Drivers: from regulation to risk

Legal requirements remain the most important external driver at 61 percent, although their dominance is declining (2025: 69 percent). Risk-driven factors are gaining ground: political developments in the US (54 percent, plus 8 points), cybersecurity incidents (49 percent, plus 7 points), and concerns about dependencies on public cloud providers (46 percent, plus 6 points). Internally, the use of data and AI in core processes (62 percent), growing data sensitivity (52 percent), and rising vendor dependencies (49 percent) are the leading factors.

Maturity and measures: security first, cloud strategy in transition

Only 38 percent of companies have an applied sovereignty governance, and 46 percent have an established technical architecture. On the action side, cybersecurity (43 percent) as well as hybrid cloud and on-premises strategies (35 percent) dominate. The share of companies with repatriation initiatives has doubled within a year, from 8 to 16 percent. North America stands out regionally: 73 percent of companies there fund sovereignty measures, compared to 56 percent in Europe.

Dr. Carsten Bange, founder and CEO of BARC, comments: “Sovereignty in 2026 has moved beyond a compliance add-on and has become a prerequisite for safely scaling data and AI in productive core processes. Many programs start with strategy and funding, then stall due to missing resources and technical hurdles. Organizations that want to scale need reproducible architectural patterns and clear governance guidelines.”

Sovereignty as a driver of innovation

46 percent of respondents see a positive effect of sovereignty initiatives on innovation capability, while only 9 percent see a negative effect. Among companies with a dedicated budget, the share of positive assessments rises to 71 percent. At the same time, technical hurdles have jumped sharply in 2026 (43 percent, 2025: 26 percent), and 44 percent cite a lack of personnel resources as a key obstacle.

Study access

The study is based on an online survey of 320 companies conducted in February and March 2026. The survey was sponsored by Actian, Exasol, Schwarz Digits, and T-Systems and conducted in cooperation with Big Data & AI World Frankfurt.

The full study is available free of charge for download.

The results show: Integrated planning and analytics are more important than ever, yet full implementation remains an unfulfilled task for most organizations. Less than 20% of companies have fully integrated planning and analytics. The majority still relies on time-consuming data transfers between isolated software environments – a structural barrier to agility and data-driven decision-making.

Integrated Planning & Analytics (IP&A) combines strategic, financial (FP&A), and operational planning (xP&A) with reporting, dashboarding, and AI-driven insights on a unified data foundation, creating the basis for faster, more informed decisions in an increasingly volatile environment.

“Organizations that still operate planning and analytics in silos are leaving critical potential untapped. Those who want to make fast, informed decisions in a volatile environment need a unified data foundation – and software that seamlessly connects strategic, financial, and operational planning with analytics. The BARC Score IP&A 2026 shows which vendors already meet this standard today,” says Dr. Christian Fuchs, Senior Analyst at BARC.

Current Trends in the Performance Management Market 2026

• Data management tops the list. High-quality, consistent, and reliable data forms the foundation for informed decisions, drives innovation, and enables the use of advanced technologies such as AI.
• User-friendly software with self-service capabilities is key. Empowering business users to independently update plans and forecasts reduces IT dependency, shortens cycle times, and increases agility.
• Unified CPM – the unification of planning, reporting, analytics, and financial consolidation – either through all-in-one platforms or integrated best-of-breed solutions.
• Simulations and scenario analyses are indispensable in today’s dynamic environment. These capabilities enable organizations to evaluate alternative scenarios, identify risks, and prepare for critical situations.
• AI is the transformative technology of our time. 98% of companies expect AI to address future challenges in performance management.

Key Market Developments

The IP&A market is maturing, but vendors vary in their speed of innovation. The central innovation theme across all vendors is currently agentic AI:

• AI-powered planning as well as reporting and analysis as primary focus areas
• AI support for consolidation, closing, and group accounting
• Relief of users, process optimization, task automation, and workflow management
• Conversational AI assistants (copilots) based on natural language interaction
• Role-based and domain-specific AI agents to support modelers, planners, analysts, and administrators
• Environments for managing and developing custom AI agents

Vendors Evaluated in BARC Score IP&A 2026

Anaplan, Board, Corporate Planning, IBM, Infor, insightsoftware, Jedox, OneStream, Oracle, Pigment, Planful, Prophix, SAP, Unit4, Vena Solutions, Wolters Kluwer | CCH Tagetik, Workday

About the BARC Score

The BARC Score is BARC’s annual evaluation of software markets in business intelligence, analytics, and performance management. It combines market presence with insights from BARC’s extensive user surveys, delivering a balanced, independent assessment of leading vendors.

