Chief Financial Officer: Ask This;

Chief Financial Officer: Ask This;

TLDR: Ask This;

1. Does your organization have a Risk Management Plan linked to its Strategic and Business Plans?

2. How often does your Finance organization update its strategy to reflect changes in business goals?

3. Does your organization maintain a valuation model of the business, and does it plan key business initiatives based on the effect on shareholder value?

4. Does your organization have a formal budgeting process and budget that is reviewed at least annually by senior management and the governing board if applicable?

5. Does your organization have a process to identify all significant business risks?

6. Does your organization have a succession plan in place for senior management and other key employees?

7. Does your organization have a Strategic Plan and is it supported by a Risk Management Plan?

8. How extensively does your organization outsource key business functions?

9. Does your organization have individuals who will perform relevant Senior Management Functions?

10. How many shareholders does your organization have and what is the change from last year?

11. How does your organization change so that other functions can better help execute your corporate finance strategy?

12. Did your organization have any excess business holdings in the tax year?

13. How often does your organization have problems collecting on accounts receivable?

14. Does your finance organization have the talent to provide forward looking insight?

15. Does your organization effectively manage key business risks identified by the risk assessment?

16. How does your Finance organization align its strategy to the overall enterprise strategy?

17. How often does the finance function at your organization participate in decisions?

18. Does your organization have a robust internal audit function and is a control environment fostered?

19. Is your current organization really adding value to your business through meaningful support services in addition to simple compliance matters?

20. Does your organization have adequate staffing in order to reasonably ensure all control activities are in place and operating as designed?

21. How does a finance chief steer your organization through tumult?

22. How does your organization finance large scale production?

23. How does your organization finance major equipment purchases?

24. How does the future of work change organization design and behavior?

25. Do you have flexible risk allocation and mitigation strategies in place to enable your organization to manage the impacts of energy transformation?

26. Does your organization have a process in place to manage Suspense accounts?

27. Does your organization currently – or does it intend to – use its offshore capabilities to generate revenue by offering services to other firms?

28. How does your organization use technology to search for an unnatural accounting activity?

29. Does your organization have an asset management plan?

30. Does your organization have any products on which the patents will expire in the next few years?

31. Does your organization have a process in place to tag or code all assets timely?

32. Does your organization have an internal audit function, other than the Office of Internal Audit?

33. How does your organization utilize market information in determining pay ranges and pay policy?

34. Does your organization have an updated internal audit plan?

35. Does your organization have the leadership capacity to sustain the plan over time?

36. How does the records manager provide immediate accessibility to records at appropriate levels in your organization without loss of control or security?

37. Does your organization have an internal audit department?

38. Does your organization have an internal audit function, other than the Bureau of Audits?

39. Does your organization have an internal audit function?

40. Does your organization have stock ownership guidelines for executives and board members?

41. Does your organization have a committee focused on social responsibility at the board level?

42. How much interest rate risk does your organization withstand?

43. Does your organization have a forward plan of contract renewals?

44. How do you structure your organization to service your business partners across segments and geographies?

45. What additional monitoring does your organization perform for account activity in high risk accounts?

46. How far into the future does your organization project when developing its enterprise digital strategy?

47. Has your organization already outsourced any activities of processes, or does it plan to do so within the next year?

48. Does your organization have a working plan for internal and external communications?

Organized by Key Themes: MANAGEMENT, FINANCE, BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC, DATA, CLIENT, LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTING:

MANAGEMENT:

Why are you seeing high levels of concern?

Make sure the VP of Finance is accountable for providing leadership and coordination of your organizations financial planning and budget management functions, assessing and evaluating financial performance of your organization with regards to its long-term operational goals, budgets and forecasts, and ensuring company accounting procedures and reporting conform to generally accepted accounting principles. 

Are you receiving the expected value from your providers technology and expertise?

Provide business forecasts that convey timely insights into profit impacts of changes in revenue and cost, and develop and manage processes and systems to provide management team with timely financial and operational information regarding financial performance. 

How many companies can go forward without making new capital expenditures?

Guarantee your organization is responsible for directing all activities relating to financial matters and to the safeguarding of assets and for counseling with the Management Team concerning financial matters including company profitability, cash requirements, capital expenditures, budgets, and investments. 

