-
Other audit services
We help clients with the application and use of foreign financial aid of EU and other funds and help prepare financial reports.
-
Audit calculator
The calculator will answer if the company's sales revenue, assets or number of employees exceed the limit of an inspection or audit.
-
Payroll and related services
We perform payroll accounting for companies whether they employ a few or hundreds of employees.
-
Tax accounting
Grant Thornton Baltic's experienced tax specialists support accountants and offer reasonable and practical solutions.
-
Reporting
We prepare annual reports in a timely manner. We help to prepare management reports and various mandatory reports.
-
Consolidation of financial statements
Our experienced accountants and advisors help you prepare consolidation tables and make the consolidation process more efficient.
-
Consultancy and temporary staff
Our experienced specialists advise on more complex accounting transactions, rectify poor historic accounting, and offer the temporary replacement of an accountant.
-
Outsourced CFO service
Our CFO service is suitable for companies of all sizes and in all industries. We offer services to our clients in the required amount and competences.
-
Assessment of accounting processes
We help companies to implement accounting practices that are in compliance with local and international standards.
-
Accounting services for small businesses
We offer affordable service for small businesses. We help organize processes as smartly and cost-effectively as possible.
-
Cryptocurrency accounting
We keep up with blockchain technology to serve and advise crypto companies. We are supported by a network of colleagues in 130 countries.
-
Trainings and seminars
Our accountants have experience in all matters related to accounting and reporting. We offer our clients professional training according to their needs.
-
Business advisory
We offer legal support to both start-ups and expanding companies, making sure that all legal steps are well thought out in detail.
-
Fintech advisory
Our specialists advise payment institutions, virtual currency service providers and financial institutions.
-
Corporate advisory
We advise on legal, tax and financial matters necessary for better management of the company's legal or organizational structure.
-
Transaction advisory
We provide advice in all aspects of the transaction process.
-
Legal due diligence
We thoroughly analyze the internal documents, legal relations, and business compliance of the company to be merged or acquired.
-
In-house lawyer service
The service is intended for entrepreneurs who are looking for a reliable partner to solve the company's day-to-day legal issues.
-
The contact person service
We offer a contact person service to Estonian companies with a board located abroad.
-
Training
We organize both public trainings and tailor made trainings ordered by clients on current legal and tax issues.
-
Whistleblower channel
At Grant Thornton Baltic, we believe that a well-designed and effective reporting channel is an efficient way of achieving trustworthiness.
-
Business model or strategy renewal
In order to be successful, every company, regardless of the size of the organization, must have a clear strategy, ie know where the whole team is heading.
-
Marketing and brand strategy; creation and updating of the client management system
We support you in updating your marketing and brand strategy and customer management system, so that you can adapt in this time of rapid changes.
-
Coaching and development support
A good organizational culture is like a trump card for a company. We guide you how to collect trump cards!
-
Digital services
Today, the question is not whether to digitize, but how to do it. We help you develop and implement smart digital solutions.
-
Sales organisation development
Our mission is to improve our customers' business results by choosing the right focuses and providing a clear and systematic path to a solution.
-
Business plan development
A good business plan is a guide and management tool for an entrepreneur, a source of information for financial institutions and potential investors to make financial decisions.
-
Due diligence
We perform due diligence so that investors can get a thorough overview of the company before the planned purchase transaction.
-
Mergers and acquisitions
We provide advice in all aspects of the transaction process.
-
Valuation services
We estimate the company's market value, asset value and other asset groups based on internationally accepted methodology.
-
Forensic expert services
Our experienced, nationally recognized forensic experts provide assessments in the economic and financial field.
-
Business plans and financial forecasts
The lack of planning and control of cash resources is the reason often given for the failure of many businesses. We help you prepare proper forecasts to reduce business risks.
-
Outsourced CFO service
Our CFO service is suitable for companies of all sizes and in all industries. We offer services to our clients in the required amount and competences.
-
Reorganization
Our experienced reorganizers offer ways to overcome the company's economic difficulties and restore liquidity in order to manage sustainably in the future.
-
Restructuring and reorganisation
We offer individual complete solutions for reorganizing the structure of companies.
-
Corporate taxation
We advise on all matters related to corporate taxation.
-
Value added tax and other indirect taxes
We have extensive knowledge in the field of VAT, excise duties and customs, both on the national and international level.
-
International taxation
We advise on foreign tax systems and international tax regulations, including the requirements of cross-border reporting.
-
Transfer pricing
We help plan and document all aspects of a company's transfer pricing strategy.