The BARC Score Integrated Planning & Analytics 2026 is available now.

The results make clear: The pressure to modernize finance departments is growing, yet implementation remains patchy in many organizations. Less than 50% of companies have largely automated or fully implemented the integration of financial consolidation and planning. More than 20% have no integration at all – a structural deficit that hampers real-time decision-making and slows finance transformation.

Financial Performance Management (FPM) encompasses the core processes of the finance department: financial planning and forecasting, financial reporting and disclosure, legal consolidation and group close, as well as ad hoc query and analytics. Modern FPM platforms integrate actual and plan data at both company and group level into a unified data foundation, creating the basis for faster, more informed decisions in an increasingly volatile environment.

“The expectations placed on the CFO and their team have risen – faster, more precise, more forward-looking. Those still working with manual processes and data silos today risk not just efficiency, but relevance. The BARC Score FPM 2026 shows which vendors and solutions empower finance teams to meet these demands,” says Dr. Christian Fuchs, Senior Analyst at BARC.

Current Trends in the Performance Management Market 2026

• Data management tops the list. High-quality, consistent, and reliable data forms the foundation for informed decisions and enables the use of advanced technologies such as AI.
• User-friendly software with self-service capabilities is key. Empowering business users reduces IT dependency, shortens cycle times, and increases agility.
• Unified FPM – the unification of financial planning, group consolidation, financial reporting, and analytics.
• Simulations and scenario analyses are indispensable in today’s dynamic environment.
• AI is the transformative technology of our time. 98% of companies expect AI to address future challenges in performance management.

Key Market Developments

The FPM market continues to evolve. Vendors are prioritizing:

Agentic AI and AI-driven user support:

• Conversational AI assistants (copilots) based on natural language interaction
• Agentic capabilities for automating the tagging of financial statements and disclosures
• Detection of anomalies and flagging of risks in the close process
• Transaction matching and auto-reconciliation
• Generation of narrative reports through conditional text generation and automatic summarization of notes

Pre-built solutions for group accounting: Lease accounting (IFRS 16), insurance contracts (IFRS 17), tax, account reconciliation, and ESG reporting.

Support for integrated business planning including xP&A: Setting up planning models that connect financial and operational data, and enhancing operational planning capabilities to provide a solid foundation for financial planning.

Vendors Evaluated in BARC Score FPM 2026

Anaplan, Board, Corporate Planning, IBM, Infor, insightsoftware, Jedox, Lucanet, OneStream, Oracle, Pigment, Planful, Prophix, SAP, Unit4, Vena Solutions, Wolters Kluwer | CCH Tagetik, Workday

About the BARC Score

The BARC Score is BARC’s annual evaluation of software markets in business intelligence, analytics, and performance management. It combines market presence with insights from BARC’s extensive user surveys, delivering a balanced, independent assessment of leading vendors.

The BARC Score Financial Performance Management 2026 is available now.

Core consolidation functionality has reached a high level of maturity across most organizations. 76% use specialized consolidation software – significantly higher than the comparable figure for enterprise planning from “The Planning Survey.” Average satisfaction on the Business Benefit Index (BBI) rose from 6.2 to 6.6. The focus is shifting: organizations are investing in extended modules such as Disclosure Management, ESG, GRC, Tax, and Account Reconciliation.

“Consolidation solutions are being renewed at a faster pace. For the first time, we measure an average installation age of under 8 years,” says Stefan Sexl, Senior Analyst at BARC and one of the study’s authors. “New implementations typically have a broader scope than legacy installations and include topics like Disclosure Management, Tax, Global Minimum Tax – and ESG, which remains high on the future investment list despite the Omnibus uncertainty.”

