How to Ensure Your Reporting Doesn't Fail You?

By Kairit Tahvola, BI Business Partner at Staria

One of the toughest moments in my earlier career as a CFO had nothing to do with the numbers themselves. It was those situations where a decision had to be made immediately, even though I couldn’t trust the figures as much as I would have wanted. 

The report was correct. The numbers matched. And yet I found myself wondering: how, and to whom, can I present these figures when nothing is technically wrong, but something still feels off? That small doubt was enough for uncertainty to creep in. 

A CFO never stands behind the numbers alone 

Many CFOs or business leaders who scrutinise figures will recognise the feeling: you study the reports, you consider the decisions, but is the data truly reliable? A gut feeling alone isn’t reason enough to postpone a decision, but it highlights a crucial distinction: accuracy is not the same as trustworthiness. And often, what ultimately undermines trust isn’t the data or the tool; it’s the people. 

How were the numbers put together? What is the source data? How have different P&L-responsible leaders compiled and interpreted it? These are the factors that make all the difference. 

A business report can be technically flawless and still be a poor management tool. The numbers may add up, but the logic is unclear. Different reports tell slightly different stories; the reasons behind changes aren’t immediately visible, and the report always needs an additional explanation. In those cases, the problem isn’t the data itself, it’s the lack of shared understanding. 

Without a shared interpretation, the numbers won’t build trust. 

The CFO stands behind the numbers, but not alone. The responsibility doesn’t lie with the reporting system, it lies with the people and the team. When reporting is unclear, decision-making slows and the conversation turns into defending the numbers. This uncertainty cascades through the leadership team and the board. 

Often the reaction is to add more data, metrics and reports, even though the real need isn’t more information or prettier graphs, it’s clarity. It’s taking the time to walk through the whole picture together, so the people working with the topic understand it in the same way. 

Who looks at the numbers and what do they do with them? 

In my current work with Naviloq, Staria’s BI & planning tool, I nearly always begin with the same questions when meeting clients: Who looks at the numbers? What kinds of graphs and reports does the company currently use? And what do people actually do with those reports? Who uses them, and for what purpose? 

I don’t ask these for technical reasons, but to understand the context of my work and to bring real value to how the tool is used, so that Naviloq truly becomes a partner to the business. 

Numbers are just numbers, but the way they are used to guide decisions and operations tells a different story. The same report can be an operational tool for one person, a strategic view for another, and a cost structure check for a third. If reporting isn’t designed with different user groups in mind, it easily becomes disconnected, correct in itself, but not particularly helpful for any of them. 

Leadership is about direction 

Data and tools are essential. Without them, leadership becomes more difficult. But they don’t drive the business forward on their own. Growth happens when people know how to use data, dare to ask questions and challenge assumptions, and understand what the numbers mean in practice. 

When reporting isn’t just the finance team’s output but a shared language of leadership, it starts to genuinely support decision-making. 

Reporting often fails because it’s built for reporting, not for decisions. Everyone sees the same view, context is missing, and the focus stays on the past. There’s usually a cultural question behind this too: Is it safe in the team to admit you don’t understand? Is it acceptable to ask “why”? 

This becomes even more pronounced in growing organisations where roles change quickly. That’s why potential, curiosity and willingness to learn matter more than a perfect CV. When people feel safe, reporting improves. Not because the data changes, but because the people make it better. 

Good reporting starts with the decision, not the data. But it also starts with leadership. Leadership isn’t about controlling the numbers, but about creating direction, making the whole picture visible, and showing how everyone’s work connects to it. When this succeeds, you get one shared truth that can be viewed from different angles. The CFO, CEO and operational leaders see different things, but they trust the same foundation. 

Naviloq isn’t the solution to the problem, nor is it the cause. It simply reveals what’s really happening in the organisation: is there a shared understanding of where you’re headed and which numbers guide the journey? If that’s missing, no tool can save your reporting. 

Good reporting doesn’t need excuses. It forces the right questions and makes decisions inevitable. When the numbers are built for decision-making, they don’t only describe what has happened, they guide what happens next. 

In the end, reporting exists for people. Good reporting doesn’t remove human judgement, it strengthens it. When the report is clear and understood by everyone, the CFO can focus on leadership, and the conversation shifts from numbers to decisions. 

Numbers don’t lead the business. People do. Reporting simply makes it possible.