Woolnorth Renewable’s leap from manual to meaningful reporting
For years, Woolnorth Renewables, like many finance teams, relied on spreadsheets to run their reporting and forecasting. On the surface, Excel seemed to work. But behind the scenes, it created stress, errors, and wasted time.
Spreadsheets weren’t built for the scale and complexity Woolnorth faced:
Risk of error – A single mistyped formula could throw out an entire report.
Version chaos – Different files circulating across the team made it hard to know which numbers were right.
Time drain – Hours spent double-checking and reconciling left little room for real analysis.
Fragile processes – One accidental deletion or misplaced cell could undo days of work.
The result? A team that was “data-rich but analysis-poor.” Numbers existed, but turning them into insights for the board was a constant uphill battle.
Making the leap
When Woolnorth transitioned their finance operations in-house, they knew spreadsheets couldn’t keep up. With support from Pivot2, they implemented NetSuite Planning and Budgeting (NSPB) in just eight weeks—fast-tracking their ability to deliver accurate, reliable reporting packs.
The shift was immediate:
Reports were polished, consistent, and delivered in both English and Chinese.
Rolling forecasts were up and running within three months.
Data security meant accidental deletions and hidden errors were no longer a risk.
From firefighting to foresight
Moving away from Excel wasn’t just about cutting down errors—it was about transforming how the finance team worked. Instead of firefighting issues in spreadsheets, Woolnorth could focus on meaningful analysis, forecasting, and helping the business make confident decisions.
As CFO Kerry Butler put it, NSPB allowed the team to “mine the data, tell the story, and really understand what the numbers are saying.”
The bigger picture
For Woolnorth Renewables, leaving spreadsheets behind was more than a system upgrade—it was a mindset shift. By embracing NSPB with Pivot2, they turned reporting from a manual, error-prone task into a secure, efficient process that fuels smarter decision-making.
And with a small but determined team of four, they proved that moving from manual to meaningful reporting is not just possible—it’s transformative.
Thinking about the next stage of your planning journey?
Talk to the team at Pivot2 Solutions.
We help finance teams build scalable EPM environments that are structured, adaptable and future-ready—without the bloat.
Read the full Woolnorth transformation story here
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Gartner (2024). Market Guide for Cloud Financial Planning and Analysis Solutions