Key findings

• 76% adoption of specialized solutions (+2 percentage points year-over-year). Only 10% of organizations rely primarily on Excel for consolidation. In sub-processes like Tax Reporting, Account Reconciliation, and Disclosure Management, Excel usage remains strong.
• BBI rises from 6.2 to 6.6. Users are getting measurably more value from their consolidation tools than in the previous edition.
• 15 products from 14 vendors evaluated. SAP is represented twice through SAP BPC and the newer “Group Reporting.” The survey provides a detailed view of user satisfaction and deployment scenarios.
• ESG and Disclosure Management top the investment agenda. The expansion from pure consolidation to integrated group accounting platforms continues. Both topics are cited most frequently as future investment priorities.
• A generational shift accelerates. The average installation age has dropped to 7.9 years – below 8 years for the first time. For comparison: planning solutions average 4.7 years according to “The Planning Survey.” The move to the cloud is driving this transition.

About The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26

The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26 is the third edition of the world’s largest independent study on consolidation and group accounting. It covers 15 products from 14 vendors and is based on feedback from 600 participants worldwide.

“The Financial & Group Accounting Survey 26” is available now.

But AI readiness? That’s where the picture shifts. More than a third of users (36%) see little or no benefit from their current tools when it comes to preparing for AI. The gap between what data management platforms deliver today and what AI, GenAI, and agentic AI use cases require is real, and it shows.

Vendors sell the future. Users buy the present.

Part of the problem is a disconnect between what vendors promise and what users actually do. Vendors position their products for trending use cases far more often than users deploy them:

• Data products: 51% of vendors vs. 26% of users
• AI/ML: 42% vs. 18%
• Data governance: 41% vs. 25%

On the user side, classic scenarios still dominate: data warehousing and data integration. The AI-heavy use cases vendors are marketing for are not where most organizations spend their time.

Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, and Snowflake lead evaluations

In active software selection processes, Microsoft Fabric is evaluated most frequently (26%), followed by Databricks (21%) and Snowflake (19%).

More users hit problems in practice

The share of users reporting no significant issues dropped from 40% to 26% compared to the previous edition. The most common pain points: pricing that doesn’t scale or costs too much (19%), poor usability for business users (19%), and high complexity (16%).

Platforms alone won’t get organizations to productive AI

“Many organizations have the platforms, but not yet the prerequisites: data quality, governance, and skills. That is exactly where it will be decided whether GenAI and agents become productive or remain stuck in pilot projects.”, says Timm Grosser, Senior Analyst at BARC.

AI is raising the bar for data management. Capable platforms are table stakes. What separates organizations that move to productive AI from those stuck in pilot mode is the layer above: reliable data quality, governance that works in day-to-day operations, context and knowledge management, and tools business users can work with on their own.

About The Data Fabric Survey 26

The Data Fabric Survey 26 (formerly “The Data Management Survey”) covers 19 products and is based on feedback from 776 participants worldwide.

“The Data Fabric Survey 26” is available now.

BARC is once again calling for applications for the renowned BARC Start-up Award for Data and AI in 2026. The award targets young companies from the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) that are breaking new ground with innovative software solutions in analytics, business intelligence, artificial intelligence, planning and simulation, or data management.

Live at the DATA festival for the first time

The BARC Start-up Award has found a new home this year: The finals will be held live at DATA festival on June 16 and 17, 2026 at the Muffatwerk in Munich. This means that, in addition to presenting to the expert jury, start-ups can also meet potential customers and partners and benefit from intensive networking opportunities. They will also gain high visibility on site.

The five finalists will receive complimentary access to the entire DATA festival, including all sessions, catering, and the evening networking event, and will pitch their solutions live at the event.

An independent expert jury comprising members from academia, industry, investors, and enterprise users will evaluate the finalists under the chairmanship of Dr. Carsten Bange (BARC).

Eligibility requirements

• Participation is free of charge.
• The company must have been operating for no more than six years.
• The company should be headquartered in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, or at least maintain an office in the DACH region.
• The solution must be a software product or software-supported service in the field of analytics and AI, business intelligence, planning and simulation, or data management.
• The product should exist at minimum as a functional, demonstrable prototype.
• For spin-offs or new business units within established companies, the six-year rule applies from the start of the respective business activity.