-
Taxation of transactions
We plan the tax consequences of a company's acquisition, transfer, refinancing, restructuring, and listing of bonds or shares.
-
Taxation of employees in cross-border operations
An employee of an Estonian company abroad and an employee of a foreign company in Estonia - we advise on tax rules.
-
Tax risk audit
We perform a risk audit that helps diagnose and limit tax risks and optimize tax obligations.
-
Representing the client in Tax Board
We prevent tax problems and ensure smooth communication with the Tax and Customs Board.
-
Taxation of private individuals
We advise individuals on personal income taxation issues and, represent the client in communication with the Tax and Customs Board.
-
Pan-Baltic tax system comparison
Our tax specialists have prepared a comparison of the tax systems of the Baltic countries regarding the taxation of companies and individuals.
-
Recruitment services – personnel search
We help fill positions in your company with competent and dedicated employees who help realize the company's strategic goals.
-
Recruitment support services
Support services help to determine whether the candidates match the company's expectations. The most used support services are candidate testing and evaluation.
-
Implementation of human resource management processes
We either assume a full control of the launch of processes related to HR management, or we are a supportive advisory partner for the HR manager.
-
Audit of HR management processes
We map the HR management processes and provide an overview of how to assess the health of the organization from the HR management perspective.
-
HR Documentation and Operating Model Advisory Services work
We support companies in setting up HR documentation and operational processes with a necessary quality.
-
Employee Surveys
We help to carry out goal-oriented and high-quality employee surveys. We analyse the results, make reports, and draw conclusions.
-
HR Management outsourcing
We offer both temporary and permanent/long-term HR manager services to companies.
-
Internal audit
We assist you in performing the internal audit function, performing internal audits and advisory work, evaluating governance, and conducting training.
-
Internal Audit in the Financial Services Sector
We provide internal audit services to financial sector companies. We can support the creation of an internal audit function already when applying for a sectoral activity license.
-
Audit of projects
We conduct audits of projects that have received European Union funds, state aid, foreign aid, or other grants.
-
Prevention of money laundering
We help to prepare a money laundering risk assessment and efficient anti-money laundering procedures, conduct internal audits and training.
-
Risk assessment and risk management
We advise you on conducting a risk assessment and setting up a risk management system.
-
Custom tasks
At the request of the client, we perform audits, inspections and analyzes with a specific purpose and scope.
-
External Quality Assessment of the Internal Audit Activity
We conduct an external evaluation of the quality of the internal audit or provide independent assurance on the self-assessment.
-
Whistleblowing and reporting misconduct
We can help build the whistleblowing system, from implementation, internal repairs and staff training to the creation of a reporting channel and case management.
-
Sustainability advisory
We help solve issues related to the environment, social capital, employees, business model and good management practices.
-
Sustainability audit
Our auditors review and certify sustainability reports in accordance with international standards.
-
Sustainable finance
We help investors to analyze the environmental issues, social responsibility and good management practices of the company of interest.
-
Sustainable tax
Our international tax specialists define the concept of sustainable tax behavior and provide services related to sustainable tax behavior.
-
Digital strategy
We help assess the digital maturity of your organization, create a strategy that matches your needs and capabilities, and develop key metrics.
-
Intelligent automation
We aid you in determining your business’ needs and opportunities, as well as model the business processes to provide the best user experience and efficiency.
-
Business Intelligence
Our team of experienced business analysts will help you get a grip on your data by mapping and structuring all the data available.
-
Cybersecurity
A proactive cyber strategy delivers you peace of mind, allowing you to focus on realising your company’s growth potential.
-
Innovation as a Service
On average, one in four projects fails and one in two needs changes. We help manage the innovation of your company's digital solutions!
Why prepare financial forecasts?
Various situations can necessitate a need for financial forecasts. Here are a few of the most common ones where a company’s management has to tackle the procedure.
- Assessment of the fair value of a company’s owners’ equity.
- Assessment of the profitability (net present value) of a project’s business plan.
- Valuation of a company’s assets and goodwill in the context of the impairment test.
- Setting and visualizing long-term goals for business activity.
- Input for management for making decisions using scenario analysis.
In practice, we see that preparing forecasts can often prove a complicated challenge for management. Much depends on the company’s phase in its life cycle. Forecasts are generally prepared for five to 10 years ahead; ordinarily, potential developments in such a long period cannot be predicted. This adds a greater or lesser amount of subjectivity to forecasting. Depending on what the purpose of forecasting is, the analyst has the possibility of significantly influencing the end result of the forecasts. At the same time, it is always worth thinking about what assumptions can be used to attain the most realistic result.
