounting technicians, AP and AR staff, etc. He works closely with the accounting teams at each subsidiary to ensure data accuracy.

3. Financial Controllers:

The financial controllers are responsible for supervising the accounting operations of each subsidiary. They ensure that the subsidiary’s financial records are accurate, compliant, and aligned with the parent company’s accounting policies.

4. Audit Team:

Internal and external auditors play an essential role in financial consolidation. They review the process to ensure that it complies with accounting principles and provides a true and fair view of the company’s financial position.

5. Information Technology (IT) Equipment:

The IT team supports the financial consolidation process by managing and maintaining the financial systems and software used for data collection, consolidation, and reporting.

6. Address:

The management team, including the CEO and other key stakeholders, rely on the consolidated financial statements to make strategic decisions and assess the overall financial health of the organization.

Financial consolidation offers numerous benefits that can have a significant impact on the performance, decision-making and overall success of a company, not to mention that it is a basic and fundamental task of any complex business:

1. Better Financial Visibility:

By consolidating financial data from all subsidiaries, a company gains a comprehensive view of its financial position. This increased visibility enables better analysis, reporting and decision making.

2. Simplified reporting process:

Instead of preparing separate financial statements for each subsidiary, financial consolidation allows you to simplify the reporting process by presenting a unified and simplified set of financial statements. This reduces duplicate efforts and saves time and resources and provides clearer, easier-to-understand visibility.

3. Greater Accuracy and Compliance:

Financial consolidation involves rigorous and detailed data validation, transaction reconciliation, and compliance with accounting standards. This results in more accurate financial statements, which reduces the risk of errors and regulatory non-compliance.

4. Facilitates Strategic Decision Making:

With a clear view of the financial performance of the entire corporate group, management can make informed and strategic decisions. This includes identifying profitable subsidiaries, effectively allocating resources, and planning future investments or divestitures.

5. Increased Investor Confidence:

Investors and stakeholders consider consolidated financial statements of great importance, as they provide a comprehensive view of the financial health of the company. Reliable and transparent financial data can increase investor confidence and attract potential investors.

6. Efficient Resource Management:

Financial consolidation allows a company to identify areas of inefficiency and duplication, which facilitates more effective resource management and cost-saving opportunities.

7. Compliance with Regulatory Requirements:

Financial consolidation ensures that a company meets accounting standards and regulatory requirements. This is especially important for publicly traded companies and those that operate in highly regulated industries.

8. Better Risk Management:

A consolidated view of financial data enables companies to effectively assess and manage risk. By identifying potential financial risks across all subsidiaries, management can implement mitigation strategies and protect the financial health of the company.

9. Better Resource Allocation:

Financial consolidation enables executive and financial management to allocate resources more effectively across the corporate group, through company-to-company financial and treasury control on a consolidated basis. By understanding the financial performance of each subsidiary, the parent company can allocate capital to areas with the greatest potential for growth and return on investment.

While financial consolidation offers significant advantages, there are also challenges that companies may face during the process:

1. Data Quality and Accuracy:

The accuracy and completeness of financial data are critical in financial consolidation. Discrepancies, errors or inconsistent data can lead to inaccurate financial statements and misleading perceptions.

2. Data Integration:

Gathering financial data from multiple subsidiaries, each with different accounting systems, can be complex. Ensuring smooth data integration requires robust financial software and IT infrastructure.

3. Intercompany Transactions:

Transactions between companies can create complexities in financial reporting. Correctly identifying and eliminating these transactions is critical to presenting an accurate view of the consolidated financial statements.

4. Currency Conversion:

For multinational companies, converting financial data from different currencies to a single presentation currency can be challenging. Currency fluctuations can also affect financial results, which requires careful consideration and management.

5. Regulatory Compliance:

Complying with different accounting standards, tax regulations, and reporting requirements in different countries can be demanding. Companies must stay up to date on regulatory changes and ensure their financial consolidations remain in compliance.

6. Time and Resources:

Financial consolidation can be a time-consuming process, especially for large organizations with numerous subsidiaries. Companies must allocate sufficient resources and trained personnel to carry out the process efficiently.

Selecting the right financial consolidation software is essential for a successful and efficient process. Companies should consider the following factors when evaluating software options:

1. Integration and Compatibility of Data:

The software must be able to seamlessly integrate with various financial systems and data sources used by subsidiaries. It should also support different file formats to facilitate data import.

2. Automation Capabilities:

Look for software that offers automation features such as data validation, intercompany transaction elimination, currency conversion, and reporting. Automation streamlines the process, reduces the risk of errors and saves time.

3. Scalability:

Choose a software that can adapt to the current needs of the company and its future growth. It must be able to handle a growing number of subsidiaries and volumes of financial data.

4. Reports and Analysis:

The software must provide robust reporting and analytics capabilities. It should offer customizable dashboards, financial ratios, and other performance metrics to help management make data-driven decisions.

5. Easy to Use Interface:

Ease of use is essential for efficient financial consolidation. The software should have an intuitive interface that allows users to navigate and perform tasks without extensive training.

6. Security and Data Protection:

Make sure the software complies with data security standards and regulations. Financial data is highly sensitive and software must provide proper encryption and access controls.

Financial consolidation is a fundamental process for companies operating in a complex and globalized business environment with multiple companies and subsidiaries. By combining and presenting the financial data of the parent companies and their subsidiaries, financial consolidation provides a complete and simplified view of the business group. This enables more effective strategic decision-making, greater transparency, and greater investor confidence.

To do financial consolidation effectively, companies need to invest in robust, cloud-based financial software that offers automation capabilities, data integration, scalability, and advanced reporting and analytics capabilities. With the right tools and trained professionals, companies can streamline their financial reporting process, comply with accounting standards, and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

As companies continue to evolve and expand their operations, financial consolidation will continue to be a fundamental pillar for managing complexities and ensuring financial success. By adopting modern consolidation practices and leveraging cloud technology, companies can meet the challenges of financial reporting and position themselves for sustainable growth and prosperity well into the future.

Snab offers an innovative Treasury Management Solution that assists companies with financial consolidation and unifies banking, data and treasury operations on a single platform, ensuring transaction traceability and improving overall business performance. Snab reduces errors and decreases reliance on conventional spreadsheets like Excel by automating treasury statements and processes. This state-of-the-art method improves accuracy and frees up resources for tactical decision making.

The platform’s automation features streamline processes and enable you to perform financial tasks efficiently. A proactive approach to cash management is made possible by real-time cash monitoring, which provides current visibility into cash inflows and outflows. To ensure data accuracy and consistency, Snab also syncs with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Businesses gain a competitive advantage in the fast-paced world of finance with Snab’s extensive treasury management features. Through the integration of the platform’s banking, data and treasury processes, financial performance is optimized, boosting corporate development and success. Snab simplifies treasury management, allowing companies to successfully negotiate complexity and maintain an edge in an ever-changing marketplace.