
- Multi-dimensional Analysis: Budget variance, expenditure tracking, and committed cost monitoring
- Mathematical Precision: Accurate calculations with proper temporal adjustments
- AI-Enhanced Insights: Intelligent variance analysis with natural language explanations
- Interactive Reporting: Drill-down capabilities and configurable visualizations
- Scalable Architecture: Production-ready deployment supporting large vessel fleets
Data sources we use
- Budget Allocations: Monthly budget data across expense categories (OPEX, Non-Budget, Dry-Dock, Pre-Delivery)
- Expense Transactions: Actual financial transactions with posting dates and account classifications
- Committed Costs: Purchase orders and future financial obligations
- Period Definitions: Reporting periods and operational day calculations
- Fund Receipts: Capital inflows and budget allocations
Financial modules assessed
The system comprises four specialized analysis modules:- Budget Variance Analysis: Core financial variance calculations with fund status tracking
- Expenditure Overview: Detailed tabular reporting with interactive drill-down capabilities
- Committed Cost Analysis: Purchase order tracking and commitment monitoring
- AI-Powered Monthly Variance: Intelligent variance insights with GPT-based explanations
System Architecture
The SIYA financial analytics platform follows a comprehensive ETL architecture that processes data from multiple ERP sources through intelligent transformation and analysis layers:Architecture Components
External Data Sources- Multiple ERP systems providing vessel financial data
- Real-time and batch data feeds
- Standardized data formats and APIs
- Data Ingestion Layer: Handles multiple data source connections and formats
- Transformation Engine: Applies mathematical calculations and business rules
- Validation & Deduplication: Ensures data quality and removes duplicates
- AI Processing Module: Leverages machine learning for intelligent insights
- MongoDB Cluster: Scalable document database for financial data
- Analytics Engine: Real-time processing and calculation engine
- ML Models: AI models for variance prediction and anomaly detection
- MCP Integration: Model Context Protocol for seamless data access
- Financial Reports: Automated report generation and distribution
- Executive Dashboards: Interactive visualizations and KPIs
- Variance Alerts: Proactive notifications for budget deviations
Mathematical calculations
Prorata Budget Allocation
For time-sensitive expense categories (CREW WAGES, LUBE OIL CONSUMPTION, MANAGEMENT FEES), the system implements proportional budget allocation: Where:- Budget Amount: Original allocated budget for the category
- Standard Period: Standard time period (typically 30 days)
- Actual Period: Current elapsed days in the reporting period
Year-to-Date Budget Normalization
Budget amounts are adjusted for partial reporting periods using two methods: Standard YTD Calculation: Where (average days per month: ) Period-Based YTD Calculation:Variance Analysis
The core variance calculations used across all modules: Absolute Variance: Percentage Variance: Committed Cost Variance: Where:- = Budget amount
- = Actual expenses
- = Committed costs (future obligations)
Daily Rate Analysis
For operational efficiency assessment: Where = Number of operational daysFund Balance Reconciliation
The system tracks fund status across multiple categories: Where:- = Individual fund receipts
- = Individual expenses
AI-Enhanced Analysis
Fuzzy String Matching
For expense consolidation and duplicate detection:Commitment Percentage Calculation
For committed cost analysis: Where = Total committed costs and = OPEX budget allocationWhat is displayed in each module
Budget Variance Analysis Module
- YTD Budget vs Actual: Comparison of year-to-date budget against actual expenses
- Fund Status: Surplus/deficit analysis across fund categories
- Daily Rate Metrics: Per-day OPEX calculations and budget comparisons
- Variance Percentages: Detailed percentage variance analysis
Expenditure Overview Module
- Interactive Tables: Drill-down capabilities with monthly expense breakdowns
- Category Analysis: Hierarchical expense categorization and sorting
- Period Comparisons: Month-over-month expense tracking
- Prorata Indicators: Identification of prorata-calculated expenses
Committed Cost Analysis Module
- Purchase Order Tracking: Detailed PO information with supplier data
- Temporal Analysis: Current vs previous month commitment comparison
- Budget Impact: Percentage of OPEX budget committed
- Category Breakdown: OPEX, Non-Budget, Dry-Dock, and Pre-Delivery commitments
AI-Powered Monthly Variance Module
- Intelligent Narratives: GPT-generated explanations of variance causes
- Top Expense Analysis: Automated identification of significant expenses
- Monthly Summaries: AI-powered monthly variance explanations
- Trend Analysis: Historical variance pattern recognition
Expense categorization
The system uses hierarchical expense grouping:Group | Categories | Description |
---|---|---|
OPEX | CREW WAGES, CREW EXPENSES, VICTUALLING EXPENSES, STORES, SPARES, LUBE OIL CONSUMPTION, REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT FEES, MISCELLANEOUS, ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES | Operational expenses |
NB | INSURANCE, NON-BUDGETED EXPENSES, P&I/H&M EXPENSES, VOYAGE/CHARTERERS EXPENSES, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, EXTRA ORDINARY ITEMS, VESSEL UPGRADING COSTS, LAY-UP COSTS | Non-budgeted items |
DD | DRYDOCKING EXPENSES | Dry-docking specific expenses |
PD | PRE-DELIVERY EXPENSES | Pre-delivery expenses |
Performance indicators and color coding
Status | Variance Range | Color | Action Required |
---|---|---|---|
Within Budget | Green | Continue monitoring | |
Attention Required | and | Yellow | Review and plan checks |
Action Required | Red | Immediate investigation needed |
Interactive features
- Drill-down Tables: Click-through capability for detailed expense analysis
- Period Selection: Configurable time ranges for trend analysis
- Category Filtering: Focus on specific expense categories
- Export Options: Multiple format support (CSV, JSON, PDF reports)
AI insights generation
The system leverages OpenAI GPT-4 for intelligent analysis:- Variance Explanations: Natural language explanations of budget deviations
- Trend Analysis: Identification of expense patterns and anomalies
- Actionable Recommendations: Specific suggestions for cost management
- Monthly Summaries: Automated generation of financial performance summaries
Data quality and validation
- Prorata Identification: Automatic flagging of prorata-calculated expenses
- Duplicate Detection: Fuzzy matching to identify and consolidate similar expenses
- Data Completeness: Validation of required fields and data integrity
- Period Alignment: Ensures proper temporal alignment of budget and expense data
Report generation
The system generates comprehensive reports including:- Executive Summaries: High-level financial performance overview
- Detailed Variance Analysis: Category-wise budget vs actual comparisons
- Fund Status Reports: Multi-dimensional fund balance analysis
- Committed Cost Summaries: Future obligation tracking and impact analysis
Example calculation: Budget variance analysis
Consider a vessel with the following monthly data:- Budget Amount: $100,000
- Actual Expenses: $115,000
- Committed Costs: $25,000
- Operational Days: 30
Variance Calculations
Status: Red (exceeds ±10% threshold) - Immediate investigation requiredBest practices for interpretation
- Consider Multiple Dimensions: Analyze budget variance alongside committed costs and fund status
- Temporal Context: Review trends over multiple periods rather than single-point analysis
- Category-Specific Analysis: Different expense categories have different variance tolerances
- Operational Context: Consider vessel operational status and market conditions
- Proactive Monitoring: Use AI insights for early identification of potential issues