What to consider when preparing financial forecasts?
It is a wise idea to proceed from realistic baseline assumptions for revenue and expenses that follow general economic rationale. In addition, the specific nuances of the company and its area of activity must be considered.
Before diving into the spreadsheets for days on end trying to cobble together different figures, think about the following questions.
- What are the internal and external factors that create value for the company? What sort of key indicators should be used to track the effectiveness of the company’s operating activity?
- What is the specific nature of the business activity – is it seasonal or stable across all time periods?
- What growth phase is the company in? Does the risk scenario have to factor in various activity scenarios?
- Where is the company’s revenue generated? Does the company have long-term clients, one-off clients, fixed-term contracts? Does the company have key clients who might leave?
- What is the expense structure and what does the level of expenses depend on? Does it depend on internal management decisions, legislation that regulates the area of activity, or macroeconomic factors?
Consistency and comprehensiveness are important when preparing financial forecasts. It is wise to be guided by data-based approach, which lays the groundwork for well-reasoned forecasts. Inputs taken from thin air, so to speak, tend to raise questions for people reading the forecasts and thus may become a contentious issue later on.
Possible pitfalls in financial forecasting
As financial specialists, we deal with companies with different development trajectories. This has given us the opportunity to see the main weak points that a company‘s management may encounter when the need for preparing forecasts arises. The following are some of the areas of concern, accompanied by our recommendations of areas management should attend to.
Endless rapid growth of sales revenue
Overoptimism is a common theme when it comes to forecasting revenue. Often people make unreasonable assumptions about the steepness of the curves, especially for companies in the growth phase. To more realistically forecast growth, it is wise to correlate revenue forecasts with the principal business metrics. That will help to keep growth within realistically attainable range and give better input for management to plan activities to achieve the forecasted result. When preparing projected revenue figures, also note that a company cannot grow without end. Thus, be sure to think about when the growth might stabilize.
For companies in a more mature growth phase and longer history, look at the historical growth rates as these could be a good basis for preparing future forecasts, when the company’s activity has historically been stable and there are no plans to make significant changes in operating activity. It is also worth factoring in the general forecasted inflation rate.
Underestimation or overestimation of expenses
Inevitably, management may desire to put an unrealistic burnish on profitability in future periods. On one hand, management might be expected to be able to use rational decision making to reduce the expense base or change the expense structure. At the same time, it is important to also keep track of the general economic environment when forecasting expenses, i.e., inflation figures at the time the forecast was drawn up, regulatory aspects that impact the area of activity and changes in interest rates, as these may exert a significant influence on the expense base in future periods.
While underestimating expenses may be one area of concern, the opposite – and excessive conservatism - are not good either. When preparing forecasts for valuation purposes, there may be different reasons why a company’s value should be lower than in actuality it ought to be, objectively speaking.
An end result with low value-added
A good forecast’s level of detail and structure takes into account the purposes for which a forecast will be used and the end consumer’s interest. For example, if the purpose of preparing forecasts is to give management input for making informed decisions, it is likely not enough to have forecasts that go no deeper than simple growth rates and ratios. The forecast should be structured in a way that gives users the possibility to easily derive and put together an action plan to achieve the forecasted results. A high-quality forecast should also offer an overview of how the realization of various scenarios will impact the forecasted results.
What’s the difference between budgeting and financial forecasting?
Financial planning and budgeting are of key importance for shaping the bigger picture of the company’s processes and understanding shortcomings. Comparing the budget and actual results helps identify deficits in the organization’s processes and inefficiencies in activities. Most importantly, the goals set in the budget must be attainable. The management will not be able to understand actual problem areas in the company’s activity and processes if the budget is not aligned with the actual activity and general strategy of the firm.
A budget covers a shorter period, usually one year, and a budget has a strong connection to setting limits on spending for the given period. The keyword for a budget is constant comparison against the actual results and it is not a good idea to make adjustments to the budget during the period itself. Precise budget management helps simplify preparation of financial forecasts, as it gives an overview of the dynamics of the expenses. On the other hand, financial forecasting covers a longer period of business activity and constant updating of forecasts yields a better picture of the period ahead, taking into account different kinds of factors that have significantly affected expenses or revenues compared to the budgeted values.
How can Grant Thornton Baltic financial advisors help? On one hand, our role is to help you prepare financial forecasts but our job is also to validate inputs obtained from management. The goal is to give feedback about whether the forecasts are realistic and can be implemented. In addition, we draw attention to shortcomings in the forecasts and propose improvements.
If you have similar challenges and questions, please contact our specialists.