Since there isn a single CPM application as such, where do companies start?
Many companies initiate CPM through a particular application such as planning, budgeting, or forecasting; through a business need, such as information management via scorecards and portals; or through a business process, such as consolidation across legal entities and business units for financial reporting. Packaged applications can speed the path to CPM through any of these routes because they are quite easy to procure and implement. But it’s important to consider a packaged application for CPM as part of a complete technology approach. Applications must work together and make use of existing investments such as an ERP platform. Applications for CPM should also be able to capture all relevant internal and external information on customers, operations, supply chain, and finance. By taking a holistic approach to selecting a suitable packaged application as an entry point, companies can help meet short-term needs through best-of-breed applications, and help ensure long-term success by ut
