Certent Disclosure Management Reviews

“Proven beneficial for us

Pros

The two features that have been most beneficial to our team are the automation tools for both text and amounts as well as the variance checks. As these have helped us become much more efficient and accurate when preparing our financial reports.

Cons

Desktop app can occasionally become overloaded and crash which causes problems with objects that are already checked out. And though the CDM checkout feature works well when just one person needs access but it can cause issues if multiple team members need to work at the same time. Formatting can also be challenging as it requires some experience to know what corrections are needed.

“Reliable but can be improved

Pros

We have been using the app for 4 years to create our reports directly linking it to our HFM database. It has saved us a lot of time in report production and the integration with Excel and Word has made it easier for users to adopt. Plus the implementation of control variables has also made our reports more reliable. And the app has been successfully deployed across multiple branches. Moreover the customer support team is amazing as they always respond quick.

Cons

In larger reports the check-in/check-out process can take a little while. Plus customizing the table of contents for specific groups is not perfect either. Also formatting can be time consuming because what we see on the screen might differ from the final report after it's generated.

“Beginner-friendly but not the best

Pros

The integration with Microsoft Word and Excel helps new users get up to speed quickly. Also it is a big time saver to break reports into sections that multiple team members can update at the same time. Additionally the integration with our EPM system is effective and refreshes multiple views in a timely manner.

Cons

Well the current version of CDM is starting to show its age. Sometimes even opening or closing individual objects can take a bit of time. Formatting is also quite time consuming because what we see on the page is not always how it will look when the final report is generated. Additionally linking external Excel documents requires uploading them to an Insight hosted website before they can be used in CDM which adds an extra step to the process.

“Simplifies my job

Pros

Certent Disclosure Management tool has really improved how we handle financial reporting. Before we started using CDM we had to rely on Microsoft Word to prepare our financial statements. This took up more time checking, formatting and calculating than actually drafting the content. But now this solution handles those tasks for us which eventually allows us to focus on what's most important like the content of the financial statements.

Cons

There is a noticeable time delay between when we upload a file and when the changes actually appear in CDM.

“Overall a flexible tool

Pros

I like the flexibility it gives us to work in Word and Excel which really helps optimize our financial reporting process.

Cons

Uploading data and ensuring that report objects are linked to the correct data sets can be a bit time consuming and confusing. Additionally making sure CDM is syncing properly requires some careful attention. While it works well overall I feel like it does need some management.

“Ideal for simplifying financial reports

Pros

It has made financial reporting so much simpler. Before CDM we were using Microsoft Word to prepare our financial statements, spending more time checking, formatting and calculating than actually drafting the content. But now this solution takes care of those tasks allowing me to focus on what really matters such as the content of the statements.

Cons

To collaborate on financial statements we need to divide them into smaller parts so different team members can work on sections simultaneously. Plus checking out an object takes about 10 seconds and checking it back in after editing takes another 10 seconds or so. And while it is a minor inconvenience it can still be a little annoying.