# Host Analytics Up-Ends the Enterprise Performance Management Market with the First Product Designed Specifically for Business Users Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2018-03-03 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Revolutionising EPM: Host Analytics Introduces Project Orion Meta Description: Discover Host Analytics' innovative EPM solution designed specifically for business users. Say goodbye to Excel for planning and embrace a new era of EPM URL: https://financedigest.com/host-analytics-up-ends-the-enterprise-performance-management-market-with-the-first-product-designed-specifically-for-business-usershtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/fd030318-1-1-1736842942305-compressed.jpg) _“Project Orion” now in Beta status with general availability slated for 2Q18._ [Host Analytics](https://www.hostanalytics.com/?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=PR), the leading provider of scalable, cloud-based enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions, today introduced Project Orion, a revolutionary offering aimed at disrupting the EPM market by introducing the world’s first EPM product specifically designed for business users, as opposed to finance professionals. Project Orion overturns the conventional wisdom that business users and finance professionals should use the same interface to an EPM system. For decades, EPM vendors have seen the end-user interface as a configuration problem – designing the system for the finance professional and then re-configuring it or “dumbing it down” for the business user. This approach has failed in the marketplace and is one reason why many [business users still build plans and budgets](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-budget-for-legal-fees-in-your-business.html "How to Budget for Legal Fees in Your Business") in MicrosoftⓇ ExcelⓇ and then mail them to finance, creating data quality and security issues. “For the past four decades, virtually all EPM systems have been built using a ‘by finance for [finance’](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-finance-minister-sets-out-new-economic-approach-to-finance-bosses.html "UK’s finance minister sets out new economic approach to finance bosses") approach,” said Dave Kellogg, chief executive officer at Host Analytics. “While this approach has resulted in great success for EPM within corporate [finance departments](https://www.financedigest.com/ai-in-the-finance-department-augmenting-not-replacing.html "AI in the finance department: augmenting, not replacing"), it has been a key limiting factor in EPM usage by business users. With Project Orion, we’ve addressed a huge problem that has been hiding in plain sight for decades simply by taking the Zen concept of _shoshin_ (beginner’s mind) and applying it to EPM.” “Project Orion is a great idea that will provide real value; I am surprised no one has addressed this before now,” said Craig Schiff, president and chief executive officer at BPM Partners, a privately held [advisory services](https://www.financedigest.com/visa-launches-crypto-advisory-service-for-financial-institutions-merchants.html "Visa launches crypto advisory service for financial institutions, merchants") firm with an exclusive focus on business performance management (BPM) solutions.” Bringing forth a new paradigm for EPM designed to address the needs of business users, Project Orion features: - **A consumer-grade user interface built for, and extensively tested with,** [business users. The Project Orion user interface makes it easy and intuitive for business users to use and provides a single interface for all planning](https://www.financedigest.com/hyperspectral-imaging-system-market-know-latest-trends-forecast-for-long-term-business-planning-up-to-2026.html "Hyperspectral Imaging System Market – Know Latest Trends & Forecast for Long-term Business Planning up to 2026"), budgeting, and forecasting needs. This increases adoption of the EPM system, and accelerates the planning, budgeting, and forecasting process. It also increases collaboration in the process, and strengthens accountability for the numbers in the resultant plan. - **A task-oriented design that guides** [business users through the most mission-critical EPM tasks. Instead of overwhelming business users with empty grids that can cause “blank screen syndrome,” Project Orion guides users through key](https://www.financedigest.com/pediatric-hiv-infection-treatment-market-by-covid-19-impact-analysis-volume-and-value-revenue-business-opportunity-future-projections-and-key-trends.html "Pediatric HIV Infection Treatment Market By Covid-19 Impact Analysis – Volume And Value, Revenue, Business Opportunity, Future Projections, And Key Trends") tasks, identifies variances, and highlights the impact of modifications to plans and forecasts. [Future versions of Project](https://www.financedigest.com/automotive-coolant-aftermarket-is-projected-to-exhibit-a-cagr-of-4-0-through-the-forecast-period-2020-2030-future-market-insights.html "Automotive coolant aftermarket is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.0% through the forecast period 2020-2030 – Future Market