Verna Group Ltd uses IBM Cognos Planning to improve data visibility and analysis across its global healthcare waste management business. The software allows Verna to perform sophisticated multi-dimensional analysis of sales, costs, budgets, and forecasts that was previously difficult to do in Excel. Verna works with consulting firm Inca Software to implement planning solutions and ensure users are trained to work independently with the software. Inca provides ongoing support that Verna relies on to optimize use of IBM Cognos Planning and adapt their planning processes over time.

1. Case Study Business and Technology
Verna Group Ltd working as one

2. Verna Group Ltd maintains a healthy business
environment with IBM Cognos Planning
Verna Group Ltd provides a total solution to human waste
“We saw many benefits of using management in healthcare and is a global leader in this sector,
the software for the rolling creating cleaner, safer, greener healthcare environments across
the world. The company shapes their strategy around the universal
forecast project; particularly drivers of infection control, environmental performance and
the opportunity to control the cost savings, helping customers to achieve all three critical
objectives. IBM Cognos Planning has been a vital component in
environment more.” Verna’s strategic planning process for around 10 years. Whilst
originally purchased to replace spreadsheet based budgeting,
Verna, and specifically David Forman, Group MIS Manager at
Verna, has developed their utilisation of the application in several
ways: to collate their Management Accounts, for detailed sales
reporting across products, channels and countries; cost allocations;
and a quarterly rolling forecast.
Overview
A planning application to support business
Challenge decisions
To improve data visibility across the business, avoid Excel
In collating their Management Accounts, Verna needed a level
pitfalls and allow more opportunity for reporting analysis.
of data visibility and analysis that in Excel proved deficient.
David explains; “We used Excel for very simple channel analysis,
Why Inca?
but we wanted to be able to analyse and manipulate our data
Verna values the collaborative style of support Inca provides,
in a more sophisticated way, using multiple dimensions.” David
allowing them to become self sufficient application users,
continues, “Each of our divisions are very different and don’t
whilst offering guidance and assistance when required.
interact with each other that much. Our sales data comes
from our Canada division through their ACCPAC system, and
Solution
from the UK and South Africa through Sage. Utilising IBM
Verna utilises the IBM Cognos Planning application
Cognos Planning we look at hierarchies, customers, currencies,
to collate their Management Accounts, detailed sales
budgets, products against divisions and different prices, which
reporting across products, channels and countries; cost
we aggregate and reconcile. By reporting on the output we
allocations; and a quarterly rolling forecast.
can make important decisions on capacity and production; this
would have been practically impossible in Excel”.
Key Benefits
Greater visibility of data: multidimensional data analysis
Other areas in which Verna have utilised IBM Cognos Planning
provides with ability to make important decisions on
is with HQ cost allocations. “We have various cost centres
capacity and production. More uniformity in end-user
such as IT, Finance, and Purchasing,” David explains, “Various
participation through roll out of IBM Cognos Contributor.
nominal ledgers in Sage hold all the costs; we take each
of those lines and can assign a driver to it. We can be as
sophisticated as we want with these, for example, in IT, it may
be the number of PCs, or salaries based on timesheet. These
then drive costs to all the different divisions, and we can
also drive costs to other cost centres, for example, IT are able
to charge Finance and Purchasing, offering a full recharge
system”. David describes the process: “Typically we allocate

3. “The level of support we have received from
these can be set up by the end users and updated as required.
Inca over the years has been invaluable
Starting out with sales models, Verna now also roll out head
to our IBM Cognos usage. We know that office and more recently overhead models. “We are now working
the resource is there at Inca whenever we to extend usage to the whole company, for operations, production,
balance sheet and cashflow etc,” David comments.
need it, and have utilised Inca’s training
several times to ensure that Verna retains
A collaborative approach to planning
knowledge and has a level of shared in- expertise
house expertise. Inca’s Support Helpdesk
The implementation of the rolling forecast along with IBM
has always given us solid advice on the Cognos Contributor was an important project for Verna; “IBM
few occasions we’ve required it, and it is Cognos Contributor especially was an unknown entity to us
so it was vital that we had the expertise of an Inca consultant
particularly helpful that they can remotely
on hand throughout the project, to ensure it ran smoothly,”
access your computer to give hands-on says David. “However, we wanted to be as self-sufficient as
technical guidance.” possible, with that in mind I also attended Inca’s IBM Cognos
Contributor training course to gain both theoretical and practical
understanding of the product; as a result of this and the collaborative
approach of our Inca consultant, by the end of the project I
was sufficient enough in knowledge to complete it on my own.
about 80% of the costs to the Profit centres on first allocation; “The level of support we have received from Inca over the years
the remaining 20% is reiterated through the model until all the has been invaluable to our IBM Cognos usage. We know that
costs are allocated to the profit centres”. the resource is there at Inca whenever we need it, and have
utilised Inca’s training several times to ensure that Verna retains
Keeping pace with evolving requirements knowledge and has a level of shared in-house expertise. Inca’s
Support Helpdesk has always given us solid advice on the few
With Verna’s increasing presence in the healthcare market
occasions we’ve required it, and it is particularly helpful that
it was considered invaluable to the business to implement a
they can remotely access your computer to give hands-on
quarterly rolling forecast using IBM Cognos Planning, as the
technical guidance”. David concludes, “With the consistently
use of an annual budget process was at odds with the strategic
collaborative approach Inca offers with its support, we continue
shift within the business to a more forward thinking forecast
to utilise IBM Cognos to develop planning processes as and when
process. “We saw many benefits of using the software for
we need to”.
the rolling forecast project; particularly the opportunity to
control the environment more. Previously we did have an Excel
template but people could do what they wanted really; for
example, a single product might have many different names
or units in various divisions. Now, using IBM Cognos Planning
for the forecasts we’ve had to take responsibility in deciding
standard names and units for products for everyone to use;
there’s much more control across the business”.
The company uses IBM Cognos Contributor to roll out to
certain budget holders, who are able to use the Add-In for
Excel functionality to refresh and update graphs and reports, so

4. Inca Software
Founded in 2002, Inca Software is the largest and most successful UK IBM partner, providing customers with the full suite
of IBM Business Analytics and Optimisation products. In 2010 Inca not only achieved the prestigious IBM Premier Business
Partner status but also received the IBM EMEA Business Partner Excellence Award out of recognition as the European reseller of the
year. Acquired by Logicalis UK Ltd in 2011, Inca has continued to expand its software, service and support offerings and grow
its business in the UK. Inca currently supports and provides services to over 400 organisations across all industry sectors, and
is the IBM Partner of choice for companies who want to gain a clear understanding of business performance through improved
business analytics and optimisation processes.
Inca Software
110 Buckingham Avenue T: +44 (0) 1753 491 310
Slough F: +44 (0) 1753 777 383
Berkshire E: info@incasoftware.co.uk
SL1 4PF W: www.incasoftware.co.uk Business and Technology
working as one