The 2026 FP&A Impact Report
A data-driven look at where FP&A stands today—and its next phase of evolution. Based on insights from 400+ finance leaders, uncover why most teams have yet to ascend to their highest potential and how leading organizations overcome data, process and decision-making challenges.
Key Takeaways
- FP&A Maturity
- Data and Systems
- AI Adoption
- Forecasting
FP&A Maturity
Most FP&A teams are stuck in the middle between basic and best-in-class operations—delivering reports, not driving decisions.
61% of FP&A teams are still viewed as reporting functions or financial advisors, not strategic business partners.
Data and Systems
Access to the right data remains the biggest barrier to effective planning and decision-making.
58% of teams cite data quality and availability as their top bottleneck impeding FP&A processes, and 73% rank it among their top three technology challenges.
AI Adoption
AI is a top priority, but most companies’ data foundations aren’t ready to support it.
70% of organizations have executive-level mandates to adopt AI in their finance function, yet more than half report only moderate or limited integration between their FP&A tools and source systems.
Forecasting
Forecast accuracy and delivery remains a persistent challenge across FP&A teams.
52% of organizations report revenue forecast variances greater than 6%. What’s more, 45% of respondents said it takes their FP&A team a week or more to deliver a decision-ready forecast when market conditions change unexpectedly.
What Finance Leaders Are Saying
“We do a good job forecasting and reporting on the business, but more partnering/adding value to partners would take it to the next level.”
Survey Respondent in the Technology Industry
“We are excellent at the basics such as budgeting and reporting. We do not have advanced tools to move to proper periodic or rolling forecasts.”
Survey Respondent in the Retail Industry
“Moving from an annual budget with no forecast to a rolling forecast that’s continually updated is a significant culture shift.”
Survey Respondent in the Manufacturing Industry
What Best-in-Class FP&A Teams Do Differently
Most FP&A Teams — Leading FP&A Teams
Most FP&A Teams
Leading FP&A Teams
Data is fragmented across ERP, CRM, HRIS and spreadsheets
Financial and operational data is connected in real time across systems
Planning happens in monthly or quarterly cycles
Planning is continuous, with decisions updated as conditions change
FP&A teams spend precious time gathering and validating data
AI and automation handle data prep, freeing teams to focus on insights
FP&A gets visibility into the broader business mostly through meetings and email
FP&A is embedded in business workflows with shared ownership of plans
Most FP&A Teams
Data is fragmented across ERP, CRM, HRIS and spreadsheets
Planning happens in monthly or quarterly cycles
FP&A teams spend precious time gathering and validating data
FP&A gets visibility into the broader business mostly through meetings and email
Leading FP&A Teams
Financial and operational data is connected in real time across systems
Planning is continuous, with decisions updated as conditions change
AI and automation handle data prep, freeing teams to focus on insights
FP&A is embedded in business workflows with shared ownership of plans
Explore the Data for Yourself
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Frequently Asked Questions
FP&A maturity refers to how effectively a finance team manages their people, processes and technology to distribute the insights the business needs to make confident decisions. The most mature FP&A teams move beyond reporting to deliver real-time insights, scenario planning and strategic guidance across the business.
The report provides benchmark data from 400+ finance leaders on FP&A maturity, AI adoption, forecasting accuracy, annual planning processes, data challenges, and more. It highlights where teams are falling short and what leading organizations are doing differently.
Higher FP&A maturity enables faster, more accurate decision-making, improved forecast confidence and stronger alignment across the business. It also allows finance teams to act as strategic partners rather than just reporting functions.
The report identifies data quality and availability, system integration gaps, manual processes and limited cross-functional alignment as the top barriers preventing FP&A teams from reaching their fullest potential.
This report is designed for CFOs, FP&A leaders, finance professionals and business executives responsible for planning, forecasting and performance management.
Yes, the full report is available as a free download and provides detailed benchmarks, insights and recommendations for addressing the most pressing challenges facing FP&A teams, based on input from over 400 finance professionals across the globe.
If you’re interested in learning how Vena can help your team improve planning, forecasting and decision-making, you can request a free demo. We’ll walk through your current processes, share relevant use cases and show how leading FP&A teams are putting these practices into action.