Key dates

• Application deadline: April 30, 2026
• Finals and award ceremony: June 16 or 17, 2026, live at the DATA festival in Munich

How to apply

Interested start-ups can apply until April 30 2026 via the BARC website:

German: https://barc.com/de/events/barc-start-up-award/

English: https://barc.com/events/barc-start-up-award/

BARC has released a new research study, Lessons from the Leading Edge: Successful Delivery of AI/GenAI, based on responses from 421 organizations worldwide. The study provides a detailed picture of how companies are delivering AI and GenAI projects in production today, and why only a small group consistently succeeds.  

The research shows that organizations with strong AI leadership practices deliver significantly more. These mature companies run a far higher number of production AI projects and demonstrate greater consistency in execution. But despite the surge in AI adoption, the share of companies that meet BARC’s criteria for AI leadership remains limited. This maturity gap continues to shape the industry’s ability to scale AI effectively. 

“We now have a clear view of what separates successful AI adopters,” said Shawn Rogers, CEO BARC US. “Leaders invest early in governance, data readiness and architectural clarity. Many others move straight into implementation and feel the consequences later in the form of rising costs, data roadblocks and stalled initiatives.” 

Data Quality and Cost Pressures Challenge AI Scalability 

One of the clearest warning signs in this year’s results is the rise of data quality as the number one barrier to AI success. In BARC’s 2024 research, data quality was a secondary concern. In 2025, it became the top obstacle for 44 percent of organizations, surpassing skills shortages, integration issues, and budget constraints.  

Cost pressure is another critical theme. Software expenses exceeded expectations for more than half of respondents, with validation, quality control and training costs close behind. This shift has pushed organizations toward more cautious project scopes and phased delivery models. 

Internal IT Dominates Delivery but Shows Lowest Satisfaction 

A further finding concerns delivery partners. Internal IT remains the default driver of AI projects, but it also earns the lowest satisfaction scores among respondents. In contrast, regional and global consulting firms receive the highest ratings for project success and delivery effectiveness.  

“The maturity gap is not closing,” explained Merv Adrian, BARC Fellow. “Companies feel pressure to move fast, but scaling AI without a solid foundation is proving difficult. The data shows that organizations which learn from their early efforts, adjust course and build the right structures are the ones that achieve repeatable success.” 

The study also highlights rapid adoption of agentic AI, growing use of domain-specific models, and shifting priorities in responsible AI, with privacy and compliance rising as top concerns. 

Lessons from the Leading Edge: Successful Delivery of AI/GenAI is available for download free of charge thanks to the support of BigEye, InterSystems and Board. 

Download the report free of charge here 

BARC has published the Data, BI and Analytics Trend Monitor 2026, the world’s largest survey on trends in data and analytics. Based on feedback from 1,579 professionals worldwide, the study reveals a consistent picture. Companies continue to focus on data fundamentals as the enablers of innovation. 

Data quality management has reclaimed the top position in 2026, followed closely by data security and privacy, both with importance ratings of 7.9 out of 10. Data-driven culture, data and AI governance, and data and AI literacy complete the top five. These results highlight a market that is focusing on the essentials rather than chasing hype.

“Everyone is talking about AI, but the data shows that organizations have understood that the challenges to successfully implement it are in the fundamentals: clean data, secure data and people who can work with it,” says Dr. Carsten Bange, Founder and CEO of BARC. “AI initiatives can only succeed if these prerequisites are in place. What we are seeing in 2026 is not resistance to innovation but a disciplined approach to building trust in data.”

How important are the trends in data, BI and analytics?

Governance and trust define maturity

The study also shows that maturity gaps persist. Best-in-class companies rate data quality, governance and culture higher than average, but they also emphasize monetization, decision intelligence and embedded analytics. Less mature organizations remain focused on compliance and infrastructure. 

“This dual focus on governance and innovation is what separates leaders from laggards,” says Dr. Carsten Bange. “The winners are not those who chase every new trend, but those who secure the basics and then build new value on top.” 

How have the trends in data, BI and analytics changed in importance?

“Despite the hype around artificial intelligence (AI), the focus remains on the fundamentals,” says Dr. Christian Fuchs, Senior Analyst and Head of Data & Analytics Research at BARC. “Companies understand that without clean data foundations, integrated processes and user-friendly tools, sustainable transformation is not possible.”

