What Does a Fractional CFO Do?
A fractional CFO, also called a virtual or part-time CFO, plans and guides the money side of your business. The work includes forecasting, budgets, KPIs, pricing and profit analysis, funding readiness, exit preparation and investor reporting. It does not include tax returns, audits or investment advice.
What does a virtual CFO do each month?
At English Oak Financial, work runs on a monthly reporting cycle. In general, a CFO builds on closed books to update forecasts, compare results with a budget and advise the owner. The individual duties below happen within that cycle.
What are the main duties of a fractional CFO?
Everything in this table is part of our CFO service. We do not describe anything beyond it.
| Duty | What it means | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Forecasting and scenario planning | Projecting cash and profit forward and testing different cases | Will we have enough cash in the coming months? |
| Cash flow planning | Timing of money in and out | When will it get tight? |
| Strategic financial planning and growth planning | Connecting the plan for the business to the numbers | Can we afford to grow this way? |
| Budget development | Setting a budget and tracking results against it | Are we on track? |
| KPI development | Choosing the few measures that matter | How do we know the business is healthy? |
| Pricing and profitability advice | Margin by product, service or customer | Are we charging enough? |
| Funding readiness and financing support | Preparing financials for a lender or investor | Are we ready to raise or borrow? |
| Exit or acquisition preparation, M&A and exit advisory | Getting ready for a sale or purchase | What will a buyer look at? |
| Board, investor and executive reporting | Clear, regular reports for owners and partners | What should the people with a stake see? |
Some of these have their own pages on the site: forecasting and cash flow planning, financing support and M&A and exit advisory.
What does a fractional CFO not do?
Be clear on the limits, with us or anyone.
- No tax return preparation. We work alongside your CPA or tax professional.
- No audit.
- No investment advice. "Investment" in a business plan means money you put into the business. Advice on securities or personal investments is separate and we do not give it.
- Bookkeeping is a separate service. See our bookkeeping page. We support QuickBooks and Xero.
- A CFO advises; the owner decides.
This page is general information, not tax or investment advice.
What is the difference between a CFO and a controller?
A controller checks the records and runs the close. A CFO plans from them. Our fractional controller service covers month-end close, management reporting, budget vs actual, internal controls and cash monitoring. The controller vs CFO guide lays out where one stops and the other starts.
What can a CFO produce?
Depending on the engagement, a fractional CFO's work can include forecasts, budgets, KPIs and reports for owners, lenders or investors. The exact reports are agreed with each client. See the cash flow forecast template and the KPI guide for background.
How does a CFO work with my bookkeeper and my tax professional?
The three roles hand work to each other. The bookkeeper records transactions and reconciles the accounts. The CFO reads the resulting statements, builds forecasts and budgets, and raises questions when something looks off. Your tax professional prepares the returns, using the same clean records. When everyone works from one set of numbers, there is less rework at year end.
English Oak Financial offers bookkeeping, controller and CFO services, which we describe as Record it, Control it, Drive it. The what we do page shows how the pieces connect.
Who is the right fit for this service?
Start-ups and small growing businesses in most industries, except not-for-profit organizations. The question to ask is whether you have decisions that numbers can improve. Our guide on when to hire a fractional CFO lists the signs, and also the signs you should wait. For cost, see what a fractional CFO costs.
What English Oak Financial charges
English Oak Financial starts its fractional CFO service from $2,500 a month. Pricing is custom to your business and charged as one fixed monthly fee that includes all the work required. See the pricing page.
Need this done for you? See our Fractional CFO & Advisory service, or pricing. English Oak Financial does not prepare tax returns, perform audits or give investment advice. This guide is general information, not tax, legal or investment advice.
Related pages
Common questions
What does a part-time CFO do?
A part-time CFO often does similar planning work as a full-time CFO, on a smaller schedule. That includes forecasting, budgeting, KPIs, pricing analysis, funding readiness and reporting to owners or investors.
What does a virtual CFO do for a small business?
A virtual CFO turns your bookkeeping into decisions. They build forecasts and budgets, track results against them, and help you prepare for funding, growth or a sale. Virtual CFOs usually work remotely.
Does a fractional CFO file taxes?
No. At English Oak Financial we do not prepare tax returns. We give your tax professional organized numbers and work alongside them.
Will a fractional CFO manage my team?
A fractional CFO does not replace a manager in your business. If you want oversight of accounting staff, our controller service includes accounting team oversight.
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