Virtual CFO
FP&A
FP&A work tracks your US business against its budget every month, breaks down margin by product or customer, and explains in plain language why the numbers moved, turning a set of closed books into a monthly pack leadership can actually use to make decisions.
13-week cash forecast
Illustrative client · August 2026
USD
- Cash today
- $244,220
- Lowest week ahead
- 239,800
- Largest outflow
- Payroll, 46,300
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
The gap between closed books and a decision
Closed books tell you what happened. FP&A tells you why it happened and what to do about it. Once your monthly close is done, whether through our bookkeeping service or your own team, FP&A work layers a budget-versus-actual review, margin analysis and a written narrative on top, so the close becomes a planning tool rather than just a compliance step.
What goes into the monthly pack
A typical month includes a budget-versus-actual summary with the larger variances explained, margin trends by product, service line or customer segment where that split matters, and headcount or cost-driver tracking tied back to the original budget assumptions. The goal is a pack your leadership team reads in ten minutes and actually discusses, not a 40-tab spreadsheet.
Ad hoc modeling as questions come up
Beyond the recurring monthly pack, FP&A work covers the specific question that comes up between reports: what does adding two salespeople do to burn over the next six months, what is the margin impact of a planned price increase, what happens to cash if a big customer moves to net-60 terms. These one-off models draw on the same underlying data as the monthly pack, so the answer is grounded in your real numbers rather than a rough guess.
Works alongside your existing finance function
FP&A does not require us to own your books. We can build this analysis on top of a close your own controller or bookkeeper runs, US GAAP or cash basis, whichever your business uses. It pairs closely with KPI design for the metrics behind the numbers, and with fractional CFO time if you want the analysis paired with a standing advisory relationship.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: FP&A
Do we need a fractional CFO to also get FP&A work?
No. FP&A can run as its own monthly deliverable. Many businesses start with FP&A reporting alone and add fractional CFO time later once they want a standing advisory relationship.
How is margin analysis broken down?
Typically by product line, service line or customer segment, depending on where your business actually has margin variation. We build the split around your chart of accounts and sales data rather than a generic template.
What if our budget was built somewhere else, not by you?
That is fine. We can work against a budget you built internally or with a prior advisor; the FP&A tracking does not depend on us having built the original budget.
How quickly after month end is the FP&A pack ready?
That depends on how quickly your books close each month; we agree a specific delivery date during onboarding based on your close timeline.
What does fP&A actually include, month to month?
FP&A covers monthly budget-versus-actual report with variances explained in plain language, along with margin analysis by product, service line or customer segment. The work runs inside Excel, Google Sheets, QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Sage Intacct or Fathom, the file stays under your own subscription, and a senior principal reviews the output before it reaches you each period.
Is FP&A only for larger companies?
No. Any business tracking a budget benefits from someone explaining the variances each month rather than just reporting the numbers.
What is included in the monthly pack?
Typically a budget-versus-actual summary, margin trends, key variances and a short written narrative, tailored to what your leadership actually reads.
Can FP&A work run alongside our own controller?
Yes. FP&A sits on top of the books your controller or bookkeeper closes each month; we do not need to own the close to deliver the analysis.
How do we get started with fP&A?
Getting started with fP&A begins with a short review of your current records and software access. Once that is done we confirm scope and timing in writing, and ongoing work begins on the schedule agreed with you.
Related services
- Virtual CFOBudgetingAn annual budget built from your real numbers, broken out by month and department, that becomes the baseline every later report is measured against.
- Virtual CFOKPI designA short list of the numbers that actually run your business, defined once and tracked consistently, instead of a dashboard nobody opens.
- Virtual CFOFractional CFOA senior finance lead who works your numbers on a part-time basis: monthly reviews, board and investor prep, and a second opinion before a big decision.
Industries
- SaaSBookkeeping and reporting for subscription software businesses tracking recurring revenue, deferred revenue and burn.
- Startups and VC-backed companiesBookkeeping and reporting for early-stage, venture-backed companies watching burn, runway and investor reporting closely.
- ManufacturingBookkeeping for small and mid-size manufacturers tracking raw materials, work in process and finished goods inventory.
- Agencies and consultanciesBookkeeping for marketing agencies, design studios and consulting firms billing clients on retainers and project fees.
- Professional servicesBookkeeping for professional service firms such as engineering, architecture and IT consulting billing clients by project or retainer.
Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.