How difficult it is to optimize the process of planning, budgeting and forecasting?

Review financial operations of the Market to ascertain whether operational efficiency and effectiveness are being attained, provide leadership and stewardship to ensure processes are effective, and work with the Markets management to develop action plans based on analysis to optimize operations. 

Do directors participate in equity based plans?

Oversee that your team develops management reporting, statements and key performance metrics to the board of directors and committees to provide insight into revenue and operating expense trends, headcount and potential risks/opportunities to forecast or plan. 

Are the processes being followed?

Be sure your process assures appropriate administration of the financial systems and business practices to department and ensures Human Resources policies and procedures are followed by subordinate management staff. 

When is an auditor deemed to be involved in an offering?

Ensure your process is involved in directing product and marketing management including new product development and strategy development. 

Do you buy a platform, management tools, platform development tools and services?

Act as your organization Management System expert, collaborate and develop training plans for new team members with your organization Analyst. 

Is management required to provide absolute assurance of internal control over financial reporting?

Act as financial gatekeeper manage organization budget and business planning, supervise cash management activities, oversee the investment of funds and manage associated risks. 

What is the role of technology in developing a continuous monitoring capability?

Check that your group oversees the management and coordination of all fiscal reporting activities for the organization including organizational revenue/expense and balance sheet reports, development and monitoring of organizational budgets. 

FINANCE:

Is the team appropriately balanced?

Verify that your team directs all finance and accounting reporting matters, taking responsibility for leading the budget development process for operating activities and use of financial resources, reporting and analyzing performance to budgets. 

Can your provider transform its services as your business grows?

Safeguard that your personnel assess the finance organization and its practices to ensure that the team and its processes evolve to suit the business as it grows and matures. 

What are the companies plans with regard to future support by external service providers?

Make sure the Finance, Planning and Analysis (FP and A) team strives to use common tools and approaches in the work you do to consistently support program teams and operations and to facilitate cross FP and A process improvement, collaboration and support. 

Have analysts or the financial press voiced concern about your organizations accounting practices?

Secure that your strategy is involved in Finance operating models and supporting organization structures, and process best practices. 

How can technology improve the way that Finance serves the enterprise?

Make sure the team serves as the primary point of contact in Finance for the Workplace Channel business management teams. 

Are strong business partners rising through the ranks?

Be sure your group participates and adds value in financial considerations with key Finance leadership Decision support partner for the business leadership team. 

Do principals receive consolidated budget feedback from all relevant departments?

Make headway so that your staff is understanding accounting and finance process flows and how information is consolidated into the general ledger, to ensure improvement and value creation. 

Why do process owners need support going forward?

Make sure your design work toward promotion of efficiency and effectiveness of all finance functions, via process and workflow improvements; including investment in and implementation of technology to support automation. 

What are the most important factors leading to property damage or business interruptions?

Assure your staff is acting as the primary Finance business partner to the you support functions; lead the annual planning cycle on behalf the Corporate Functions. 

Is integrated reporting a viable option for your organization?

Serve as a liaison between organization wide P and A, Lines of business, Functional Finance teams and other support teams in order to provide impactful Reporting and insightful analyses. 

BUSINESS:

What are your organizations financial projections for the future, and what assumptions were used?

Assure your design partners across the organization to understand key business drivers and develop processes and models that leverage those drivers to support tracking and reporting of enterprise KPIs and develop scenario-based projections. 

Does the solution support recovery from a hardware failure?

Recommend and implement process and reporting improvements; maintain process documentation and support business continuity planning. 

How does your organization compete in the market place and what are your competitive advantages?

Guarantee your strategy provides business discipline and operational efficiency to the segment to ensure the segment meets and/or exceeds its key growth and profitability objectives. 

Are the risks from the actual investment acceptable, when compared to the business to which it contributes?

Establish that your group contributes to workforce strategy from an overall business perspective (as well as HR). 

What percentage of your office works in audit, tax, etc?

Maintain, review and update all internal talent acquisition policies to ensure they are up to date and relevant for current and future needs make recommendations on trends to meet business demands for core policies (mobility, referral, nepotism, resourcing, etc). 

