Transforming FP&A into a strategic business partner. 5 things you should embrace in 2026

The discussion that FP&A should act as an advisor to the business is not new. But there are many still in a place far from this.

FP&A is one of the most exciting and varied places to work in a business. At least that’s how the job specifications read. And FP&A teams in some businesses are creating amazing, value-add partnerships with the wider business.

However, there are many teams that would probably reflect and think that there is a lot of work to be done. Why is it not happening? What are the challenges and barriers that prevent it from happening? And how can these barriers be overcome?

These are just a few questions that FP&A teams might be asking themselves in their journey to strategic business partner. This article reflects first on why it is that FP&A can add so much value to the broader business, and then outline a few actionable steps that can be taken in 2026 to get closer to that place.

The value that FP&A brings to the table as a strategic business partner

When positioned as a strategic business partner, FP&A can have an impact across the business and help decision-makers to make more value-add decisions. Whether it be through providing analysis and insights, or delivering recommendations, the potential to help in performance management and improvement is significant.

To dive a little deeper, here are just 3 examples of the value that FP&A can bring to the table:

1. Creating a connectivity between strategic goals and financial performance

Bridging the gap between strategic goals and day-to-day execution is a persistent challenge for most businesses. Strategic plans get made, but then it becomes business as usual once the plan is submitted. And whilst people need to focus day to day, it is important not only to understand what you are aiming for, but also how you are tracking against your goals. And FP&A is perfectly positioned to do this. They can create a glue between strategic goals and near-term performance.

2.  Identifying and evaluating growth opportunities

FP&A sits at the centre of so much. You see and hear a lot of important information and are uniquely positioned to provide insights. FP&A can have a huge impact on the future direction of the business by providing financial insights and analysis to a whole mix of different available opportunities.

3. Educating teams around the business of the financial implications of their decisions

People have to focus on their day to day. And for those in operations, they don’t always have that oversight and understanding of the broader financial impact of their work. FP&A can be real educators in this sense, by helping people make more informed decisions that are based not only on operational considerations, but also financial considerations. That connectivity between operational drivers and financial performance is a game changer for decision making.

Getting this right can be so impactful, both to the business, but also the individuals you work with.

As you can see, the value that FP&A can offer the wider business is undoubted. The key is to start taking steps that position yourself as that advisor.

5 things that FP&A teams can be doing in 2024 to make them indispensable to the rest of the business.

Ultimately, you are in control of your own destiny. So, take control and be proactive. Below are some thoughts on things you can do to position yourself as a key advisor to the broader business:

1. Collaborate. Collaborate. Collaborate.

FP&A cannot work in isolation or in a silo. If you don’t work with others, they will not know you are there. So put yourself out there. Reach out for a coffee chat. Put time in people’s diary. Ask people about their problems. All these things can set you up on a path to collaborate with a broader set of stakeholders.

 2. Embrace Driver-based Forecasting.

A financial plan on its own can live in a silo. Something that is submitted for reporting purposes. Something that gets prepared and never looked at again.

Driver-based forecasting takes operational drivers and uses that to build the forecast. Bedford’s own research found that FP&A teams typically spend 46% of their time manually collecting, combining, cleaning, and manipulating data. Driver-based forecasting is one of the most effective ways to reclaim that time and redirect it toward analysis that actually informs decisions. You create a glue between operations and finance. You start giving people more reason to care about the financials. Not sure where to start? Pick a revenue or a cost line. Book a meeting with someone associated with this. And then ask them how they plan. You will quickly start to understand more about how to make that connection. And the person you speak to will learn also.

3. Scale up your scenario planning capabilities

Forecasts are in essence, estimates. Many things can happen. Decision-makers need all the help they can get to try and get it right – it is not easy! And being able to give them visibility of a range of outcomes can be a superpower for them. This is increasingly within reach. AI-assisted scenario modelling is making it faster to generate, test, and compare multiple outcomes – moving scenario planning from a quarterly exercise to something that can happen in hours rather than weeks.

And if you help them, they will come to you. And the path to partnership will start moving fast.

4. Join meetings with other teams

Maybe the easiest thing you can do is ask to sit in meetings with other teams. Listen to what they talk about. Get a bit more context about their day to day working life. Ask questions. Give them the chance to ask you questions.

By getting close to operations, you start becoming more a part of the conversation. This is a path to partnership.

5. Position yourself as someone who provides solutions and advice

If you want to start being a strategic advisor, start trying to give strategic advice.

Getting started with these is of course easier said than done. But once you get into that position as a key advisor within the business, your opportunities can completely transform.

Breaking into the position as an advisor is tough. But getting there is worth it, for both the individual and the business.

In our opinion, FP&A is continuing its evolution as a strategic function in any business. And every business seems to be on a different place on that journey. And that is completely fine of course.

If you’re wondering how close your planning function is to making this shift, the Confidence Grader scores your planning maturity across five dimensions in under three minutes. It’s a useful starting point for understanding where the quick wins are. Take the Confidence Grader