Stage IV - Integrated Planning & Performance Management
Seminar-No. 9.4
Period: 5 Days
Added to wish list
Seminar-No. 9.4
Design modern planning, leverage AI, create business cases and effectively manage performance.
The Stage IV controlling training is designed for controllers who want to actively shape the planning process and serve as key drivers of modern corporate management. The focus is on developing integrated planning models that combine strategy, profit, balance sheet, and financial planning into a consistent overall picture. You will learn to develop driver logic, systematically incorporate risks (opportunities and threats) into planning, and create well-founded forecasts as a basis for better decisions.
In addition, you will explore modern approaches to corporate planning – from working capital metrics and business cases to predictive planning and AI-driven forecasts. A practical case study, including a planning conference, will equip you with the necessary tools to design efficient planning processes, create transparency, and effectively support management decisions. The goal is to view planning not as a mere formality, but as a central instrument of successful corporate management.
After the seminar you will be able to
- develop and link integrated profit, balance sheet, and financial plans
- reconcile management accounting with external financial reporting
- develop driver models and use them to improve planning and forecasting
- structure, facilitate, and efficiently manage planning processes
- integrate working capital and liquidity into corporate management in a targeted manner
- systematically identify and assess risks and incorporate them into planning and forecasting processes
- evaluate business cases thoroughly and prepare them in a decision-oriented manner
- apply modern planning approaches such as predictive planning and AI-powered forecasts
- analyze planning variances and derive effective control measures
- serve as a competent point of contact for management and functional departments on planning and control issues
- sustainably improve the quality of decisions through robust planning and forecasting models
Seminar Content
Developing Integrated Corporate Planning
- Classify modern planning approaches
- Planning as a management tool within the company
- Aligning strategy, actions, and planning
- Establishing an integrated profit, balance sheet, and financial planning framework
- Practical case study on developing an integrated planning model
Driver-Based Planning and Predictive Analytics
- Identifying value and performance drivers
- Developing and applying driver models
- Simplifying planning while increasing its precision
- Utilizing scenario analyses and simulations
Financial Planning and Working Capital Management
- Prepare liquidity plans and cash flow forecasts
- Use working capital as a key performance indicator
- Assess the impact of operational decisions on liquidity
- Analyze financial stability and financing options
Business Cases and Investment Decisions
- Develop business cases in a structured manner
- Evaluate the economic impact of decisions
- Thoroughly analyze and prioritize investments
- Derive recommendations for management decisions
Risk Management in Corporate Planning
- Systematically identify and assess risks
- Integrate opportunities and risks into planning processes
- Develop risk-based forecasts
- Analyze the impact of uncertainties on corporate management
Planning Conference and Management Dialogue
- Professionally prepare for planning meetings
- Facilitate the resolution of conflicting objectives between departments
- Critically examine planning assumptions
- Recognize and reduce cognitive biases
- Presenting planning results convincingly
- Performance management for the controller function
Key Arguments for Decision-Makers Regarding This Stage
After Stage IV, your controllers will have the expertise to design planning and forecasting processes holistically and actively contribute to corporate management. They will be able to develop integrated profit, balance sheet, and financial plans, systematically account for risks, and produce reliable forecasts.
By combining driver-based planning, financial management, and risk management, they create significantly greater transparency regarding future developments. Management and functional departments receive a sound basis for decision-making, planning processes become more efficient, and the company’s ability to respond to changes increases sustainably. In this way, controllers make a significant contribution to the company’s strategic and operational management capabilities.
Target groups
Stage IV – Integrated Planning & Performance Management is adressed to managers and employees in controlling, financial accounting as well as in cost accounting, corporate planning, management information systems, business administration and development who want to expand their controlling knowledge in a practical way.
Trainer
Dr. Klaus Eiselmayer
has been trainer and a partner at CA Akademie AG since 1995. His areas of focus include business planning, internal and external accounting, value management, presentation, moderation and team development in both German and English. During 2012 and 2025, he served on the boards of CA, ICV, and IGC. From 2007 to 2013, he led the publishing house VCW as a board member and was the editor of the Controller Magazin.
Dipl.-Oec. Guido Kleinhietpaß
has been a trainer and consultant at CA Akademie AG for over 20 years. He trains controllers, managers, and the works council. His training courses draw on his experience from numerous consulting projects. He conducts the 5-stage controller training program and advanced seminars in operational controlling—from cost accounting to investment. He holds training courses on accounting and financial reporting (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement), including annual financial statement analysis, as well as on business cases, including transfer pricing. He is a member of the board of the International Controller Association and the author of several books.
Dipl.-Ing. Dietmar Pascher
is a partner at CA Akademie AG, keynote speaker, trainer for controllers, non-controllers and managers. He is responsible for CA International and online training. As a consultant, he supports companies in the implementation of projects in English, Spanish and French. He is also an IBCS® trainer for reporting and an expert in presentations. He also specializes in project and sales controlling, communication, leadership and business partnering.
