Manual tasks, decentralized data, and poorly documented policies are the first signals of dysfunctional financial processes. They waste time, money, and demoralize staff. Unfortunately, many businesses resort to “band-aid” tactics – short-term fixes that fail to stop the bleeding. So, with no further ado, instead of increasing headcount, automate. Why?
One of the most exciting advances in accounting software is the ability to automate a number of accounting processes that once relied entirely on a human being. Now, accountants can turn to finance and accounting automation software like Xledger to perform these (and other) accounting and financial tasks and focus their time and effort on the things that still require a human’s particular skill to complete.
Ask any CEO and company board member what their top-of-mind pain points are, and the response is likely cash flow strains, meeting ROI objectives, and controlling the hot-button issues that simmer and boil to create operational disruption. From another angle, they strive to stay sure-footed, avoiding unpleasant surprises.
Whereas traditional CFOs clock into the same company daily, their fractional cousins are part-time, working with multiple CEOs on a contract or project basis. A primary benefit is the CFO steps into your business at a fraction of the traditional cost. Indeed, “fractional” sounds like a temporary or interim fix, but not necessarily so – some CEOs stay with their fractional CFOs for years. If the concept works for you, the incumbent can deliver more for longer than anyone expects. Getting ready to take it on is what this article is all about.
How do you empower ambition?
McKinsey recently published their recommendations to improve finance department efficiencies and effectiveness over the next decade. They first told businesses to move beyond transactional activities to find new efficiencies. Then, they suggested companies consolidate their financial information into a single source of truth to improve data management. McKinsey also encouraged businesses to use data visualization and advanced analytics to strengthen their decision-making. Their final recommendation was for businesses to reimagine their financial models. How do you empower ambition?