Category

Technology

Cash & Working CapitalTechnology
May 6, 2021

In Search of a Cash Forecasting Model for Use Across the Enterprise

One corporate in search of simplicity opted for developing a solution in-house vs. using third-party vendors.An indispensable lesson from the pandemic is that revenues can drop unexpectedly and precipitously, and so cash forecasts must consider multiple scenarios and learn from the past. An assistant treasurer (AT) from a global industrial company explained at a recent NeuGroup meeting how his company is improving cash forecasting with machine learning and other new technologies. A precise forecast was not the goal, but rather…
Justin Jones
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Investment ManagementTechnology
April 29, 2021

What the Crypto Craze Means for Corporates Seeking Use Cases

Treasurers eye the value of Bitcoin and other digital assets as payment methods, investments and tech tools.The fast-paced, volatile and increasingly popular world of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and other digital assets is sparking interest, questions and a few concerns among finance and treasury professionals. Discussion at a recent NeuGroup meeting of assistant treasurers pointed up how some corporates are approaching the decision about what role, if any, digital assets should play in their futures.Other members are grappling with more granular…
Justin Jones
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Cash & Working CapitalTechnology
April 22, 2021

Overcoming Resistance: Integrating Data in Cash Flow Forecasting

Treasurers at mid-cap corporates looking to use large-scale data analysis to enhance cash flow forecasting are finding colleagues hesitant.The advantages of using sophisticated data analysis in cash flow forecasting are clear to a growing number of treasurers intent on improving accuracy and eliminating human error. But implementing and executing a data-driven approach often requires collaboration with teams outside treasury, such as AR and credit collections—and some NeuGroup members are meeting resistance. Solid support from leadership and showing the benefits of…
Justin Jones
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NeugroupRisk ManagementTechnology
April 15, 2021

‘Heat Maps Must Die’: Out With the Old ERM Tools, in With the New

Critics say traditional tools are inadequate for illustrating risk; one ERM member has found success modernizing them.Pity the poor risk heat map. This well-worn tool, traditionally used by ERM teams to provide a visual representation of the range of risks a corporate faces, is now an object of scorn for some risk managers, including NeuGroup members. “Heat maps must die,” one member said at a recent NeuGroup meeting for ERM heads, a sentiment echoed by a number of his peers.Also…
Justin Jones
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BankingTalking ShopTechnology
April 1, 2021

Talking Shop: Payment Platforms; Supply Chain Finance; Bank Capital

Member question 1 (payment platforms): “We are having discovery calls with FIS, TIS and Fides to understand their value propositions. “Our main pain points are having all sorts of e-banking portals, and arise when we onboard new entities (recently acquired) and penetrate new countries.“Anybody having any experiences with the vendors listed? And suggestions how to best select (did you RFP this business?).” Peer answer 1: “We have used TIS for some years now and are quite happy. They have a…
Justin Jones
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BankingTechnology
March 25, 2021

A Push in the Right Direction to Simplify Bank Fee Analysis

As bank fee statements slowly standardize, corporates and banks can work together to make the analysis process simpler.Analyzing bank fees to uncover outliers remains a thorn in the side of treasury teams—in no small part because the banks code their fees and transmit the files to corporates in many different ways. And while standardization is improving, companies should keep the pressure on banks to bring more clarity to the opaque world of bank fees. That was among the takeaways at…
Justin Jones
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BankingRisk ManagementTechnology
March 25, 2021

A Goldman Risk Management Tool Flying Under the Radar

FX risk managers talk up a Goldman Sachs solution called Capital Markets Atlas to measure value at risk.To no one’s surprise, a recent meeting of NeuGroup FX risk managers included plenty of talk about well-known vendors of exposure identification solutions like FireApps and AtlasFX, FX trading platforms including FxAll and 360T, and a variety of ERPs and TMSs. But not everyone in the large virtual room had heard of a self-service tool from Goldman Sachs that some members are using…
Justin Jones
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FXRisk ManagementTechnology
March 18, 2021

Racing to Change Horses: A Risk Manager’s Quick Switch to AtlasFX

An FX risk manager changed exposure ID systems and implemented the new solution in just three months.Changing horses in midstream is never easy, but sometimes it’s the right move. One FX risk manager who did it explained to members of NeuGroup for Foreign Exchange the benefits of jumping off his existing exposure identification system and hopping onto AtlasFX—in an extremely compressed timeline of three months.   The time and effort spent making the switch under pressure paid off big-time. “We…
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Cash & Working CapitalTechnology
March 11, 2021

Future State: Data Lakes, Straight-Through Processing and APIs

Takeaways from NeuGroup’s TMS working group featuring discussion of automation, consolidation of ERPs and more.Straight-through processing (STP) that involves several systems, including payments and bank connectivity, sounds great. But members at a recent NeuGroup TMS Tuesday working group session agreed that efforts to accelerate STP first require a more detailed plan for the overall technology end state of treasury infrastructure. For example, one member said his company is still unsure if it would be best to further integrate all payment…
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Capital MarketsTalking ShopTechnology
March 9, 2021

Talking Shop: A Fintech Collects Capital Markets Pricing Data

Background: Members of NeuGroup for Capital Markets recently heard a presentation from InterPrice Technologies, a woman-owned fintech that collects pricing data for issuers. The company says its platform gives corporates access to their costs of capital “at any point in time and streamlines their communication with financing partners.” The technology “automatically aggregates bond, commercial paper and loan indications into intuitive dashboards across currencies and financing products,” InterPrice says.InterPrice on Monday announced it has raised $2.5 million in seed money led…
Justin Jones
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