Services · Accounting
Management reporting
Monthly management accounts that arrive on a fixed date and explain in plain words what changed, why it changed and what it means for the months ahead.
Reports that explain themselves
Most businesses can produce a profit and loss account. Far fewer receive one that says what moved, why it moved and what to do about it. A page of figures leaves the reader to do the analysis, and a variance nobody explains is usually a variance nobody acts on.
Our management accounts carry written commentary from the accountant who knows your books, reviewed by a partner before you see it. They arrive on dates fixed at the start of the year, so your management and board meetings can be planned around the numbers rather than delayed by them.
Inside the monthly pack
Built around the decisions you take each month, not around the chart of accounts.
Management accounts
Profit and loss for the month and the year to date, balance sheet and cash flow, prepared on an accruals basis so that each month compares fairly with the last.
Budget versus actual
Results set against budget and the prior year, with every material variance explained in words: volume, mix, timing, a one-off item or a real change in the business.
KPIs and dashboards
A short list of measures designed with you, each with a written definition, a data source and an owner, shown on a one-page dashboard that keeps the same layout every month.
Cash position and short-term forecast
Month-end cash agreed to the bank, a bridge from profit to cash, and a forecast of the weeks ahead, extended to a full 13-week cash flow forecast where cash is tight.
Segment and product profitability
Results by business line, product, branch or customer group, with shared costs allocated on a stated basis so each margin can be relied on (see cost analysis).
Board packs
A monthly or quarterly pack for directors and investors: summary, financial statements, KPIs, cash outlook, risks, and the decisions the board is asked to take.
Who relies on it
Anyone who has to decide on the strength of numbers they did not prepare.
- Owner-managers who want a clear view of the month without building the reports
- Boards and investors who expect a regular, consistent pack
- Companies reporting to lenders against covenants
- Overseas owners of businesses run by local management
- Finance teams that close the books but have no time left to analyse them
Setting up your reporting
The design work is done once, so every month after it follows the same pattern.
Agree what matters
We start from the decisions you make and the questions your board asks, then choose the measures that answer them.
Design the pack
Layout, KPI definitions, segments and commentary style are agreed and tested on a past month before going live.
Fix the calendar
Close dates, delivery dates and meeting dates for the year are set in one calendar, shared with everyone who needs it.
Report and review
Each pack arrives on its date after partner review, and we take you through it in person or by video.
The reporting calendar
Every deliverable has a fixed place in the year, tied to the close date agreed with you.
| Deliverable | Frequency | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Cash position and receipts and payments forecast | Weekly, where cash is tight | Spotting a shortfall early enough to deal with it |
| Management accounts, commentary and KPI dashboard | Monthly | Running the business and holding budget holders to account |
| Review meeting | Monthly | Walking through the results and agreeing actions |
| Board pack | Monthly or quarterly, to your board's cycle | Reporting to directors, investors and lenders |
| Reforecast of the year | Quarterly | Resetting the expected outcome while the budget stays as the benchmark |
| Budget and next year's calendar | Annually | Setting targets and planning the reporting year ahead |
Questions
Can you report from books our own team keeps?
Yes. We review the month-end close before reporting and agree any adjustments with your team, so the pack starts from reconciled balances. If the books need more than that, bookkeeping can be added to the scope.
How long is the commentary?
As long as the month needs. A quiet month may take a few paragraphs; a large variance or a cash concern gets a fuller explanation. The aim is that a director can read it quickly and know what to ask.
Which systems do you report from?
We report from QuickBooks Online, Xero, Zoho Books, Odoo and SAP Business One. Dashboards are built in your accounting software or in a spreadsheet you own, so they do not depend on us.
Can you present the results to our board?
Yes. We can present the pack at your board or management meeting, at your office or by video. For continuing senior involvement, see virtual CFO and controller support.
Speak with a partner
Every enquiry is read by a partner and answered within one business day. Meetings are held at our offices, at yours, or by video.