The intricacies of budgeting can often pose a daunting challenge, especially when essential data is not at hand. The key to unlocking financial success lies in streamlining the budgeting process whether that is to centralize your data or anlayzing historical matters to inform future budget. By leveraging tools that provide easy access to detailed breakdowns and revenue data, law firms can ensure that managers have the most accurate insights to plan effectively for the financial year and prioritize initiatives that drive profitability. 

Streamline your budgeting process to drive profits by: 
 

1. Reducing time through centralized data management.
   Implementing an automated platform that seamlessly pulls and processes data from multiple sources into one centralized location is the game-changer. This not only saves time but empowers finance and operations teams to access crucial information with just a few clicks. This results in a more efficient and effective budgeting process that allows teams to focus on strategic decision-making rather than “data hunting”. 
   
   
2. Increasing visibility of the budgeting process.
   With all data housed in a unified, automated platform, firms can identify trends and understand the resources required to successfully close a matter. Reporting and dashboards provide real-time visibility, enabling teams to compare actuals, budgets, and forecasts. This not only improves predictive capabilities but also enhances overall financial planning, ensuring that the firm is well-prepared for whatever the future holds. 
   
   
3. Advanced forecasting capabilities to future proof your firm.
   Forecasting can provide a more nuanced understanding of future financial scenarios, allowing your firm to make proactive decisions. Whether it's predicting revenue fluctuations or anticipating resource needs, centralized forecasting adds another layer of strategic planning to your financial toolkit.
   
   

Here’s what leading industry experts are saying on this topic: 

• Budgeting and Forecasting: Four Pillars of Success 
• What does productive legal financial management software look like? 
• 5th Annual LawVision and BigHand Profitability Survey Report 
  
  

You can achieve this with BigHand Budgeting and Forecasting. It transforms law firm annual budgeting processes from a time-consuming chore to a highly productive mission. Its integration capabilities ensure timely management of budget-to-actual results. Budgeting and Forecasting enables firms to predict cash and accrual-based revenue and simplify all aspects of budgeting and variance tracking within a firm. 

• Increase ownership and decrease approval time 
• Determine variable revenue and expenses 
• Analyze budget variances and collect explanations 
• Distribute browser-based worksheets 
• Maintain data integrity with a centralized database  
• Turn budgeting into a business tool, not an administrative burden