Insights") Orion will further extend this capability – offering both prescriptive and predictive techniques – that provides recommended choices to fix budget anomalies and assist with course correction. - **A design that balances end-user autonomy with finance** [control. Project](https://www.financedigest.com/emission-control-catalyst-market-is-projected-to-rise-at-above-10-cagr-surpassing-the-market-valuation-of-us-20-06-bn-during-the-forecast-period-2021-2031.html "Emission Control Catalyst Market is projected to rise at above 10% CAGR, surpassing the market valuation of US$ 20.06 Bn during the forecast period 2021-2031") Orion provides finance with the ability to customize the interface with business drivers and assumptions that govern the options presented to business users. For example, [Project Orion can be set](https://www.financedigest.com/hybrid-cars-market-projected-to-rise-at-a-cagr-of-16-5-during-the-forecast-period-set-between-2016-2024-tmr.html "Hybrid Cars Market Projected To Rise At A CAGR Of 16.5% during the Forecast Period Set Between 2016-2024 | TMR") up to automatically include employer benefit expenses, employer taxes, and office expense allocations for new hires or terminated employees. In this way, Project Orion empowers users to build budgets and [forecasts in a manner that is guided by central finance](https://www.financedigest.com/forecast-based-financing-for-smes.html "Forecast-based financing for SMEs") rules. “As a budget owner, I struggle with timeliness of information to make decisions,” said Tracy Eiler, chief [marketing officer at InsideView, a software-as-a-service provider of marketing intelligence](https://www.financedigest.com/social-business-intelligence-market-to-reach-a-valuation-of-us29-bn.html "Social Business Intelligence Market to reach a valuation of US Bn") solutions. “I can’t wait months or even weeks, and relying on the finance team often limits my ability to make an [impact to the business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-technology-consultants-impact-business-growth.html "How Technology Consultants Impact Business Growth") in a timely fashion. With Project Orion, I can [quickly reallocate dollars and resources to drive](https://www.financedigest.com/zeal-to-move-through-settlements-anew-to-drive-the-individual-quick-freeze-fruits-market.html "Zeal To Move Through Settlements Anew To Drive The Individual Quick Freeze Fruits Market") maximum pipeline.” **Finally: An EPM Win/Win Solution for Both [Finance and Business](https://www.financedigest.com/government-assisted-financing-schemes-for-small-businesses.html "Government Assisted Financing Schemes For Small Businesses") Users** With Project Orion, finance wins by driving higher engagement, collaboration, and accountability in planning and budgeting, while maintaining control over the budgeting process. This results in more accurate budgets and forecasts, and reduces the amount of time-consuming [support](https://www.financedigest.com/hung-out-to-dry-smes-need-further-support-to-stay-afloat.html "Hung Out to Dry: SMEs need further support to stay afloat") needed to provide business users with the information they need. Business users win by gaining real-time visibility into their budgets, as well as attaining more effective and efficient use of resources. [Project Orion ensures that business users are not locked out of the finance process by giving them access to the data they need to create](https://www.financedigest.com/deployed-raises-4m-to-redefine-how-statements-of-work-are-created-and-projects-are-planned.html "Deployed raises M to redefine how Statements Of Work are created and projects are planned") accurate budgets, and the confidence to make better data-driven decisions. “Everyone complains about corporate budgeting, but Host Analytics is finally doing something about it,” said Robert Kugel, [senior vice president at Ventana Research](https://www.financedigest.com/senior-leaders-more-at-risk-of-burnout-than-ceos-according-to-new-research.html "Senior leaders more at risk of burnout than CEOs, according to new research"). “Project Orion enables budget owners to create their budget in terms of the ‘things’ they need to achieve their objectives – things like headcount, marketing campaigns and assets – and have the software automatically translate that into the budget line items that the finance department needs. Traditional planning and budgeting software does a great job for the finance department; Host Analytics takes it to the next level for everyone else.” He added, “When it comes to planning or reviewing performance, [CEOs can now say:](https://www.financedigest.com/electric-car-maker-lucid-on-track-for-2022-2023-output-targets-ceo-says.html "Electric car maker Lucid on track for 2022, 2023 output targets, CEO says") ‘Let’s talk about the business, not just the budget.’” Currently available in Beta and expected to be generally available in 2Q18, Project Orion is the company’s latest [innovation furthering connection and collaboration among finance](https://www.financedigest.com/innovations-in-finance.html "Innovations in finance") and the business. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---