Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) face constant pressure to justify technology investments, particularly in enterprise performance management (EPM) platforms like OneStream. With budgets tightening and expectations rising, boards and executive teams demand quantifiable returns within the first year of implementation. OneStream can offer measurable value quickly—if organizations deploy strategically and track the right metrics.
At Holland Parker, we have supported numerous OneStream implementations for Fortune 500 and mid-market companies. Based on these experiences and industry benchmarks, this article examines how CFOs quantify OneStream’s ROI in the first 12 months, which financial metrics matter most, and what benefits drive adoption across the enterprise.
Faster Financial Consolidation and Close Cycles
One of the clearest metrics CFOs monitor post-implementation is the reduction in financial consolidation and close times. Traditional ERP systems often require manual data collection, reconciliation, and adjustments across disparate entities, which can drag the close cycle into weeks.
With OneStream’s unified platform, automation significantly reduces manual interventions. According to a Forrester Total Economic Impact (TEI) study, companies using OneStream shortened their close process by as much as 70%, moving from 10+ days to fewer than 3. CFOs translate this into ROI by measuring:
- Number of days reduced in the monthly/quarterly close cycle
- Labor cost savings from reduced reliance on overtime or external consultants
- Reallocation of finance staff to higher-value analysis rather than transactional reporting
Our clients often see payback on close cycle improvements alone within the first year, since these gains directly lower operational expenses and improve reporting timeliness for stakeholders.
Improved Forecast Accuracy and Agility
Forecast accuracy is another critical performance metric. OneStream’s ability to integrate actuals, budgets, and forecasts into a single source of truth allows CFOs to refine projections quickly. A Deloitte survey revealed that organizations implementing advanced EPM systems improve forecast accuracy by 20–30%.
In the first year, CFOs track ROI in forecasting by measuring:
- Percentage improvement in forecast accuracy compared to pre-implementation baselines
- Reduction in time spent generating rolling forecasts and scenario models
- Increased confidence of executives in financial projections, evidenced by faster decision-making cycles
A real-world example comes from a Fortune 500 energy company that adopted OneStream with Holland Parker’s support. Within nine months, they improved forecast accuracy by 25% and accelerated quarterly forecasting from three weeks to five days, directly supporting more agile capital allocation decisions.
Reduced Cost of Ownership and System Consolidation
Many finance departments struggle with maintaining multiple disconnected systems for planning, reporting, and analytics. These redundant platforms increase licensing, maintenance, and IT support costs. OneStream replaces numerous legacy solutions with a single, unified platform, creating immediate cost savings.
CFOs evaluate ROI through:
- Annual reduction in software licensing and maintenance fees
- Lower IT support headcount required for multiple systems
- Consolidation of vendor contracts into one predictable pricing structure
For instance, one global manufacturing firm reduced annual software and IT support costs by $1.2 million within the first year of adopting OneStream. These savings are among the most tangible ROI metrics boards appreciate early in the transformation journey.
Enhanced Workforce Productivity and Efficiency
ROI is not just about cost reduction; it’s also about efficiency. OneStream automates data collection, validations, and reporting workflows, freeing finance professionals to focus on value-added analysis. This shift directly impacts productivity KPIs, such as:
- Percentage of finance team time redirected from manual reconciliation to analysis
- Reduction in spreadsheet dependency across departments
- Faster access to real-time dashboards and self-service reporting for executives
CFOs often measure the ROI of productivity gains by quantifying labor hours saved and applying average compensation rates. For example, if a finance team saves 10,000 labor hours annually due to automation, that equates to hundreds of thousands in productivity-driven ROI.
Holland Parker’s implementations consistently show that freeing finance staff from repetitive tasks leads not only to efficiency but also higher employee satisfaction and retention—an intangible but critical return on investment.
Strengthened Compliance and Risk Management
Another area CFOs track is compliance. Regulatory requirements, audit readiness, and risk management are costly if managed manually. OneStream enforces consistent data governance, audit trails, and security controls across financial reporting processes.
ROI metrics tied to compliance include:
- Reduction in external audit fees due to cleaner, automated reporting
- Fewer penalties or compliance risks from late or inaccurate filings
- Time saved preparing audit evidence and reconciling discrepancies
Forrester’s TEI study noted that companies saved up to 50% of audit preparation time after adopting OneStream. By quantifying compliance cost avoidance, CFOs can clearly show value within the first year.
Capturing the Full ROI Story
While financial metrics such as cost savings, faster close, and reduced IT spend dominate ROI discussions, CFOs also highlight qualitative returns:
- Improved trust in financial data across the enterprise
- Enhanced decision-making speed and confidence
- Stronger collaboration between finance, operations, and executive leadership
These intangible benefits, though harder to quantify, often carry as much weight with boards and investors as the dollar savings.
At Holland Parker, we guide CFOs in building ROI frameworks tailored to their unique business case. By measuring both hard financial returns and strategic outcomes, organizations create a complete picture of OneStream’s value proposition.
Businesses seeking to modernize their financial operations should focus on first-year ROI drivers—faster close cycles, improved forecasting, cost consolidation, workforce efficiency, and compliance strength. With the right implementation partner, these results can be realized quickly and communicated effectively to stakeholders.
Show your board measurable ROI in year one. Partner with Holland Parker to implement OneStream and unlock faster closes, smarter forecasts, and real cost savings.