What might cause cash to be out of balance?

Leaned into the business units to understand the business requirements from the key systems they use and the top priorities to address. 

How do you design an integrated, smart and frictionless mobility system that caters for an ever growing movement of people and goods while addressing the climate crisis?

Make headway so that your personnel identifies and creates processes to integrate technology improvements into business processes. 

What would be possible if you combined the technologies and re imagined the future?

Combine strong business and financial acumen to make key decisions backed by data and analytics. 

Can new customer value solutions be integrated with current/future systems architecture?

Become and remain knowledgeable on key business processes and systems and how they operate/integrate. 

What are competitors and peers doing to identify, manage and disclose the ESG related risks?

Be certain that your process cultivates and maintains technical and business relationship with ISVs. 

TECHNOLOGY:

Is the internal audit planning Communicating & reporting process appropriate?

Be sure your process serves as liaison between the functional project team and the technology support organization to facilitate decision making by communicating across project teams and functional areas. 

What is the boards responsibility for ensuring the best care for all?

Warrant that your operation is working with partners in risk, finance, technology to enhance current production processes by writing business requirements, doing user acceptance testing and ensuring control procedures, training materials are kept up to date. 

Is your organization involved in any patent or trademark disputes?

Verify that your team is involved in information technology organizations or projects with priority. 

Have there been changes in the bylaws during the year?

Help (internal) clients develop the own strategies by designing and implementing business and technology changes. 

What would be the most useful reporting frequency for cost management information?

Check that your staff is involved in computerized financial software systems and technology for analysis and reporting. 

How do you identify your critical assets and associated risks and vulnerabilities?

Liaise with core IT Technology support staff to address system implementations, enhancements, and identify continuous improvement opportunities. 

How is innovation defined in your organization?

Collaborate with stakeholders to define business and systems requirements for new technology implementations. 

How can finance business partners keep the advice relevant to the changing needs of the business?

Ensure your (internal) customers internal IT teams are now fully focused on driving innovation and business solutions in this demanding, ever changing, technology focused era. 

What new processes, people, practices, and technologies are required to achieve the desired objective?

Certify your design improve Technology PMO governance process to achieve high maturity level. 

What are the primary challenges of managing a virtual team?

Develop experience at a high growth organization that has undertaken an IPO or a public technology organization. 

DEVELOPMENT:

Do you intend to continue the current initiative to develop an industrial base strategy?

Be sure your organization oversees the application development team to effectively develop business applications. 

What foundational level support do you need today?

Make sure your process conducts research using multiple tools and resources to analyze information, and invest in the development, administration and implementation of risk mitigation strategies to support all aspects of business operations. 

What must be asked, though, is what amount of trust is essential for security?

Guarantee your design supports development of business transformation strategy that is aligned with overall organizational strategy, including identifying benefits, prioritization, planning of initiatives, and defining project success. 

How prepared do you feel in ensuring success in executing strategy?

Recruit, train, manage and support the development of a team of business analysts so they feel challenged and engaged. 

How do you maximize the impact of Finance in supporting business lines?

Be confident that your organization driven and growth minded with the mindset and business development involvement to help evolve your organizations offering to accelerate and maximize enrollee base. 

Is testing by process owners acceptable for purposes of supporting managements assertion?

Warrant that your process is providing advice, assistance, and support to organization Directors in the development of budget requests and related supporting documentation. 

Are there arrangements to support ongoing professional development for Board Members?

Make sure the Provider Network Development team works cross functionally to enable and support your partnership and (internal) customer success teams as well as develop recruitment priorities for individual recruiters. 

Have any issues been identified through the external auditors required enhanced fraud procedures?

Make sure your team provides support to the President/CEO, to the Board of Directors and various outside organizations including development and maintenance of policies to enhance the overall stability of the organization. 

Should a registrant review its internal control over financial reporting on a quarterly basis?

Interface so that your strategy provides leadership to a system project team for system development, analysis, design, review and testing. 

Are finance staff routinely involved in service reviews?

Check that your group is involved in program reviews and business development activities. 

STRATEGIC:

Who is supporting the Embankment Project?

