The Problem with ‘Actual vs Target’ – And the Simple Fix
Roger Knocker • October 15, 2025
Why Most Finance Reports Don’t Drive Action
Let’s be honest: most finance reports don’t change a thing.
They’re neat. They’re compliant. They’re full of numbers.
But they don’t make anyone act differently.
Why?
Because they lack one thing. Clarity with purpose.
The Problem with “Actual vs Target”
I’ve seen it a hundred times.
A finance team proudly presents their month-end pack:
“Here’s actual vs target.”
“Here’s the variance.”
And that’s it.
It’s like reading the scoreboard of a game you didn’t watch.
You know the score, but you don’t know how you got there
or what to do next.
Andrew Brown’s Challenge
In our FP&Ai Podcast, Andrew Brown puts it bluntly:
“If finance isn’t helping people see why the numbers matter and what actions to take,
then it’s not a business partner. It’s just ticking boxes.”
And he’s right.
Compliance reporting is important, but it doesn’t change behaviour.
Finance should be leading the conversation about performance, not just filing historical reports.
The Power of Storytelling
Remember Johan, the volunteer deacon with the worm and waterfall charts?
He didn’t just report.
He told a story.
His charts answered three critical questions:
1. Where are we now?
2. Why are we here?
3. What should we do about it?
That’s why people leaned in.
That’s why donations spiked.
The numbers suddenly had meaning.
The Corporate Blind Spot
In business, we love detail.
We produce 30-page packs with pivots, ratios, and footnotes.
We convince ourselves that more data means more value.
But it doesn’t.
It’s not about data. It’s about insight.
It’s about showing the 3 things that matter this week,
and making them so clear that no one can miss them.
Your Next Move
If your reports aren’t driving action, they’re just noise.
Try this:
- Cut 80% of your report.
- Focus on the story behind the key numbers.
- Use one or two visuals that show what’s really happening.
Ask yourself:
If Johan could make a whole congregation act with two charts,
what’s stopping us from doing the same in business?
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This article is inspired by my conversation with Andrew Brown on the FP&AI Podcast –
Episode 1: Finance as a True Business Partner – Beyond the Numbers.
Before automating finance processes, map and understand workflows to avoid scaling inefficiencies and ensure meaningful results.
Activity-based costing reveals hidden costs below gross profit, helping finance teams understand true profitability and improve decision-making.
