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Top 5 planning Trends to look out for in 2025

       
  • EPM
  • Thought Leadership

Top 5 planning Trends to look out for in 2025

Top 5 planning Trends to look out for in 2025

What differentiates companies like Apple and Tesla from companies like Kodak and Nokia? The former are leaders, and the latter are laggards. Why is that? 

Change, agility, flexibility. 

Organisations that are constantly dynamic, flexible and keep changing based on the market behaviour will always be leaders. And those organisations that refuse to change or adapt and stay rigid will always be laggards. 

An organisation can be agile, only if all the individual departments are agile and flexible too. In this context, ask yourself, is your FP&A team agile? Are they constantly changing and adapting to market requirements? What are the latest trends that they need to focus on? Are they implementing the same? 

In this blog we shall look at the top 5 planning trends that every FP&A team must look out for in 2025, by drawing insights from the Global CPM Trends and Priorities Report 2025, created by two of the world’s reputed industry analyst firms, BARC and BPM Partners, in association with JustPerform. 

As organisations attempt to remain agile, the demand for more adaptive and insightful planning capabilities is intensifying. The latest trends reveal an accelerating adoption of key capabilities within corporate performance management (CPM) for 2025, driven by a need for frequent, accurate forecasts and greater operational alignment.  

Predictive planning and forecasting, cited by 53 percent of companies, leads the way, closely followed by the integration of strategic and operational planning (41 percent) and scenario simulation and analysis (40 percent). 

Trends like value driver-based planning and integration with BI and analytics are also rising, showing a broad commitment to creating more responsive and informed planning processes. 

Let us now look at 5 key trends and what they mean for FP&A teams. 

 

1. Self-Service Planning 

Self-service planning is becoming an established standard, with 68 per cent of companies prioritising user-friendly systems that empower business departments to operate independently from IT. 

This trend is a response to rising demands for rapid, iterative planning cycles, a need for accessibility, and a move toward financial self-sufficiency. Ease of use is paramount; many organisations are replacing older, complex systems with streamlined, intuitive platforms that reduce learning curves and enhance user adoption. 

68 per cent of companies prioritise user-friendly planning systems 

The push for self-service solutions is not just about ease of use for planners but also for system administrators, who are increasingly advocating for systems that simplify administration. 

As a result, new system implementations are often initiated not for additional capabilities but to offer planners and administrators an accessible, functional toolset. 

 

A graph of blue and green lines
<p>Description automatically generated"></figure><p> </p><p><span lang=Ease of use for both planners and developers has been a rising priority in the last couple of years 

 

However, the transition toward self-service does not come without challenges. Adopting self-service planning often depends on time-constrained users who may initially resist new technology.  

To encourage adoption, companies are making systems as appealing and helpful as possible, leveraging usability as a fundamental aspect of planning. 

 

2. Integrated Performance Management 

Effective decision-making today requires a comprehensive approach to performance management, one that unifies planning, analytics, reporting and financial consolidation. Integrated performance management helps streamline data flows, reduce manual data transfers, and support strategic decision-making through accessible, real-time insights. 

This integration has become increasingly critical as companies seek to balance short-term needs with long-term goals and align every aspect of their business with overall objectives. 

Dashboards have emerged as a central feature within integrated performance management solutions, offering executives a visual snapshot of performance against strategic goals. 

These dashboards are now more commonly paired with data from BI and analytics tools, allowing for a holistic view that facilitates both operational and financial planning. 

 

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Dashboards and BI Analytics have seen a growing preference in the recent past. 

Financial consolidation, too, is no longer solely for external reporting; it’s increasingly seen as essential to delivering a unified financial narrative, aligning every level of planning with a company’s strategic vision. 

Yet, achieving seamless integration remains challenging. 

Only 45 per cent of organisations have fully automated or integrated their planning and analytics functions. 

Time-consuming data transfers and discrepancies in master data often undermine integration efforts, though more companies are prioritising tools that support real-time connections with top BI platforms. 

