7 Financial Reports Your CFO Should Send You Every Month
Sam's List Editorial | 2026-06-27
7 Financial Reports Your CFO Should Send You Every Month Plenty of founders get a monthly financial package and still feel like they have no idea what is going on. The problem is usually not the data; it is that the reports describe the past without pointing to a decision. Good monthly CFO reports do both. Here are seven a strong finance function should send you every month, and the decision each one is meant to inform. The test for every report below is simple: after reading it, do you know something you should do differently? If not, it is a record, not a report. 1. Profit and Loss (With Comparisons) A bare P&L is a starting point. A useful one compares this month to last month, to the same month last year, and to budget. The decision it informs: where is spending drifting, and which revenue lines are actually growing versus flat. 2. Balance Sheet The balance sheet shows what you own and owe at a point in time. It is where you catch problems a P&L hides, like ballooning receivables or shrinking cash despite "profit." The decision: is the financial foundation getting stronger or weaker. 3. Cash Flow Statement Profit and cash are not the same thing, and the gap is where businesses get surprised. A cash flow statement shows where the money actually went. The decision: do you have the runway you think you have. 4. Cash Flow Forecast Looking backward is not enough. A rolling forecast projects cash several weeks or months out so payroll is never a question mark. The decision: can you afford the hire, the inventory order, or the slow season ahead. 5. Accounts Receivable Aging This report shows who owes you and how late they are. Slow receivables are an interest-free loan you are making to your customers. The decision: who needs a follow-up, and is your collection process working. 6. Key Metrics Dashboard Beyond the standard statements, a few numbers specific to your business, gross margin, customer acquisition cost, contribution margin, tell the real story. The decision: which lever actually moves your profit, not just your revenue. 7. A Short Written Summary The most underrated report is a few plain-language paragraphs explaining what the numbers mean and what to watch. The decision: what deserves your attention this month. Numbers without narrative get ignored; narrative is what turns a package into guidance. Reports You Get vs. Reports That Drive Action The difference between a bookkeeper and a CFO shows up here. A bookkeeper can produce statements one through five accurately. A CFO adds the forecast, the metrics that matter for your specific business,...
