7 strategies for growing SaaS companies to overcome ARR reporting challenges

Accurate and timely reporting of annual recurring revenue (ARR) is critical for any software as a service business (SaaS), but it can be particularly challenging for those experiencing rapid growth and evolving business models.

For many fast-growing SaaS companies, one of the biggest ARR reporting challenges is ensuring data consistency and accuracy. This stems from numerous issues, such as having multiple data sources and formats, inconsistent data reporting and standards across departments, data migration challenges, the persistence of manual data entry, and problems with overall data quality. The volume of data increases exponentially for companies experiencing rapid growth, straining existing systems and processes.

Maintaining real-time visibility into ARR becomes more difficult as data complexity grows. This is particularly true for companies that pursue an aggressive acquisition strategy, often a key driver of growth for these businesses. Integrating acquired companies can disrupt even the most well-defined ARR reporting processes.

Because the SaaS landscape is so dynamic, business models are continually shifting. This brings significant challenges for ARR reporting as traditional and subscription-based models give way to more complex approaches, such as:

• Usage-based billing: Customers pay based on their consumption of the service, which introduces complexities in forecasting and recognizing revenue. Issues include accurately measuring usage, aligning it with billing periods and incorporating it into ARR calculations.
• Credit-based usage models: The rise of credit-based usage models, where customers purchase credits up front and consume services based on those credits, presents unique challenges for ARR reporting. This model is particularly common in cloud-based infrastructure and platform services.
• Hybrid models: Many SaaS businesses adopt hybrid models, combining elements of subscriptions, usage and one-time charges. This adds another layer of complexity, requiring clear rules for attributing revenue to the recurring portion and ensuring consistency in reporting.
• Tiered pricing and add-ons: Offering tiered pricing plans with varying features or optional add-ons can also bring challenges, such as accurately tracking the recurring revenue associated with each tier and add-on, and incorporating upgrades or downgrades into ARR.
• Contractual variations: Custom contracts, negotiated discounts and nonstandard terms can make it challenging to standardize ARR reporting. Each variation needs to be carefully analyzed to determine its impact on recurring revenue and ensure consistent application of accounting rules.

Accurately tracking the revenue associated with each of these models requires sophisticated, robust systems, particularly because SaaS businesses often rely on a patchwork of systems to track customer and revenue data. These include CRM/CPQ systems (e.g., Salesforce), billing platforms (e.g., Zuora and NetSuite’s SuiteBilling or ZoneAdvanced Billing), payment gateways (e.g., Stripe) and accounting software (e.g., NetSuite). Each system may have its own data formats, definitions and update frequencies, leading to discrepancies and requiring complex reconciliation processes.

Beyond internal operations, accurate ARR reporting is the key metric that investors consider when eyeing a potential transaction, raising the stakes even further for ARR information to be comprehensive and precise.

Other considerations

Many SaaS businesses rely on systems not initially designed to handle the complexities of modern ARR calculations and analysis. These limitations can hinder accurate and timely reporting, especially for companies with high growth and evolving business models. Examples include:

• Lack of data integration, which can increase the risk of errors
• Limited reporting functionality
• Challenges in customizing existing systems to specific ARR reporting needs
• Slower performance due to data volume
• Bottlenecks resulting from scalability issues

ARR as an industry-standard, non-IFRS/SFRS(I) metric

For high-growth SaaS businesses, especially those considering an initial public offering or seeking further investment, it is crucial to align ARR reporting with industry standards and reconcile it with revenue reported under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

This presents a significant challenge due to the inherent differences between ARR, which focuses on recurring subscription revenue, and GAAP revenue, which adheres to specific accounting rules for recognising revenue overtime based on the five-step revenue model.

ARR, as a non-GAAP metric, offers a forward-looking view of recurring revenue. However, it is important to reconcile ARR with revenue recognised under ASC 606. Since ASC 606 governs the timing and manner of revenue recognition, any differences between ARR and ASC 606 revenue should be clearly understood and explained. This reconciliation helps stakeholders gain a comprehensive understanding of both the company’s operational performance (via ARR) and its financial performance (via ASC 606 revenue).

Key challenges in this area include varying definitions of ARR, ASC 606 compliance requirements, and fringe cases and exceptions.

7 strategies for overcoming challenges

SaaS companies can pursue seven key strategies to alleviate the burden of these reporting challenges:

Establish data governance and standardization Establish clear data governance policies and standardize data definitions across the organization. This includes defining key metrics, implementing data validation rules and ensuring data quality across all systems.
Invest in a robust technology architecture To optimize your ARR reporting process, invest in a robust technology architecture that integrates core business systems. This includes selecting and implementing solutions that facilitate automated data flow between your customer relationship management system, billing platform, revenue recognition engine and other relevant systems such as NetSuite. Prioritize solutions that offer robust APIs, prebuilt connectors or integration platforms to streamline data exchange and minimize manual intervention.
Adopt a flexible reporting platform Choose a reporting platform that can handle complex ARR calculations and provide real-time visibility into key metrics. A business’s financial contract database is the most common, and typically the most accurate, source of data for ARR reporting. Finance leaders should evaluate accelerators within their existing platforms, and whether to implement a custom-built solution or a commercial off-the-shelf platform specifically focused on ARR reporting.
Develop clear guidelines and definitions for ARR reporting Finance leaders should establish a comprehensive ARR reporting framework with standardized definitions, calculation methodologies and data governance policies. This ensures consistency and accuracy across all departments and stakeholders.
Maintain detailed audit trails Keep detailed records of all ARR calculations and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with accounting standards and audit requirements, and to easily present a GAAP-to-ARR bridge for external reporting purposes if required.
Develop a clear integration plan for acquisitions When acquiring a company, develop a clear plan for integrating their systems, data and processes into your own. This will help to ensure consistency in ARR reporting across the organization.
Build a robust internal controls environment Establish strong internal controls over financial reporting to ensure data accuracy and compliance.

By addressing these challenges proactively, SaaS businesses can ensure accurate and timely ARR reporting, which is essential for making informed business decisions and driving continued growth.

This article was contributed by:

• Eric Meyer, Director, Strategy & Management Consulting, RSM US LLP

This article was originally published on January 27, 2025 and has been slightly refined to reflect the Singapore context.

How can RSM Singapore help?   
Looking to grow your SaaS business or navigate ARR reporting challenges?
Our Corporate Advisory team helps fast-growing tech companies with transaction readiness, valuation and strategic planning — tailored to support your growth and investor goals

Our corporate advisors can support your business in the following areas:  
• Business grooming to foster sustainable growth 
• Mergers and acquisition services to maximise value 
• Transaction support throughout the deal journey 
• Valuation advisory services to uncover opportunities and enhance your company's economic potential