Top Trends 2026:

1. Data management remains the key success factor for sound decision-making and as a foundation for AI applications.
2. Self-service CPM and the independence of business departments from IT teams continue to gain importance.
3. Integrated financial and operational planning, as well as unified platforms for CPM, analytics and financial consolidation, drive transparency and agility.
4. Simulations and scenario planning are becoming essential to manage uncertainty and strengthen resilience.

While AI and generative AI are seen as highly relevant for the future, they are still considered a secondary priority for most organizations today. “Their value will increase as data quality, skills and governance catch up,” Fuchs explains.

Regional differences are also evident: Europe places greater emphasis on ESG reporting and scenario planning, whereas North America prioritizes cloud solutions and risk management. Leaders distinguish themselves through consistent integration, cloud adoption and a strong sustainability focus.

Author Dr. Christian Fuchs views CPM as a central management discipline in an increasingly volatile world. “Organizations that integrate data, processes and people can make faster, more confident decisions – gaining a clear competitive advantage,” Fuchs emphasizes.

The CPM Trend Monitor 2026 combines results from the BARC Planning Survey, the BARC Financial Consolidation & Group Accounting Survey, and the BPM Pulse Survey, offering the most comprehensive global perspective on the CPM market to date. The survey is available for download free of charge with the support of Vena and Prophix.

-> CPM Trend Monitor 2026

-> Infographic with key findings

The results paint a clear picture of a market that continues to deliver measurable business benefits but is also facing growing cost pressure, persistent adoption challenges, and the need for better evaluation and usability practices. 

“The BI & Analytics Survey is one of the few studies that shows what really happens after the software purchase,” says Robert Tischler, Senior Analyst at BARC.  “A key finding this year is that BI success depends more on the right tool for each need than on one platform for everything.” 

This is the 24th edition of The BI & Analytics Survey. The study offers an unsurpassed level of user feedback on 18 leading BI & analytics products. 

Cost Pressure and Buying Behavior 

The survey also finds a clear shift toward cost and efficiency during tool evaluations: Organizations increasingly emphasize financial criteria when selecting new products, sometimes at the expense of deeper analytical innovation. Once a solution proves effective, however, its cost quickly becomes less relevant. This suggests that price sensitivity peaks during evaluation rather than during daily use – especially when you are satisfied with the software you are using. 

Cloud deployment did not change this perception. According to user feedback, cloud BI solutions performed almost identically to on-premises setups in cost-effectiveness and benefit ratings. Even widely adopted products show slightly declining satisfaction with their price-to-value ratio, reflecting growing scrutiny of ongoing license and service costs. 

Evaluation Rigor Pays Off 

How organizations select their BI software strongly influences success: Among top-performing companies (“leaders”), 77% conduct a formal, competitive evaluation before purchase, compared to only 43% among the weakest (“laggards”). These leaders also report smoother implementations and faster time-to-insight. 

“Structured evaluations force teams to define their needs clearly and we always recommend to test usability and performance early and thoroughly,” explains Tischler. “That discipline consistently translates into higher satisfaction, stronger adoption, and measurable business benefits.” 

The study also highlights that bigger is not always better. While large vendors continue to dominate awareness and market share, smaller vendors consistently achieve well above-average ratings for support quality and implementation success. 

Their more flexible project approaches and closer customer relationships often result in faster rollouts and higher satisfaction compared to their larger competitors. 

BI Delivers Results – But Adoption Remains Low 

The benefits of BI and analytics are well established: 97% faster reporting or planning, 96% improved data quality, and 94% of respondents report better decisions. 

Still, user adoption remains a major challenge. On average, only 25% of employees use BI software in their daily work. Smaller companies reach adoption rates of 44%, but in large enterprises, only 16% of staff regularly use BI. 
BARC concludes that technology alone cannot drive data culture – organizations must make analytics part of daily decision-making to realize its full potential. 

The results make one thing clear: organizations that focus on evaluation discipline, usability and user enablement will lead the next phase of data-driven business. 

Related Links

Overview: The BI & Analytics Survey 26

The Analyzer – dive deep into the numbers

About the BI & Analytics Survey