Sports Apparel Industry Leader

Industry

Sports Apparel & Footwear 

Region

Global 

Organization Size / Scope

Multinational enterprise with multiple brands and international reporting requirements 

Headline Stat or Quote:

"Forecasting cycles increased from annual to real-time, enabling agile decision-making.”

The Catalyst

An iconic leader in the sports apparel and footwear industry recognized that, while their design and production teams were innovating, their financial planning processes lagged behind. Their existing planning infrastructure was outdated, inflexible, and couldn’t keep pace with the dynamic market demands and internal reporting requirements. The CFO sought a solution that would streamline budgeting and forecasting, enhance analytic capabilities, and support the company’s growth and innovation objectives.

Why They Chose deFacto

After evaluating several corporate planning solutions, the company selected deFacto to replace its Hyperion system. The decision was influenced by deFacto’s seamless integration with Microsoft D365 F&O, its ability to support complex financial processes, and its user-friendly input templates. This combination promised to enhance data flow, improve analytics, and simplify budgeting across departments.

The Transformation

Coordinating the implementation of deFacto with Microsoft D365 F&O, the company achieved:

• A unified chart of accounts for consistent data loading from D365 F&O
• Workflow management for budget and rolling forecast submissions across departments
• Automated calculations of revenue-related expenses, reducing manual data entry
• Enhanced variance analysis with contextual commentary
• Accelerated trial balance reporting accessible to all department managers
• Dashboard evaluations providing real-time insights into business health by product line

Key Outcomes

Transitioned from annual to real-time forecasting capabilities 

Expanded budgeting horizon from one year to five years 

Improved self-service reporting, reducing reliance on IT

Enhanced agility in responding to market changes 

Strengthened alignment between financial planning and operational execution 

Looking Ahead

Building on the success of the deFacto implementation, the company plans to extend its use to other areas such as supply chain and HR planning. This expansion aims to further integrate business functions, enhance cross-departmental collaboration, and support the company’s strategic objectives in a rapidly evolving market.

See Other Real World Examples

Learn more about how deFacto Global has helped other companies achieve success by reviewing more of our Case Studies.

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