Power Query Techniques for FP&A Analysts to Streamline Reporting and Budgeting with Olivia MacDonald

Show Notes

In this episode, host Paul Barnhurst (aka The FP&A Guy) dives deep into the evolving world of Financial Planning & Analysis with Olivia MacDonald, a highly skilled financial professional with a diverse background in FP&A process optimization and system implementation. The conversation explores what makes FP&A great, focusing on business partnerships and the strategic role FP&A can play beyond just reporting numbers. Olivia is a qualified CPA and ACA with a proven track record of delivering strategic solutions that drive efficiency, accuracy, and transparency across organizations. With a mastery of data extraction and transformation tools like MQL, SQL, and SOQL, Olivia has helped companies streamline operations, enhance financial transparency, and drive decision-making through data. Her non-traditional path into FP&A—from audit to FP&A consultancy—gives her a unique perspective on how finance can be a business driver, not just a reporting function. Expect to Learn

• What distinguishes great FP&A teams, with a focus on strategic business partnering.
• How audit and FP&A share common skills, and how auditors can leverage financial modeling experience.
• The importance of building strong relationships as an FP&A professional and working with different business units.
• Olivia’s unique career journey from auditing in Ireland to working in FP&A and the key lessons learned.
• Strategies to streamline the budgeting process and engage business partners in decision-making.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

“FP&A shouldn’t just be a reporting function. It needs to be a strategic business partner that helps drive decision-making.” - Olivia MacDonald

“Having mentors who can tell you, ‘That’s a bad idea,’ is invaluable. It’s how I ended up taking risks in my career that paid off.” - Olivia MacDonald

“When I got into FP&A, I realized how important it is to be a business partner, not just a numbers person.”? - Olivia MacDonald

This episode with Olivia MacDonald takes us through the evolving role of FP&A where she emphasizes the importance of involving business partners in the budgeting process, learning from mentors, and embracing technology, including generative AI.

Watch the Video

Follow FP&A Tomorrow

Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn

Follow Olivia

Follow Paul

World-class Digital FP&A Course Bundle:

Signup for over ten hours of video content with 4 different courses and 8 modules on FP&A topics including: Business Partnering, Data Analysis, Financial Modeling Design Principles, and Modern Excel. Use code Podcast to save 25%. What are you waiting for signup now!

Enroll for Financial Planning & Analysis Certificate Program:Sign up for the 8 week online financial planning & analysis certificate program by Wharton Online and learn the art of forecasting, analysis, business partnering and financial storytelling: https://bit.ly/4debs46 Use Code: THEFPAGUY300 to save $300.

Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com , listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

Join the #1 Planning & Analytics Community created by and for FP&A Professionals. use the promo code TheFPandAGuy for an exclusive 25% discount on your first-year membership.