Managing financial operations across 25+ regions is no small feat—especially when every location operates with different economics, structures, and reporting needs. That was the challenge faced by Jack Carter and Caleb Maxson during their time at Sunrun, one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the U.S. Their experience managing dozens of P&Ls in a complex, fast-moving business offers powerful lessons on the risks of relying on spreadsheets at scale—and the transformative impact of adopting the right technology.
In a recent conversation with Abacum, Jack and Caleb shared hard-won insights from managing regional P&Ls, how they scaled financial planning processes, and what today’s finance leaders should do to empower their teams, especially in multi-location businesses.
See the full interview below, or continue scrolling to read the article:
The Reality of Spreadsheets at Scale
Sunrun’s business was incredibly regional, with over 25 branches spread across the U.S. Each branch had its own cost structure, pricing dynamics, and growth profile—yet they were all being managed through massive Excel files.
“We were constantly optimizing for accuracy and decision-making, but we had to sacrifice speed,” Jack explained. “By the time we closed the books, compiled data, and created reports, we were already halfway into the next month.”
Beyond the delays, Excel simply couldn’t provide the depth or flexibility the business needed. “We had multiple ways of organizing the business,” Caleb shared.
“Sales looked at metro markets, operations looked at branches, and finance tried to consolidate everything manually. But without a shared dimensional structure, we were speaking different languages.”
At a certain point, the pain became normalized. “It’s like the frog in the boiling pot,” Caleb added. “You don’t notice how bad things have gotten until you step out of it and see what’s possible.”
How Technology Changed the Game
Once they adopted a planning tool, things started to shift. Processes that once took weeks—consolidations, reporting, forecasting—could be done in real time. More importantly, finance could shift its focus from reporting to strategic decision-making.
Jack reflected, “Before, we were spending 80% of our time building reports. After adopting a modern planning tool, we flipped that—we spent 80% of our time on value-add work.”
This also improved collaboration between corporate finance and regional teams. “Instead of collecting templates and consolidating inputs manually, everything was live,” Jack said. “We were able to have faster conversations, align more quickly, and make smarter decisions.”
The team no longer wasted time debating whose version of the truth was correct. “We moved away from discussing whether a number was right,” Caleb added. “Instead, we started talking about real strategy—where to invest, how to prioritize markets, how to improve margins.”
Where Abacum Fits In
Reflecting on their journey, Jack and Caleb see modern tools like Abacum as essential for today’s multi-location businesses. With native support for multi-dimensional modeling, live collaboration, and AI-powered scenario planning, Abacum helps finance teams shift from reactive reporting to proactive planning.
“An investment in technology is an investment in your people. You’re freeing them from tedious tasks and empowering them to do more valuable work.” - Jack Carter from OVG
The platform eliminates many of the pain points they experienced: siloed data, version control issues, and slow decision-making. With Abacum, financial data is structured, accurate, and easy to slice by location, product, or team—making it easier to align across departments and guide performance.
Caleb noted:
“A tool like Abacum lowers the learning curve for business users, while giving finance teams the flexibility to run multiple scenarios without breaking anything. It’s fast, intuitive, and powerful enough to support growth at scale.”
Looking Ahead: AI & the Future of Planning
Both leaders see AI as the next frontier:
Natural Language Data Retrieval: Executives without technical training will be able to “ask” for insights directly from the data.
Fewer Layers Between Decision and Execution: Finance, operators, and leadership will share a single source of truth, enabling faster, more informed decisions.
“Long gone are the days of finance teams forecasting from their little castle. Collaboration with experts on the ground adds real value.” - Jack Carter, OVG
Key Takeaways & Conclusion
Managing finance across a multi-location business requires more than spreadsheets and duct-taped processes. It demands consistency, speed, and alignment—all of which are hard to achieve with legacy tools.
Jack and Caleb’s experience at Sunrun offers a clear roadmap:
Spreadsheets break down at scale, especially when handling complex regional structures.
Lack of dimensional consistency leads to misalignment across teams and poor decision-making.
Technology frees up finance teams to focus on value-add work instead of manual reporting.
Live collaboration enables faster, more strategic conversations—especially across distributed teams.
Investing in the right tools is an investment in your people.
As Jack put it: “The best finance teams aren’t cost centers—they’re value generators. When you stop spending time on tedious tasks and start analyzing what’s driving your business, that’s when real impact happens.”
And for finance leaders still stuck in spreadsheets? “Don’t be afraid to rebuild. Don’t be afraid to start over,” Caleb advised. “With the right tools and mindset, you can transform your finance team from reactive to strategic.”
