Business Challenges

• Transitioning from multiple legacy systems to SAP S/4HANA while maintaining accurate financial and operational reporting.
• Limited ability to produce reliable, timely analytics during the transition.
• Need for leadership coverage at the plant controller level amid system and operational changes.

Key Outcomes

• Sustained smooth month-end close cycles during SAP S/4HANA go-live through interim controller leadership and oversight.
• Reduced manual reporting time by 20–30% by developing sustainable SAP S/4HANA-based reporting templates.
• Enhanced variance visibility at the plant level with SAP-driven analytics, enabling faster corrective actions.

Project Overview

A private equity–backed consumer packaged goods manufacturer with annual revenue of approximately $500M faced a major ERP transition while continuing to scale operations. During this critical period, DLC was engaged to provide interim controller leadership and hands-on support. The goal was to ensure continuity of financial operations while developing sustainable reporting and analytics within the new SAP S/4HANA environment.

Business Challenge

The leadership team faced mounting risks as SAP S/4HANA was rolled out across manufacturing operations. The internal finance team, already stretched thin by implementation tasks, had limited capacity to manage plant-level finance needs. Without dedicated oversight, the company risked delayed month-end closes, inaccurate variance reporting, and missed insights into capital and productivity initiatives—all critical to its growth strategy.

Additional hurdles included ensuring data integrity, bridging reporting gaps between legacy systems and SAP S/4HANA, and providing timely variance analysis to support day-to-day operational decisions. Leadership needed a partner who could step in immediately as a controller while bridging the gap between finance operations and technology adoption.

The Approach

DLC deployed an interim plant controller with deep expertise in manufacturing finance and ERP transitions. The engagement focused on five core areas:

1. Stabilization – Assumed the plant controller role to maintain continuity in financial operations.
2. System Transition Support – Partnered with the SAP S/4HANA project team to align reporting structures, cost centers, and plant-level requirements.
3. Reporting Development – Built new analytics capabilities from SAP S/4HANA outputs, replacing legacy reports.
4. Operations Finance – Oversaw daily plant finance responsibilities, including variance analysis, month-end close, and capital productivity tracking.
5. Collaboration – Worked across finance, IT, and operations to ensure smooth SAP S/4HANA adoption while maintaining financial control.

Supplemental reporting was developed using Excel and Power Query to provide timely insights while SAP tools matured. The team also received training and guidance to adapt to SAP-driven processes.

The Results

• Maintained uninterrupted month-end close cycles during SAP S/4HANA go-live by ensuring continuity of plant-level financial leadership.
• Reduced reporting turnaround time by 20–30% with automated SAP data pulls and streamlined templates.
• Shortened the close-to-report timeline by several days through efficient SAP-driven processes.
• Improved real-time variance visibility at the plant level, enabling faster corrective actions and stronger decision-making.
• Freed internal finance resources to focus on long-term SAP S/4HANA adoption instead of ad hoc reporting.
• Strengthened cross-functional alignment by bridging finance, IT, and operations during the transition.

The project delivered lasting value by embedding sustainable reporting practices within SAP and enhancing financial visibility across manufacturing operations. The company is now better positioned to monitor performance, track capital projects, and pursue its growth strategy with confidence.