With the right technology, integrated performance management can provide clarity on objectives, progress, and performance, ultimately enabling a strategic, unified approach to corporate growth and decision-making. 

 

3. Cloud-Based Planning Solutions 

The cloud has transformed performance management, with over 50 per cent of companies now using cloud-based planning solutions. This shift reflects a growing appreciation for the cloud’s scalability, cost-efficiency, and flexibility, along with the reduced IT dependency it brings. 

Unlike traditional on-premises deployments, cloud-based planning solutions can quickly scale to meet demand, adapt to varying workloads, and support global collaboration across teams. 

Today, new CPM implementations are primarily cloud-based, with organisations worldwide increasingly recognising the operational benefits. 

 

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New technology implementations are primarily cloud-based 

 

However, attitudes vary regionally; while 68 per cent of companies in Asia-Pacific have adopted cloud-based solutions, only 42 per cent in Europe have done the same. 

Despite slower adoption in certain regions, the trend is moving rapidly toward the cloud, with companies seeking the elasticity that allows them to manage peak periods with ease. 

Additionally, the accelerated deployment speed and reduced maintenance costs are highly attractive for companies facing resource constraints. 

This ongoing trend highlights cloud-based planning as an effective way to modernise and optimise planning processes, accommodating both day-to-day operations and seasonal demands. As cloud adoption grows, cloud-based planning is expected to continue reshaping the future of corporate performance management. 

 

4. Integrated Corporate Planning 

As businesses operate in increasingly dynamic markets, aligning strategic, tactical, and operational planning becomes critical. Integrated corporate planning achieves this by connecting business objectives with financial outcomes, creating a continuous loop that informs both short- and long-term decisions. 

Survey data shows a strong preference for this approach, with 74 per cent using planning tools for financial planning and 61 per cent for operational needs. 

 

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Today’s planning tools are increasingly being used for financial and operational planning 

 

Integrated corporate planning isn’t only about connecting financial and operational plans; it’s about fostering an interconnected network of sub-plans that offer a cohesive view of the entire organisation. 

Such integration brings together plans across functions—sales, production, resources, and financial performance—ensuring every decision reflects organisational goals. 

While 80 per cent of companies still support traditional annual budgeting, the shift toward dynamic, frequent forecasting indicates a growing demand for responsive planning. 

The process, however, is complex. Only 34 per cent of surveyed companies have fully integrated their strategic and operational plans, with many still managing isolated systems. 

However, it is very clear that fully integrated corporate planning enables organisations to draw insights from interconnected financial and operational data, enhancing the quality and relevance of each forecast and ensuring agility in adjusting to real-time market conditions. 

 

5. Predictive Planning and Forecasting 

Predictive planning and forecasting, fueled by AI, are now at the forefront of innovation. 

68 per cent of companies say predictive planning and forecasting is highly relevant. 

By leveraging machine learning, predictive planning provides more accurate simulations, reduces manual effort, and helps planners focus on strategic analysis rather than routine calculations. 

AI-driven insights don’t replace human judgment; rather, they augment it, giving planners more accurate data from which to make informed decisions. 

Despite its potential, the adoption of predictive planning has been cautious. With only 14 per cent of companies actively using it, many cite a reluctance to trust AI-driven algorithms. 

However, as data quality and analytics capabilities improve, predictive planning will become an indispensable tool, bridging the gap between human expertise and data-driven foresight in corporate planning. 

The trends shaping CPM in 2025 highlight an evolving focus on adaptability, usability, and data-driven precision. 

As companies continue to navigate economic uncertainties and rapidly changing markets, the need for connected, cloud-based solutions, self-service capabilities, and predictive insights becomes even more pressing. 

By integrating financial, operational, and strategic planning, today’s CPM tools empower businesses to make informed, proactive decisions that align with both short- and long-term goals. 

For organisations, these trends represent not only technological advancement but also a path toward a more responsive, resilient planning approach—one that keeps pace with the demands of modern business and ensures that they remain leaders and not laggards. 

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