General Questions
Interface and Set-up of Data
Features/Functions
Technical Information
Other Information
General Questions
Q: How does Essatto improve my budgeting process?
A: Unlike the rigid spreadsheet environment, Essatto utilises database technology. It instantly updates and reflects changes to the data and structures such as adding a new product or channel, provides a consistent, extremely easy to use interface to quick, accurate data entry (no formulas or macros), automates consolidation, dynamically builds reports and provides multi-level security. You spend less time on data collection and verification. More time on analysis and strategy.
Q: Can I access my budget information over the Web?
A: Essatto software is web-enabled. You can access it from any PC with a web browser.
Q: Is Essatto Scalable?
A: One of Essatto's key strengths is its scalability. Essatto is built on an industrial strength database which is used in many data warehouse applications. In addition, the incorporation of the HyperRoll aggregation engine delivers performance second to none ensuring that clients do not have to wait very long to view the solved outcomes regardless of whether you have small or large volumes of data.
Q:Does Essatto operate in a network environment?
A: Yes, Essatto operates in a network environment, allowing easy collaboration in budgeting and financial management.
Q: How much time does it take to implement?
A: Essatto software is the closest you will get to an out-of-the-box Corporate Performance Management solution. All the structures and modules are pre-built and data and structure information such as accounts, products and responsibility centres are populated on the fly from data files extracted from your source system.
Q:For what Industries is Essatto designed?
A: Essatto is very flexible and can handle most business environments including service industries, wholesale, retail, high tech, non-profit, government and manufacturing.
Q: How much detail do I have to put in my budget?
A: That's up to you. Essatto is flexible enough to allow you to enter as detailed or as global information as you want.
Interface and Set-up of Data
Q: Can Essatto link to my G/L and other systems?
A: Yes! Essatto software easily imports and exports data from just about any G/L or other source system. The only pre-requisite is that a data file can be extracted from the source.
Q: Can I add to or modify the standard Essatto functionality?
A: Essatto is a fully extensible solution. A client's unique requirements can be easily incorporated into the standard Essatto solution.
Q: Can I re-import data into my accounting package?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I bring in my starting balances?
A: Yes.
Q: How many years can I forecast?
A: In Essatto you can forecast monthly data for as many years as you require.
Q: How does Essatto handle historical data?
A: Essatto software allows as many years as required of monthly historical data.
Q: How do I collect and distribute our managers' budget information?
A: Essatto allows managers to enter their information directly into Essatto via the web or via an Excel Spreadsheet interface. These simple and intuitive user interfaces allow users do prepare budgets or forecasts without necessarily having any accounting expertise or training.
Features/Functions
Q: How do I get Financial Statements?
A: Essatto builds all your reports from data loaded from source systems or input by users . Report whether historical or looking into the future are updated automatically everytime Essatto is recalculated.
Q: Can I build my own reports?
A: Whilst a portfolio of reports for each module are supplied with Essatto "out of the box", users are able to create their own reports by simply using the mouse and pointing and clicking. There is no need for a report writer or getting IT involved in the process.
Q: Can I generate Budget to Actual comparisons (variance reports)?
A: Essatto software allows comparisons of combination of scenarios including Budget vs. Actual, Current Forecast vs. Prior Month Forecast, Current Month forecast vs. Budget.You can even have these comparisons appearing on a single report if you prefer.
Q: Can I have annotations within the system?
A: Essatto allows you to insert a note within any input cell. In addition Essatto integrates with Microsoft products allowing users to insert links within these notes that point to information contained in an Excel spreadsheet, Power point file or Word document.
Q: Can I calculate employee and related expenses?
A: Essatto dynamically calculates all salary and salary-related expenses. You can enter/import information at an individual employee level within responsibility centre or at a grade or category level within responsibility centre or alternatively you can populate for increases at a global level if you so choose.
Q: Can Essatto generate a headcount report?
A: Yes. Essatto automatically generates a detailed FTE report based on any combination of user-defined criteria. You can easily see all the existing employees, new hires, and terminations.
Q: Can Essatto calculate sales commissions?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I improve my strategic decision making by building "What-If" Scenarios?
A: Yes! All assumptions making up the latest budget or plan is stored centrally enabling an organisation to undertake extensive "what-if" analysis because all the necessary information is at your finger tips as opposed to residing in a multitude of decentralised spreadsheets only accessible to individual users. "What-if" Scenarios can be created on the fly. Essatto's powerful "What if" feature lets you easily look into the future and users can dynamically make adjustments and instantly view anticipated outcomes allowing organisations to avoid hidden pitfalls and take advantage of potential opportunities.
Q: Can I reforecast?
A: Yes. Essatto allows you to forecast and reforecast,save and compare each scenario to history and other scenarios.
Q: Can I have a fiscal year other than calendar?
A: Yes. Your fiscal year can start in any month.
Q: Can I do auto spread of annual values?
A: Essatto has several built-in spreads or you can custom create any spread you need.
Q: What methods of forecasting does Essatto support?
A: Essatto supports all types of budgeting process from zero-based, top down budgeting.
Q: How can I allocate my expenses to other centres, products or channels?
A: Essatto incorporates a powerful allocations module that allows organisations to cross charge and allocate revenue and expenses to other responsibility centres, products or channels using various allocation approaches including manual input percentages, business drivers such as sales revenue and sales dollars or any other key operating statistic.
Q: How easily can I consolidate my budgets?
A: scenarios quickly and easily without the headaches normally associated with spreadsheets such as linking in new products centres and accounts. Unlike spreadsheets, users can be assured that when Essatto has undertaken a consolidation the results are correct.
Technical Information
Q: What platforms does Essatto run on?
A: Essatto runs on Windows, Unix and Linux platforms.
Q: How many users can I have?
A: Essatto supports an unlimited number of users.
Q: What kind of security does Essatto have?
A: Each person licensed to use Essatto software is assigned a unique username and password, and can only see those areas of the system you want them to see and only those departments (responsibility centres) that have given them access to. For example, managers may be able to see the revenues and expenses for their departments but not sensitive personnel information or information relating to other departments.
Other Information
Q: What's included in your maintenance program?
A: With a maintenance and support agreement organisations have access to a wide range of support options to make sure their Essatto solution always runs smoothly. Organisations can access our online help system and product updates, as well as email and telephone technical support from our Customer Support Centre.