ControllingOperating costs

Operating cost
analysis (OPEX).
From the result to the detail.

See how much running the business costs and where spending deviates from the plan. Compare actuals with the budget and look for the causes of variances by department, cost center and account.

Fincorex screen: Cost analysis (OPEX) 06.2026, Company A - costs by nature, actual vs budget and variance drill-down
Features

Cost analysis in Fincorex®.
From the OPEX budget to accounting data.

01

Operating costs (OPEX)

A shared view of costs by category and account.

02

Actuals and plan

Comparison with the budget, forecast and prior year.

03

Variance analysis

Differences between actuals and plan in amounts and percentages.

04

Costs by cost center

Analysis of department and cost center costs.

05

Project costs

Spending and variances by project.

06

Drill-down to accounting

From a report to detailed accounting data.

07

Management reports

Statements and dashboards tailored to their audience.

08

Data integration

Data from accounting, ERP, sales and HR systems and Excel files.

09

A flexible model

Chart of accounts, cost centers and reports tailored to your organization.

Variance analysis

You see the variance.
You check its cause.

Start with total operating costs. Go to the costs of a selected department, then to the accounting data. See which items drive the variance from budget.

  • Actuals, budget and prior year in one statement
  • Analysis by account, cost center and project
  • Drill-down to detailed accounting data
Operating cost variance · 06.2026Cost centers / accounts
Level 1 · companyOperating costsPLN 200k over budget
Level 2 · cost centerSales departmentPLN 120k over budget
Level 3 · accountMarketing servicesPLN 80k over budget
Account · sales departmentBudgetActualDifference
Marketing services120,000200,000+80,000
Business travel30,00055,000+25,000
Other costs90,000105,000+15,000

Sample analysis path · PLN · illustrative data

Costs by cost center

Where do costs
exceed the budget?

Compare department costs for the same period. In this example, the sales department accounts for PLN 120k of the company’s PLN 200k overrun.

Costs by cost center · June 2026 · PLN · illustrative data

Cost centerActualBudgetVarianceVariance %
Sales360,000240,000+120,000+50.0%
Operations1,200,0001,140,000+60,000+5.3%
Administration840,000820,000+20,000+2.4%
Total2,400,0002,200,000+200,000+9.1%
↗

From the cost center report, go to the cost accounts and check which items made up the variance.

One model, different perspectives

Costs over time.
Actuals, budget and forecast.

Compare scenarios and periods. Match reporting breakdowns to the structure of your organization and the responsibilities of each audience.

⇄

Actuals, budget and forecast

Set results against the plan. Check variances and take them into account when working on the next forecast.

Actual / Budget / Forecast

◷

Month, year-to-date and prior year

Check costs for a selected period and year-to-date. Compare data with the same period of the prior year.

Month / YTD / YoY

☷

Your organization’s breakdowns

Analyze data by company, department, cost center and project. Fit the model to the way you manage the business.

Company / Department / Cost center / Project

Management reporting

Cost reports for the management board.
Details for the controller.

Prepare reports and dashboards on a shared data model. The management board sees costs and variances from the plan, while the controller analyzes the details as needed.

Role-based reports

Access to data according to assigned permissions.

Fincorex® BI and Power BI

Dashboards and reports based on model data.

Shared data sources

Integration of accounting, ERP, sales, HR and Excel.

Self-service

Changes to accounts, cost centers and templates within your permissions.

Management report · Company A06.2026 · year-to-date
OPEX year-to-date13.5mBudget: PLN 13.4m
Variance from plan+0.1m+0.7% vs. budget
CategoryActualBudget
Personnel costs7.2m7.1m
External services3.4m3.3m
Other costs2.9m3.0m
Total OPEX13.5m13.4m

Sample report layout · illustrative data

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about OPEX analysis.

What costs can I analyze in the OPEX model?

All operating costs recorded in the books – by category, account, department, cost center and project, compared with the budget and the prior year.

Can I compare actuals with the budget and the prior year?

Yes. Actuals, budget, forecast and prior year are in one statement – for a selected month and year-to-date, in amounts and percentages.

Can I compare costs by cost center and project?

Yes. The cost center report shows department costs for the same period, and you can analyze the same data by project.

Where does Fincorex get controlling data from?

From accounting, ERP, sales and HR systems and from Excel files. The data flows into one model that all reports and analyses work on.

Can I go from a report to detailed accounting data?

Yes. Drill-down leads from total operating costs through the costs of a selected department to detailed accounting data.

See your model
before you decide.

As a proof of concept, we’ll rebuild your reporting or planning model in Fincorex® and show it to you at our next meeting.

Book a demo