Cash flow planning
Bring cash needs, runway and major commitments into the planning view.
- Cash-flow visibility and runway planning
- Timing of major commitments
Fractional CFO Advisory
Fractional CFO support for founders who need clearer financial decisions.
Turn your QuickBooks numbers into clearer cash-flow decisions, stronger financial visibility and a practical plan for what comes next—with experienced CFO-level guidance.
Please don’t include confidential financial information in your inquiry.
01 A DIFFERENT STAGE OF FINANCE
You may not need a full-time CFO yet. But you may already need CFO-level thinking.
Not every business needs a CFO. But some decisions deserve more than a backward-looking report.
- Revenue is growing, but cash still feels unpredictable.
- You are making hiring or investment decisions without a reliable forecast.
- Margins look acceptable overall, but it is unclear which products, customers or activities drive them.
- You are preparing for financing, investors or a major growth decision.
- Your accountant or bookkeeper keeps the records accurate, but you need help deciding what the numbers mean for the business.
- The founder is still acting as the finance department.
02 WHERE ADVISORY HELPS
Turn financial results into decisions you can explain.
Potential focus areas depend on your business question, available records and agreed scope—not a fixed menu of promised outputs.
Forecasting & budgeting
Compare plans with actual results, then update the forward view.
- Rolling forecasts
- Budget-versus-actual reviews
- Scenario modeling
Margins & profitability
See what drives contribution—and where costs are changing.
- Customer, product or service profitability
- Margin trends and cost structure
- Operating leverage
Financing readiness
Organize the financial picture for a financing conversation.
- Lender or investor preparation
- Financial narratives and scenarios
- Identify information gaps
KPI & management reporting
Focus reviews on measures tied to current management decisions.
- Useful decision metrics
- Management reporting that supports review
Founder decision support
Weigh operating choices against cash, margins and business priorities.
- Hiring, pricing and capital allocation
- Expansion, major spending and growth tradeoffs
A POSSIBLE MANAGEMENT RHYTHM
See how CLEAR Trade examines booking economics Monthly financial review
For ongoing support, compare results with plan and focus on the questions that matter now.
03 COMPLEMENTARY ROLES
Records, reporting and decisions each need a different kind of finance work.
Bookkeeping records transactions. Financial reporting explains performance. Fractional CFO advisory helps management interpret both and weigh what to do next.
Record what happened.
- Classifies transactions
- Reconciles the books
- Maintains source records
Explain performance.
- Prepares period reports
- Compares results over time
- Highlights material variances
Decide what to do next.
- Interprets results in context
- Builds forecasts and scenarios
- Helps set practical priorities
04 EVIDENCE, THEN JUDGMENT
QuickBooks provides the record. Advisory adds context and judgment.
ClearLedger can help organize source information. A fractional CFO interprets what matters to your question and helps management weigh possible next steps.
Software supports the conversation; it does not make autonomous financial decisions. The people responsible for the business make the call.
Understand Analysis Readiness05 A CLEAR STARTING POINT
Start with the decision—not a prebuilt playbook.
CONTEXT
Understand the business
Review the company, current finance process, priorities and immediate decisions.
EVIDENCE
Establish the financial picture
Identify the reporting, cash-flow, margin, forecast or financing questions that matter most.
SCOPE
Agree on right-sized support
Set boundaries around the question, cadence and information before deciding whether to proceed.
POSSIBLE ENGAGEMENT FORMATS
Right-sized to the work.
- Ongoing fractional CFO support
- Fixed-scope financial review
- Forecasting or planning engagement
- Financing-readiness engagement
Defined-scope / fixed-fee work may be appropriate where the outcome and boundaries are clear. Scope depends on the business and support required; no hourly rate or generic price is published.
06 CUSTOMER FIT
Designed for growing businesses using QuickBooks.
Useful when financial decisions outgrow founder-only oversight; the questions matter more than a sector label.
01SaaS & technology02Ecommerce03Professional services04Distribution & trade05Manufacturing06Other growing SMBs
07 HONEST FIT MATTERS
When a fractional CFO may not be the right fit.
This is decision support—not a substitute for every finance or professional service.
- You only need basic bookkeeping or tax filing.
- Your books are too incomplete to support reliable management analysis yet.
- You need a full-time finance executive working inside the business every day.
- You are looking only for investment advice.
08 GOOD QUESTIONS FIRST
What founders ask before bringing in a CFO.
Clear scope makes for a better first conversation.
What does a fractional CFO do?
A fractional CFO provides senior-level financial guidance on a part-time or defined-scope basis. They help leadership interpret results, plan cash flow, assess scenarios, and make informed decisions while complementing the accountant or bookkeeper.
When should a startup hire a fractional CFO?
A startup may benefit when decisions about cash, hiring, pricing, growth, or financing need forward-looking analysis but a full-time CFO is not yet the right fit. Not every company needs CFO support.
How is a fractional CFO different from an accountant?
An accountant or bookkeeper records transactions, reconciles books, prepares statements, and supports compliance. A fractional CFO interprets results, forecasts forward, evaluates scenarios, and supports management decisions. The roles complement each other.
How is a fractional CFO different from a controller?
A controller commonly focuses on accounting operations, close, controls, and reporting. A fractional CFO focuses on planning, scenarios, financing readiness, and management decisions. Exact responsibilities depend on the engagement.
Do I need a full-time CFO?
Not necessarily. A defined-scope review or recurring fractional support can suit businesses that need CFO-level input periodically. If you need an embedded finance executive every day, a full-time role may be a better fit.
Can you work with QuickBooks Online?
Yes. ClearLedger CFO Advisory is designed for growing businesses using QuickBooks Online. The financial records and their limitations are reviewed in context before analysis is scoped.
Can a fractional CFO help with cash-flow forecasting?
Yes. Cash-flow planning can include a forward view of expected needs, scenario planning, and the timing of major commitments. Forecasts depend on available records and assumptions and are not guarantees.
Can you help prepare for financing or investors?
Financing-readiness work can include scenario analysis, financial narratives, and identifying information gaps for lender or investor discussions. It does not guarantee financing or provide investment, legal, or tax advice.
Is bookkeeping included?
No. Fractional CFO Advisory does not include routine bookkeeping or tax-return preparation.
How much does a fractional CFO cost?
Scope depends on company complexity, cadence, and support required. ClearLedger uses defined-scope or recurring engagements rather than publishing an unsupported generic hourly rate.
START WITH THE QUESTION
A clearer financial decision starts with a conversation.
Tell us the business question you’re weighing. ClearLedger staff review each inquiry to understand fit and possible scope; please leave out confidential financial details.
Talk to a Fractional CFO