Bookkeeping vs. CFO advisory
The two are often confused, but they answer different questions. Bookkeeping keeps an accurate record of what already happened. A fractional CFO uses that record to help you decide what to do next.
| Topic | Bookkeeping | CFO advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Backward-looking, transactional | Forward-looking, strategic |
| Question answered | What happened? | What should we do next? |
| Deliverables | Reconciled accounts, categorized transactions, monthly P&L and balance sheet, AP/AR management, payroll processing | Cash flow forecasts, budget vs. actual analysis, tax planning coordination, debt and financing strategy, KPI tracking, strategy sessions |
| Frequency | Daily and monthly maintenance | Periodic advisory, monthly or quarterly |
| Who needs it | Every business, from day one | Businesses ready to plan growth, financing, or major decisions |
| Analogy | The foundation of the house | The architect deciding what to build on it |
Bookkeeping tells you where your money went. CFO advisory tells you where it should go next, but that advice can't be any better than the books underneath it. That's why our CFO advisory packages assume an active bookkeeping plan.
Most businesses start with a bookkeeping plan, then add CFO advisory once the books are current and the business is ready for strategic guidance.
Find the right fit
A short consultation is the easiest way to see which plan matches your business. We'll look at where your books are today and what you need from them.