Elena Sayapina: About financial examination of IBS – without false modesty

Elena Sayapina: IBS was engaged in finance consulting practically from the moment of foundation of the company, of course, in process of growth of IBS also our financial practice evolved. By 2002 IBS could propose to clients all key solutions in the field of economy and finance which existed in the market at that time. However, within separate division there was only a direction of finance consulting, and directly our implementers were engaged in deployment of solutions.

In 2012 in this structure there were significant changes: now IBS have a separate division which proposes "turnkey" finance solutions, beginning from methodology and finishing it with implementation in practice on all key industrial platforms. Implementation of such complex approach allows to create solutions "on a joint" systems. For example, IBS is developed the unique system of transfer pricing which could be born only in our division as we have very strong functional examination in the field of tax accounting and taxation. In general the structure of division is created in such a way that the department of consulting acts as a smithy of new solutions: all ideas are born here. And right there they are picked up by our avtomatizator, are implemented in systems, and it really creates competitive advantages and very much it is pleasant to our customers.

TAdviser: What solutions of vendors in the field of finance you mainly use?

Elena Sayapina: As I already told, we work with all key vendors of industrial platforms presented at the market. These are such companies as SAP, Oracle, IBM and others. If to look at the researches Gartner under the name "magic quadrant" in recent years for area of finance solutions, then all leading systems in this quadrant are provided in our line. At the same time we not just is engaged in them, we practically on all – market leaders. IBS is capable to execute the project of any degree of complexity. We also cooperate with separate companies which are profiled on different vertical sectors, for example, bank, and others. It is connected with objective need: depending on the industry the financial specifics can seriously differ, and automation of finance is not limited only to accounting and budgeting, and takes time very deep processes.

TAdviser: As a rule, the companies use ERP systems for elementary control of the movement of financial resources and accounting records. What other systems for the organization of financial flows of the company can play so important role?

Elena Sayapina: The list of specialized finance solutions is rather wide: these are, for example, planning and budgeting systems, managements of current assets, solutions in the field of IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), the analytical systems and others. Separately it would be desirable to tell risk management which is developed in IBS also within independent department about the direction. In my opinion, we created very interesting product: the system of risk-oriented budgeting which allows to analyze as existence of each separate risk influences the business plan of the company and specific economic indicators. One of demanded the directions is implementation of the mentioned financial reporting systems according to the IFRS and GAAP. Without false modesty, at IBS one of strongest ours the practician in the market in this area, the richest project experience, the most qualified specialists.

TAdviser: In the direction of the international reporting with what customers you work? Probably, such services are demanded first of all by large business?

Elena Sayapina: For example, IBS implements the ambitious project for Gazprom: it is possible to tell that we automate the whole industry regarding the reporting under IFRS. IBS have a great number of customers from an oil and gas industry: it and "Lukoil Oversiz", and "ONG", and others. However, standards of the international reporting are necessary not only to the largest holding structures. The companies of the following echelon the consolidated statements as shareholders at adoption of key solutions rely on it is also necessary. We can offer such companies not only automation, but also our unique consulting: we helps to make the reporting correctly. And we guarantee that each digit will be really made correctly.

TAdviser: Tell, please, about solutions which are proposed by IBS in the field of controlling?

Elena Sayapina: Controlling is very wide area which can include also risk management, key indicators, schedule system and quality management. I already told several words about risk management. An integral part of controlling often is also calculation of product cost which we even not in the context of accounting, and in the context of planned functions. For this purpose we have a separate solution on the IBM Cognos platform on calculation of planned cost, at the same time in it Gauss's method and a linear equation system which allow production companies to plan very precisely the cost of products and finally to make the decision on expediency of production are implemented. Also we have a SAP solution PSM, this more top level solution for measurement of labor costs and formation of plans.

For example, for one of our customers we created the budgeting system connected with costs for wage fund. It was very important for the company as in its business as in and in our, consulting, fixed capital was made by people, qualified specialists. Respectively, competent planning of expenses on them had a huge impact on results of activity of the company. If to put expenses on a human capital incorrectly in the company of such specifics, in process of rapid growth of business it is possible to meet very serious difficulties.

TAdviser: How to select a budgeting system what advantages these or those solutions have?

Elena Sayapina: As it is paradoxical, it is difficult to me to speak what budgeting system is better as all platforms with which we work have the developed functionality, and further already much depends on specifics of the company. For example, if economists rather deeply understand a question and want to have an opportunity something to configure in a system, then they will suit IBM Cognos as more user-friendly the solution. If the company needs budgeting in combination with the ERP functions, then there will be a choice between SAP and Oracle here.

We always give the chance to customers to make a competent choice, and the competition between implementation commands in division even urges on it. We consider as far as the customer suits a specific system, by several tens parameters. Moreover, we even had an experience when we suited a demo stand for each system, and the customer "played" these systems and tried on a budgeting system under himself. Big advantage of IBS as well that we propose to customers solutions together with a range of services, consulting and implementation, completely controlling methodology.

TAdviser: Could you cite as an example one of the last large projects of IBS in the field of budgeting?

Elena Sayapina: One of fresh projects – the project for VTB 24 bank. We consider this project very ambitious, now it is on blueprint stage of the solution. We openly and professionally won fight of integrators for this project, having proved the high competence. Within the project for VTB 24 we will create the system of budget planning and control based on SAP BI. It is planned that the cycle of budget planning the following 2014 will be executed already in a new system.

The project is really very difficult: it is necessary to automate business processes of collecting and consolidation of budget data, to create mechanisms of interaction of employees during budget process, to integrate a budgeting system with the operating accounting system of bank on the SAP ERP platform and many other things. Big advantage is that processes in bank are already built correctly so it is necessary to correct very little them. Also huge plus is excellent communication with the customer.

TAdviser: Can you explain how use of specialized financial systems, for example, of budgeting, can help with work to users for limits of finance divisions?

Elena Sayapina: Of course, the bulk of users of financial systems is made by specialists: employees of financial and economic, planning departments, accounting and so on. But, depending on requirements of the company, such solutions can be applied and is wider. For example, using such solutions, top management of the companies can significantly simplify passing of budget committees, discussion of the economic indicators forming slightly the mode. Within budgeting systems the "upper" reporting can have visual representation, as much as possible simplifying her understanding and demonstration, visual reports, as well as others, can be delivered on mobile devices. Using the visual reporting, for example, on the tablet during the meeting the head can address at any time the interested digit and look what it consists of. Eventually it increases controllability of the company.