Benchmarking is not easy. Many initiatives yield
inappropriate comparisons or inconclusive data, leading
to ill-conceived or unsuccessful improvement measures.
Others drain resources with poorly planned and managed
benchmarking projects or by taking on projects that are
too big in scope. How does the committed manager direct
and guide his or her organization's resources to
successfully benchmark financial management? The main
purpose of this Guide is to ensure a common
understanding of the concept of financial management
benchmarking across government. It is intended to be a
tool that provides guidance and advice. While this Guide
is designed to provide a blueprint for success in this
effort, it is not mandatory. The Guide includes a
process designed to provide consistency across
government while remaining flexible enough to ensure
that it can be adapted and used by financial, functional
and operational managers.