Liaison so that your process is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of Talent Analytics function, including ensuring clear governance structure, aligning data practices and delivering on analytics projects to support both the business and HR team. 

What are the major barriers to better aligning the finance and risk functions at your organization?

Secure that your process you connect your mission to strategic, operating and financial plans, aligning the board, executive team and whole organization to your goals. 

Does senior management support your attempts to implement cost accounting in your organization?

Make sure your personnel builds strategic alliances internally and outside your organization to create business opportunities and support the execution of business strategies. 

How many vacancies are on the board?

Deliver analytically rigorous and data driven insights to support actionable strategic recommendations, business prioritization, and enterprise strategy communications. 

How might the cash flow to debt ratio be classified?

Be confident that your workforce evaluates strategic areas in Planning Inventory and Supply Chain that provide wide organization performance improvements and optimize cash flow. 

Is it a disclosure that stakeholders require for comparisons with similar entities?

Interface so that your strategy provides support or resource on strategic projects and projects which require commitment from Business Unit Leaders and external resources. 

Why does the record organization also like the lower rate?

Be confident that your operation oversees and manages your organizations budget formulation, presentation, and execution activities as well as ensures the integration of your organizations strategic planning process with the budget process. 

How can technology be maximized to present information in the least costly manner?

Make headway so that your company is developing recommendations and analysis related to the execution of strategic initiatives including Balance Sheet Optimization and alignment of business mix to maximize profitability. 

Is there any weighting of criteria as it relates to the selection process?

Handle overall direction of your organization as it relates to strategic planning and the coordination of business initiatives. 

How do you track the value and return on your investments more effectively?

Safeguard that your strategy participates in the development of your organizations strategic planning as a tactical partner in evaluating and advising on the impact of long-range planning and regulatory action on the areas of responsibility. 

DATA:

Which cre metrics do you use for assessing the performance of your organizations portfolio?

Warrant that your staff assists with and/or facilitate the gathering or risk data for reporting and to perform risk and financial analysis of business processes and programs. 

How do you ignite innovation in your own organization to drive change and accelerate to the next level?

Proactively identify opportunities across your organization to improve the quality of data collection and refine operational processes that drive scalability and efficiency. 

Does your organization have a Strategic Plan and is it supported by a Risk Management Plan?

Ensure your company is reviewing and analyzing financial data to identify issues, opportunities and trends to support decision making. 

How important to you is it to work for your organization that is digitally enabled or is a digital leader?

Work with the product, operations, and executive management teams to create a data enabled user journey. 

Is your organization independently owned and operated?

Secure that your design is teaming up with your data science team to deliver personalized content. 

Is your organization positioned to benefit?

Liaison so that your workforce is documenting business needs into clear directions for other groups in the Data ecosystem. 

How do you lead under crisis or amidst hyper growth?

Safeguard that your process is making business conclusions recommendations. 

What is your organization trying to achieve by outsourcing?

Interpret meaning and implications of business metrics, data and reports to achieve goals. 

Can the systems handle multi ledger reporting?

Guide your teams on data quality in systems, processes and employee facing materials, which feed required reporting standards. 

Are receiving reports used and prepared promptly?

Preform and prepare monthly process performance reports, including data validation and reconciliation. 

CLIENT:

What is your assessment of the culture within your business?

Make sure your team leads service recovery efforts and proactively identifies business solutions related to service line performance and (internal) client strategy. 

What is the boards responsibility for ensuring a positive workplace culture?

Make sure your team is managing (internal) client expense reporting process and ensuring compliance with (internal) clients policies and procedures. 

Have consumer groups recently criticized your organization?

Confirm that your organization leads a local service team with deep collaboration to ensure (internal) client retention and satisfaction is high with a relentless focus on remarkable service. 

How do you help the business accelerate?

Serve as a resource and key team member on (internal) client projects and help ensure timely delivery of results. 

Has your organization taken additional steps to safeguard employees and premises?

Lead proposal development, creation of statements of work, and other new business development activities across (internal) clients, and nurture long term value add (internal) client relationships with your firm. 

Who will be responsible for updating the final process and its related data?

Make sure your team is responsible for (internal) client project/relationship management and internal/(internal) client team leadership. 

