Excel: power and peril

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Ned Harding - a true pioneer in the data analytics space - to talk about why most data tools still don’t meet the needs of today’s collaborative teams. From building Alteryx from the ground up to launching a new venture (Enso Analytics), Ned shares his take on what’s broken in data workflows and how FP&A teams can fix it.

Ned Harding is the Chief Product Officer at Enso Analytics, a platform that helped define the self-service analytics category. He started coding at eight years old, taught himself from PDP-11 manuals, and has spent the last two decades creating tools used by hundreds of thousands of analysts worldwide. He’s a product guy through and through, and he’s on a mission to help teams work smarter with their data.

Expect to Learn:

1. Why most data tools fall short when it comes to real team collaboration
2. The importance of repeatability and testing in FP&A workflows
3. How to avoid common pitfalls with AI and overfitting in forecasting
4. Why Excel is both a lifesaver - and a landmine
5. How to build a true “culture of analytics” across your entire org

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

1. “The biggest successes happen when teams collaborate - analytics shouldn’t be a solo act.”- Ned Harding
2. “If your team’s not getting value from your data work, you’re not doing your job.”- Ned Harding

Ned shares practical insights on how FP&A teams can become strategic partners by embracing collaborative, repeatable analytics. He emphasizes the value of integrating data across teams, avoiding AI pitfalls, and applying the scientific method to drive consistent, data-informed decision-making.

Campfire: AI-First ERP:

Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation,

close management, and more, all in one unified platform.

Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguy

Follow Ned:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ned-harding-34a57526/

Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/enso-analytics/

Website - https://ensoanalytics.com

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today’s Episode

[02:43] – Meet Ned Harding & His Journey to Enso

[06:04] – Accidental Start in Analytics

[10:59] – Turning Tools into a Business

[14:49] – Why Enso Analytics?

[25:43] – Analytics Across the Org

[29:16] – Context is Everything

[35:51] – The Risk of Overusing AI

[43:56] – Are We in an AI Bubble?

[47:07] – Top Skills for FP&A Pros

[49:54] – The Excel Debate

[53:12] – Fun Final Questions