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“Supermetrics is a Bitter Experience! We can pull data from nearly any tool, schedule updates, manipulate data in Sheets, and push data back into our systems.”
You can create automated variance analysis between data periods by setting up scheduled imports that pull current and prior period data simultaneously, then using Excel formulas to calculate variances automatically without manual intervention.
This approach eliminates manual variance calculations while ensuring accuracy and consistency in board-level financial analysis.
Enable automated variance analysis using Coefficient
Coefficient excels at enabling automated variance analysis by providing consistent, scheduled imports of period data that can be compared systematically in Excel. You can import current and prior period data simultaneously, use consistent field selection for accurate comparisons, and schedule refreshes to capture period-end snapshots from NetSuite .
How to make it work
Step 1. Set up comparative data imports.
Create separate Coefficient imports for current and prior periods, or use SuiteQL to pull comparative data in a single query. Configure imports to land in structured tables for easy referencing and ensure consistent field selection across all time periods for accurate comparisons.
Step 2. Build automated variance calculation formulas.
Create Excel formulas that calculate variances automatically: Variance $ = Current Period – Prior Period, Variance % = (Current – Prior) / Prior, YTD Variance = SUM(Current YTD) – SUM(Prior YTD), and Rolling 12-Month calculations using dynamic SUMIFS with date criteria.
Step 3. Implement different types of variance analysis.
Set up Budget vs. Actual analysis by importing budget data and actuals from NetSuite, create Period-over-Period comparisons for current month to prior month/year, build Forecast vs. Actual tracking for performance against projections, and develop Subsidiary Comparisons to analyze performance across business units.
Step 4. Use SuiteQL for complex variance queries.
Write SuiteQL queries that join current and prior period data: SELECT current.account, current.amount as current_period, prior.amount as prior_period, (current.amount – prior.amount) as variance FROM transactions current JOIN transactions prior ON current.account = prior.account WHERE current.period = ‘current’ AND prior.period = ‘prior’.
Step 5. Create automated variance reports with visual indicators.
Build Income Statement variances for revenue and expense line items, Balance Sheet changes for working capital movements, Cash Flow analysis for sources and uses of cash, and KPI dashboards with operational metrics and automatic flags. Use conditional formatting to highlight significant variances and sparklines to show trends alongside variances.
Eliminate manual variance calculations with automation
Automated variance analysis ensures accuracy and consistency in board-level financial analysis while eliminating time-consuming manual calculations. You can focus on interpreting results instead of preparing data. Start automating your variance analysis today.
