A fractional CFO’s first 90 days: deliverables to agree before starting

Choose the issues the CFO should help resolve: a hiring plan, cash risk, financing preparation, pricing, or reporting quality. Record the current evidence and unresolved accounting dependencies.

Ninety days is a planning frame, not a universal delivery promise. The scope should reflect the company's condition and the capacity actually agreed with the provider.

Have the CFO review the statements, source quality, cash position, obligations, and current forecasts. Identify accounting work that must be completed by a bookkeeper, controller, or specialist.

The CFO should document limitations before making a recommendation from unreliable figures. Agree who will repair them and what can proceed independently.

Request a forecast connected to available cash and dated receipts and payments. Add a financial model proportionate to the decisions, with visible assumptions and an actuals update process.

For illustration, a hiring decision should show roles, start dates, full cash costs, and a relevant revenue downside. A spreadsheet listing only annual expense totals is insufficient when timing determines runway.

Agree leadership meetings, reporting pack, variance analysis, decision notes, and access between scheduled calls. State whether the CFO prepares materials, reviews them, or attends board and lender discussions.

Keep recommendations tied to owners and follow-up evidence. The company should be able to use the work when the CFO is not in the meeting.

At the agreed review date, compare delivered models, decisions, reporting improvements, and resolved risks with the original brief. Identify what remains, its owner, and the evidence needed to finish it.

Retain models and documentation in company-controlled systems. Continue or adjust the engagement based on the work needed next. Useful CFO support leaves management with clearer decisions and maintainable planning tools, with uncertainty and service boundaries still visible.