Section 404 and Beyond: Documenting a More Effective and Efficient Approach to Compliance (PDF, 213K)
Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance has been much more expensive and more resource-intensive that expected.  An even more important point is that Sarbanes-Oxley compliance represents an ongoing challenge to public companies and their finance and IT functions.  CFO's and CIOs who understand the new law's development, its costs and its resource demands are better positioned to sustain compliance in an effective and cost-effective manner.

Mid-market BPM: A Single - and Cost-Effective - Version of the Truth (PDF, 222K)
This white paper, written by Business Finance Magazine contributor Eric Krell, examines the new opportunities mid-market companies have in business performance management.

• Before mid-market executives invest in a BPM solution, they should understand four aspects of BPM that will help them make the best investment decision.
• Mid-market executives must have an understanding of the six unique BPM demands mid-market companies face because of their size.

Getting to the Root: A Post Sarbanes Strategy (PDF, 192K)
As Sarbanes-Oxley compliance efforts take shape, public companies and their finance and accounting departments are beginning to establish frameworks that will guide aggregation, treatment and control processes for years to come.  Although the ways in which the new law will be enforced remain uncertain, two points are clear:

• First, the SEC, under its new leadership and bolstered by a significantly higher budget, will pursue a much more active enforcement strategy than it has in recent years.
• Second, regardless of how strong their financial reporting controls are, most companies remain vulnerable to data aggregation problems.

Any sound compliance strategy begins with a commitment to applying accounting disciplines and controls to the raw financial data that feeds into the G/L.

Unsure Footing: Accounting in an Era with Less Margin for Error (PDF, 363K)
How well CFOs withstand the intense pressure bearing down on them from outside the organization depends on the strength of the accounting foundation their finance departments have constructed.  Finance executives face two fundamental questions as a result of the new laws:

1. How can I ensure the accuracy of our financial reports while speeding up the closing process?
2. How can I gain more time to investigate and analyze the numbers before filing?

This white paper explores how companies can shorten closing cycles, improve accuracy, reduce risk, and enhance their ability to distribute and share financial data with trusted sources.