The balance sheet item that rewrites your forecast. Why Deferred Revenue Forecasting Can Mislead FP&A Teams Most finance teams treat deferred revenue as a routine line item. Cash is in, revenue will catch up, end of story. But in SaaS, deferred revenue can quietly sabotage your financial forecast. Under pressure, it stops being a cushion […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/200.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-27 00:00:382025-09-27 00:00:38When Deferred Revenue Turns Against You
The quiet fragility of FP&A’s favorite tool. Why Driver-Based Forecasting Fails in FP&A Every finance leader preaches driver-based planning. It’s elegant: revenue linked to sales capacity, churn tied to retention, headcount driving operating expenses. But the moment volatility hits — a market downturn, a hiring freeze, or a sudden churn spike — those neat branches […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/201.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-26 23:57:532025-09-26 23:57:53When Driver Trees Collapse Under Pressure
When accuracy feels perfect, your model is already lying. The Hidden Trap in FP&A Data Accuracy Finance leaders pride themselves on precision.Every formula checks out. Every cell ties. Every pivot reconciles. And yet — the financial forecast still betrays you. Why? Because the illusion of clean data is the most dangerous lie in FP&A. Data […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/202.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-24 10:46:002025-09-24 10:46:00The Illusion of Clean Data Will Bankrupt You
Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack halts production Jaguar Land Rover has extended its production shutdown until at least October 1, 2025, following a crippling cyberattack that disrupted core operations across its U.K. factories. What began as a short pause has stretched into weeks of halted assembly lines, idle workers, and suppliers under stress. The company […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-introspectivedsgn-4062200-modified-1.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-23 14:25:362025-09-23 14:30:05JLR Cyberattack: Production Halt to Oct 1 — Big FP&A Risks Ahead
Why automakers and FP&A teams must brace for a post-incentive world. A Subsidy Built Into the Price Tag For 16 years, U.S. buyers of electric vehicles counted on a cushion: the $7,500 federal tax credit. It narrowed the affordability gap. It signaled government commitment. And it gave automakers cover while they scaled production and reduced […]
Why FP&A Must Treat Geopolitics as a Financial Driver North Korea set new conditions for resuming talks with the United States, with Kim Jong Un citing his “fond memories” of meetings with Donald Trump but insisting Washington drop demands for denuclearisation. The headline may sound like pure politics. But to financial planning and analysis (FP&A) […]
Why FP&A Must Model Policy Shock Like Market Shock Indian IT shares dropped sharply after reports that the U.S. may introduce a $100,000 H-1B visa application fee, a move tied to proposals from former President Donald Trump’s campaign. The change could hit a $283 billion Indian IT services industry, heavily reliant on H-1B visas to […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/65-1.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-22 06:17:192025-09-22 06:17:19When a Visa Costs More Than an Engineer’s Salary
Why Pfizer’s Metsera Buyout Is a Lesson in FP&A Agility Pfizer Inc. is closing in on a $7.3 billion acquisition of Metsera, an anti-obesity drugmaker. If finalized, it would be one of the largest pharma M&A deals in years — and Pfizer’s boldest attempt to diversify as COVID-19 vaccine revenue falls. The prize? Entry into […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/114-1.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-22 06:00:512025-09-22 06:05:10Diet Pills, Mega Deals, and a $7.3B Forecast Gap
Most FP&A teams still forecast with lagging data: revenue booked, expenses paid, churn realized. By the time those numbers show up, the damage is already done. Forecasting shouldn’t just record history. It should see around corners. That’s what leading indicators deliver — early signals that predict financial outcomes before they hit the P&L. Here’s how […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/9.jpg11471732Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-17 21:19:042025-09-17 22:10:46How FP&A Can Build Leading Indicators Into Forecasts
