Finance Business Partners were mainly seen in larger organizations, their roles demanded more than just number crunching month end results from their finance professionals. The transformation of finance professionals as a key business partner can be seen in smaller and medium-sized organizations where finance is playing more of a value-added proactive approach. The traditional month-end finance function that is part of every organization for internal, as well as external reporting. Such reporting was based on after period variance analysis with little input with regard to analytics for future direction, thus more of a passive role..

The role of Finance in organizational reporting goes beyond reporting on monthly financial results. The importance of reporting on the monthly financials should not be underestimated including the traditional role finance has played within the organization. Historically finance may have been seen an isolated unit that did not interact with other units within the organization. The role that finance plays will increasingly be strategic that is to assist business units with strategy. In the case of not-for-profits or government agencies, the role could be within the efficient use of resources in order to provide services more effectively.

With the use of Big Data analytics, finance professionals are able to further assist marketing and sales with their functions. Rather than just reporting on historical financial results, big data has brought together various departments within the organization to work together on not only analyzing the effectiveness of past strategies but also determine the next step within an organization. Such analysis allows for a better understanding of the cause and effects of decisions on a geographical level, as well as an organizational level. Some of the challenges faced with big data are determining which sources of data should be used, both internally and externally for decision-making. Other challenges that may be faced is to filter out data that is required for specific decision making from data that although is useful may distract from analyzing a specific strategic move.