Methodology

The Monthly Close maintains an independent FP&A software research database. Comparisons are generated from verified product records — not by swapping product names in a template. The principles below describe exactly how data is sourced, verified, and presented.

Product selection

Products are included only when they have a meaningful financial-planning, forecasting, reporting, modeling, consolidation, or strategic-finance use case. Generic accounting, payments, or expense tools are excluded unless they meaningfully overlap with FP&A.

How facts are verified

  • Primary sources first: official vendor documentation, product pages, pricing pages, help centers, API/integration documentation, and security/compliance documentation.
  • Independent sources where appropriate: Gartner, G2, TrustRadius, Capterra, GetApp, Forrester, IDC, reputable publications, and public filings.
  • We clearly distinguish Verified fact, Vendor claim, Independent review evidence, and Editorial assessment.
  • Marketing language is never turned into an objective fact.
  • When information cannot be verified, the field displays “Not publicly disclosed” rather than a guess.

How pricing is handled

Public pricing is recorded only when published by the vendor. Most enterprise FP&A pricing is quote-based and is shown as “Not publicly disclosed.” We do not estimate or infer prices.

How reviews are evaluated

Aggregate ratings from independent review platforms may be referenced with a link to the source. We do not fabricate reviews, testimonials, customer counts, ratings, or rankings.

How conclusions are created

“Best for” conclusions are editorial assessments based on documented architecture and workflow differences. We do not force a single winner; products are matched to buyer requirements.

Keeping data current

Every product record and comparison carries a Last verified date and a Data confidence label (High / Medium / Limited). Stale facts are flagged for re-review. Acquisitions, renames, and discontinued features are updated with historical context where useful, but the current product identity is always made clear.

Editorial independence

The site may in future support affiliate links, sponsored listings, vendor profiles, lead-gen forms, and demo requests. Paid placements are clearly labeled and never affect factual comparison data or editorial conclusions.

Each comparison page displays Last reviewed, Sources checked, and Data confidence. See the editorial standards for the full policy.
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