7 Ways AI in FP&A Creates New Risks You Can’t Ignore AI is flooding into FP&A. Forecasts update in seconds, dashboards glow with insights, and executives cheer at “smarter” planning. But here’s the truth: AI doesn’t remove risk. It creates new ones. And if you’re not careful, your forecast bot will lie more confidently than […]
https://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pexels-goumbik-590022.jpg7951200Sarah Schlotthttps://theschlottco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo-schlottco-1.pngSarah Schlott2025-09-17 21:10:252025-09-17 22:10:47Your Forecast Bot Lies More Than Your Sales Team
When Deferred Revenue Turns Against You
The balance sheet item that rewrites your forecast. Why Deferred Revenue Forecasting Can Mislead FP&A Teams Most finance teams treat deferred revenue as a routine line item. Cash is in, revenue will catch up, end of story. But in SaaS, deferred revenue can quietly sabotage your financial forecast. Under pressure, it stops being a cushion […]
When Driver Trees Collapse Under Pressure
The quiet fragility of FP&A’s favorite tool. Why Driver-Based Forecasting Fails in FP&A Every finance leader preaches driver-based planning. It’s elegant: revenue linked to sales capacity, churn tied to retention, headcount driving operating expenses. But the moment volatility hits — a market downturn, a hiring freeze, or a sudden churn spike — those neat branches […]
The Illusion of Clean Data Will Bankrupt You
When accuracy feels perfect, your model is already lying. The Hidden Trap in FP&A Data Accuracy Finance leaders pride themselves on precision.Every formula checks out. Every cell ties. Every pivot reconciles. And yet — the financial forecast still betrays you. Why? Because the illusion of clean data is the most dangerous lie in FP&A. Data […]
JLR Cyberattack: Production Halt to Oct 1 — Big FP&A Risks Ahead
Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack halts production Jaguar Land Rover has extended its production shutdown until at least October 1, 2025, following a crippling cyberattack that disrupted core operations across its U.K. factories. What began as a short pause has stretched into weeks of halted assembly lines, idle workers, and suppliers under stress. The company […]
EV Prices Jump as $7,500 Credit Disappears
Why automakers and FP&A teams must brace for a post-incentive world. A Subsidy Built Into the Price Tag For 16 years, U.S. buyers of electric vehicles counted on a cushion: the $7,500 federal tax credit. It narrowed the affordability gap. It signaled government commitment. And it gave automakers cover while they scaled production and reduced […]
Nuclear Memories Don’t Balance a Forecast Ledger
Why FP&A Must Treat Geopolitics as a Financial Driver North Korea set new conditions for resuming talks with the United States, with Kim Jong Un citing his “fond memories” of meetings with Donald Trump but insisting Washington drop demands for denuclearisation. The headline may sound like pure politics. But to financial planning and analysis (FP&A) […]
When a Visa Costs More Than an Engineer’s Salary
Why FP&A Must Model Policy Shock Like Market Shock Indian IT shares dropped sharply after reports that the U.S. may introduce a $100,000 H-1B visa application fee, a move tied to proposals from former President Donald Trump’s campaign. The change could hit a $283 billion Indian IT services industry, heavily reliant on H-1B visas to […]
Diet Pills, Mega Deals, and a $7.3B Forecast Gap
Why Pfizer’s Metsera Buyout Is a Lesson in FP&A Agility Pfizer Inc. is closing in on a $7.3 billion acquisition of Metsera, an anti-obesity drugmaker. If finalized, it would be one of the largest pharma M&A deals in years — and Pfizer’s boldest attempt to diversify as COVID-19 vaccine revenue falls. The prize? Entry into […]
How FP&A Can Build Leading Indicators Into Forecasts
Most FP&A teams still forecast with lagging data: revenue booked, expenses paid, churn realized. By the time those numbers show up, the damage is already done. Forecasting shouldn’t just record history. It should see around corners. That’s what leading indicators deliver — early signals that predict financial outcomes before they hit the P&L. Here’s how […]
Your Forecast Bot Lies More Than Your Sales Team
7 Ways AI in FP&A Creates New Risks You Can’t Ignore AI is flooding into FP&A. Forecasts update in seconds, dashboards glow with insights, and executives cheer at “smarter” planning. But here’s the truth: AI doesn’t remove risk. It creates new ones. And if you’re not careful, your forecast bot will lie more confidently than […]