Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) applications like Oracle EPM are the backbone of financial and operational decision-making. They power processes such as Planning & Budgeting, Financial Close & Consolidation, Account Reconciliations, and Management Reporting. When these systems are fed with complete, consistent, and timely data, they empower organizations to plan with confidence, close the books faster, and make well-informed decisions.
But when data is inaccurate or inconsistent, the very foundation of these critical processes is compromised.
The Cost of Inaccurate Data in EPM
1. Planning & Budgeting
Planning relies on accurate data from multiple systems: General Ledger, HR, CRM, operational systems, and more. Errors in data loads, metadata hierarchies (such as Chart of Accounts structures), or currency translations can distort budgets and forecasts. Small inconsistencies often cascade into poor investment decisions or missed targets.
2. Financial Close & Consolidation
During the close cycle, organizations depend on data flowing from ERP and other transactional systems into Oracle EPM. If trial balances don’t tie out, if intercompany eliminations don’t reconcile, or if metadata is misaligned, the close process grinds to a halt. The result: delayed reporting, costly rework, frustrated teams, and potential compliance risks.
3. Account Reconciliations
Reconciliation requires accurate balances and complete transaction data. If transactions are missing from source systems, or if account structures and balances don’t align, reconciliation backlogs build up quickly. Teams end up chasing down exceptions instead of delivering insight.
4. Reporting & Compliance
Management reports and external financial statements must be trusted. A single inaccurate data point can undermine confidence with executives, auditors, and regulators. Beyond reputational damage, regulatory compliance requires provable accuracy—meaning errors can translate directly into audit findings or even penalties.
Why Data Accuracy Breaks Down
Most organizations face three recurring challenges when it comes to EPM data accuracy:
- Data Movement Across Systems
EPM rarely stands alone. Data flows in from ERP, CRM, HRIS, and operational systems. Every transfer introduces risk of error, transformation issues, or misalignment. - Manual Validation
Too often, validation is performed through spreadsheets and spot-checks. This approach is time-consuming, error-prone, and nearly impossible to scale in complex enterprises. - Audit & Compliance Pressure
Finance and IT teams are under constant scrutiny to prove their numbers. Auditors and regulators increasingly expect transparent evidence that data in EPM is accurate and complete.
The Hidden Impact
When finance teams spend time fixing broken data, they have less capacity to provide strategic insight. Inaccurate data doesn’t just slow processes—it erodes trust. Executives lose confidence in forecasts, auditors raise questions, and critical decisions get delayed.
Moving Toward 100% Trust in Your Data
Data accuracy in Oracle EPM applications is not a “nice to have”—it’s a requirement for reliable planning, faster closes, smooth reconciliations, and audit-ready reporting. Organizations that treat data validation as a first-class discipline can operate with greater speed, confidence, and compliance.
At AuditChecked, we’ve built a platform to automate these validations, ensure data consistency, and give finance leaders full confidence in the numbers driving their business. If you’re ready to reduce risk and increase trust in your Oracle EPM data, schedule a discovery call to see how we can help.
