ControllerWindshield · Where are we right now?
Are we hitting our growth targets?
Targets only help if you check them. A monthly comparison tells you, in dollars and percent, whether you’re on pace.
Without targets to compare against, every month looks fine until the year doesn’t. The comparison, not the report, is what surfaces problems early.
An approach
- Set the targets. Revenue, gross margin and profit for the year, broken out by month.
- Compare after every close. Actual beside target, for the month and for the year to date.
- Measure the gap. In dollars and as a percent of target. Flag anything more than 10% off.
- Explain each flag in one line. Timing, a one-time item, or a real trend?
- Act on trends. A trend needs an action and an owner, not just a note.
You can answer it when
- Every month you know, in dollars and percent, how far you are from target.
- Every big gap has a one-line explanation.
Related
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