Q1 2013 Business Volatility and Variables Audit

Thank you for participating in the quarterly Business Volatility and Variables Audit. It should take about 5 minutes to complete. The BPI Network and Adaptive Planning survey hundreds of financial and business professionals like you on a regular basis to aggregate and analyze current perspectives on economic conditions, how the economy is impacting corporate performance and plans, and the effectiveness of financial management practices in uncertain times. All registrants will be entered in a drawing to win a new iPad and receive a complimentary copy of the results of the poll. These results, which represent the most up-to-date snapshot of finance and business leaders’ assumptions for the future, will be an ideal resource as you work through budgets and strategic plans for the coming year. Please note that all responses are completely anonymous.

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* 1. How would you describe the current economic conditions in your industry vs. conditions 6 months ago?

Much Worse

Worse

Same

Better

Much Better

Much Worse

Worse

Same

Better

Much Better

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* 2. Compared to today, how do you expect economic conditions in your industry to be in 6 months?

Much Worse

Worse

Same

Better

Much Better

Much Worse

Worse

Same

Better

Much Better

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* 3. What do you think is the probability that the US economy will fall into another recession over the next 12 months?

1-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

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* 4. When do you expect a significant improvement in unemployment rates within the US economy?

Already Underway

Q2-13

Q3-13

Q4-13

First half of 2014

Second half of 2014 or beyond

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* 5. How do you predict the overall economy will fare in 2013 vs. 2012?

Much Worse

Somewhat Worse

Same

Somewhat Better

Much Better

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* 6. What do you expect for your company in 6 months versus now?

	More than 10% Lower	1-10% Lower	--Same--	1-10% Higher	More than 10% Higher
Revenues	Revenues More than 10% Lower	Revenues 1-10% Lower	Revenues --Same--	Revenues 1-10% Higher	Revenues More than 10% Higher
Capital Spending	Capital Spending More than 10% Lower	Capital Spending 1-10% Lower	Capital Spending --Same--	Capital Spending 1-10% Higher	Capital Spending More than 10% Higher
Employees	Employees More than 10% Lower	Employees 1-10% Lower	Employees --Same--	Employees 1-10% Higher	Employees More than 10% Higher
Profit Margins	Profit Margins More than 10% Lower	Profit Margins 1-10% Lower	Profit Margins --Same--	Profit Margins 1-10% Higher	Profit Margins More than 10% Higher

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* 7. Over the next 6 months, which of the following do you see as the greatest concerns for the overall US economy? (Please choose 3.)

Need for deficit reduction

Unemployment

Economic instability in Europe

Healthcare reform

Instability in Middle East and Africa

Collapse of the Euro

Housing market

Impacts of international war on terrorism

Declining stock market

Budget sequestration

Declining economic growth in China

Need for additional government stimulus

Other, please specify

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* 8. How would you characterize the current level of economic uncertainty facing your business?

Very High

High

Medium

Low

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* 9. How many times did your company re-plan, re-forecast, or create what-if scenarios last quarter?

4 or more

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* 10. Do you expect that the uncertain economic environment will cause you to re-plan, re-forecast, and perform what-if scenario analyses more frequently in the next quarter?

Yes

Don't Know

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* 11. What is your company's primary method of planning, budgeting, and forecasting?

Excel or other manual spreadsheets

On-premise software solution

Cloud/Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution

Don't use anything

Don't know

Other (please specify)

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* 12. What issues or problems have you experienced with Excel for planning, budgeting, forecasting, or analysis (select all that apply)?

Painfully slow

Inaccurate and error-prone

Difficult to collaborate

Doesn't scale for larger businesses

Inflexible

Not secure

Don't know

Don't have any experience with Excel

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Which social media sites are you active with? (Select all that apply)

Twitter

Facebook

Proformative

Other, please specify

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* 14. Which of the following characteristics are present in your company? (Select all that apply)

Multiple business units

Multiple geographic entities

Multiple currencies

Merged or acquired businesses

Business units that buy and sell to and from one another

Business units with disparate ERP systems/charts of accounts

Minority interest in other businesses

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* 15. How satisfied are you with your consolidations and close processes?

Very satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Somewhat dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

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* 16. Would you like to improve the accuracy and quality of data in your month-end consolidation and reporting process?

Yes

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* 17. Would you like to improve the speed of your month-end close and reporting cycle?

Yes

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* 18. How many days after period close have you completed your consolidation and reporting process?

1 – 10 days

11 – 15 days

16 – 20 days

More than 20 days

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* 19. What is the size of your company? (Number of Employees)

1-99

100-999

1,000 - 2,499

2,500 or more

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* 20. What are your company's revenues?

$0-10 million

$11 - $25 million

$26 - $50 million

$51 - $200 million

$201 - $500 million

$501 - $1 billion

> $1 billion

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* 1. How would you describe the current economic conditions in your industry vs. conditions 6 months ago?

Question Title

* 2. Compared to today, how do you expect economic conditions in your industry to be in 6 months?

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* 3. What do you think is the probability that the US economy will fall into another recession over the next 12 months?

Question Title

* 4. When do you expect a significant improvement in unemployment rates within the US economy?

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* 5. How do you predict the overall economy will fare in 2013 vs. 2012?

Question Title

* 6. What do you expect for your company in 6 months versus now?

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* 7. Over the next 6 months, which of the following do you see as the greatest concerns for the overall US economy? (Please choose 3.)

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* 8. How would you characterize the current level of economic uncertainty facing your business?

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* 9. How many times did your company re-plan, re-forecast, or create what-if scenarios last quarter?

Question Title

* 10. Do you expect that the uncertain economic environment will cause you to re-plan, re-forecast, and perform what-if scenario analyses more frequently in the next quarter?

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* 11. What is your company's primary method of planning, budgeting, and forecasting?

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* 12. What issues or problems have you experienced with Excel for planning, budgeting, forecasting, or analysis (select all that apply)?

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* 13. Which social media sites are you active with? (Select all that apply)

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* 14. Which of the following characteristics are present in your company? (Select all that apply)

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* 15. How satisfied are you with your consolidations and close processes?

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* 16. Would you like to improve the accuracy and quality of data in your month-end consolidation and reporting process?

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* 17. Would you like to improve the speed of your month-end close and reporting cycle?

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* 18. How many days after period close have you completed your consolidation and reporting process?

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* 19. What is the size of your company? (Number of Employees)

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* 20. What are your company's revenues?

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* 21. What industry best describes your company's focus?