The cost driver no one models until the budget explodes. Why SaaS Implementation Cost Forecasting Matters Every SaaS forecast obsesses over ARR, churn, and gross margin. But buried in the background is a silent killer: implementation cost forecasting in SaaS FP&A. These are the hours, resources, and systems required to onboard new clients. For enterprise […]
The invisible risk hiding inside SaaS models. Why FX Forecasting Matters in SaaS FP&A Most SaaS FP&A teams obsess over ARR, churn, and margin. But for companies with global revenue and expenses, FX exposure forecasting in SaaS is the hidden driver that reshapes numbers. Revenue booked in euros, costs paid in pounds, contracts priced in […]
The expense no one models until it’s too late. Why Deferred Commissions Forecasting Matters in SaaS Every SaaS forecast models revenue, headcount, and gross margin. But sales commissions? Too often they’re lumped into SG&A and forgotten. That’s a mistake. In high-growth SaaS, commissions aren’t just a cost. They’re a timing bomb. Under ASC 606, commissions […]
The hidden volatility no one wants to model. Why SaaS Gross Margin Forecasting Is Broken Most SaaS leaders assume gross margin is stable. Infrastructure is fixed, delivery scales predictably, and once you hit size, margins hover in a safe band. That’s the illusion. In practice, SaaS gross margin forecasting is volatile. A small spike in […]
Why cohort decay models should replace averages in SaaS FP&A. Why Renewal Forecasting in SaaS Is Broken Every SaaS forecast lives or dies on renewals. You can hit bookings, expand ARR, and close enterprise whales — but if customer renewals falter, your growth story collapses. Here’s the trap: most FP&A teams forecast renewal rates using […]
Receivables don’t miss deadlines — people do. Why DSO Forecasting Matters in FP&A Most FP&A teams obsess over ARR, churn, and headcount. But Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) forecasting quietly runs in the background — often ignored until it’s too late. Without it, forecasts assume cash arrives on time. In reality, late payments stretch working capital. […]
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
When Implementations Sink Your Forecast
The cost driver no one models until the budget explodes. Why SaaS Implementation Cost Forecasting Matters Every SaaS forecast obsesses over ARR, churn, and gross margin. But buried in the background is a silent killer: implementation cost forecasting in SaaS FP&A. These are the hours, resources, and systems required to onboard new clients. For enterprise […]
When Currency Moves Break Your Forecast
The invisible risk hiding inside SaaS models. Why FX Forecasting Matters in SaaS FP&A Most SaaS FP&A teams obsess over ARR, churn, and margin. But for companies with global revenue and expenses, FX exposure forecasting in SaaS is the hidden driver that reshapes numbers. Revenue booked in euros, costs paid in pounds, contracts priced in […]
When Commissions Break Your SaaS Forecast
The expense no one models until it’s too late. Why Deferred Commissions Forecasting Matters in SaaS Every SaaS forecast models revenue, headcount, and gross margin. But sales commissions? Too often they’re lumped into SG&A and forgotten. That’s a mistake. In high-growth SaaS, commissions aren’t just a cost. They’re a timing bomb. Under ASC 606, commissions […]
When Gross Margin Betrays Your SaaS Forecast
The hidden volatility no one wants to model. Why SaaS Gross Margin Forecasting Is Broken Most SaaS leaders assume gross margin is stable. Infrastructure is fixed, delivery scales predictably, and once you hit size, margins hover in a safe band. That’s the illusion. In practice, SaaS gross margin forecasting is volatile. A small spike in […]
When Renewal Rates Deceive Your Forecast
Why cohort decay models should replace averages in SaaS FP&A. Why Renewal Forecasting in SaaS Is Broken Every SaaS forecast lives or dies on renewals. You can hit bookings, expand ARR, and close enterprise whales — but if customer renewals falter, your growth story collapses. Here’s the trap: most FP&A teams forecast renewal rates using […]
When DSO Quietly Erodes Your Cash Forecast
Receivables don’t miss deadlines — people do. Why DSO Forecasting Matters in FP&A Most FP&A teams obsess over ARR, churn, and headcount. But Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) forecasting quietly runs in the background — often ignored until it’s too late. Without it, forecasts assume cash arrives on time. In reality, late payments stretch working capital. […]
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 […]