How would you rate your Finance organizations level of support for innovation?

Ensure your team is maintaining internal control environment and adherence to organization SOPs for your (internal) client teams. 

Why should business finance create value?

Show proven transformation expertise (Create lasting value for your organization and your (internal) clients through continuous improvement and process automation). 

How do you enhance that relationship with more trust and value?

Make sure your strategy identify opportunities to enhance the (internal) clients monthly operations and make suggestions for process improvements. 

How do you unlock the equity in your business?

Liaison so that your organization creates, develops and maintains strong business relationships with (internal) clients, both internal and external. 

LEADERSHIP:

What growth level support do you need today?

Be sure your staff provides support, leadership and financial direction for various strategic business development projects in coordination with Strategic Planning Department. 

What would the professional culture of your organization look like if it were full of employees who felt appreciated, recognized, and motivated to contribute to the success of the team?

Oversee that your strategy provides the participatory leadership to the finance staff necessary to maintain a motivated, productive, and competent team through open communication and delegation of responsibilities and authority. 

How does your organization improve its image and enhance consumer preferences?

Provide leadership in the development and implementation of the organizations short and long-term strategic objectives and improve profitability, including recommendations to strategically enhance financial performance and business opportunities. 

How do internal audit functions determine which consulting engagements to accept?

Make sure your organization consults with key leadership and stakeholders to define design challenge(s), ascertain project scope, develop strategy, create budget, and determine outcomes. 

How can technology improve the way that Finance serves the enterprise?

Guarantee your team is assisting the founder in managing strategic delivery of direct reports including business unit leaders and leadership teams in businesses which one actively serves as CEO. 

What good is a system that provides bad or even questionable information?

Make headway so that your design provides leadership in evaluation and assessment of growth and operational initiatives as well as the evaluation, development and implementation of strategic programs and service lines, capital acquisition and technological investment. 

What type of IT support do you need to optimize your technology investments?

Check that your group provides strong, forward looking analytical leadership and support to business operations and the implementation of strategic objectives. 

What financial and management reporting enables management to effectively execute and deliver the strategy?

Work closely with the executive leadership team to drive organization performance and reporting. 

What is an MSP, Managed Service Provider?

Create and manage financial systems/processes in order to provide your leadership team with the information required to make data based decisions. 

What has changed to make performance reviews fall out of favour?

Drive and facilitate conversations with the executive leadership team on strategy review and iteration to ensure ongoing review of disruptive services and technologies. 

ACCOUNTING:

Does the project deliver or facilitate the delivery of a strategic priority?

Participate in the development and maintenance of accounting systems to facilitate efficient operation and financial management of (internal) clients across various industries. 

Which investments should you make in new IT projects?

Analyze business and accounting processes and invest in process improvement recommendations and control enhancements. 

What other disclosure about internal control over financial reporting must a registrant make?

Assure your organization plans, directs, and oversees internal/external audits; oversees and coordinates periodic internal audits to ensure compliance with accounting procedures and office policies; oversees annual/periodic audits conducted by external auditors; resolves audit, accounting, and reporting issues with outside agencies such as independent auditors or overarching/state agencies. 

Are the terms of service associated with the cloud provider unacceptable?

Certify your staff develops and improves standard cost accounting systems, including the recording, processing, reconciling, and compiling of financial data not captured by normal accounting processes; Provide solutions to address risks associated with operations oversight. 

Does your organization use different auditing organizations for any subsidiaries?

Establish that your team is involved in organization accounting and auditing. 

Do the receiving units plans support the higher headquarters plan?

Lead and direct business unit financial planning and analysis, reporting, accounting practices, budgeting, forecasting, and internal control requirements, and provide analytical support for new business proposals. 

What does the platform provide that helps you?

Guarantee your organization formulates recommendations to organization Management on technical accounting issues, financial accounting policies and procedures, and financial management issues. 

Which workflows remain to be automated?

Assure your organization is involved in a public accounting firm, consulting organization or other professional services environment with an emphasis on private (internal) client needs and automated accounting systems. 

How much of your organization do you own?

Interface so that your workforce analyzes processes and systems related to key accounting functions to ensure they are as efficient as possible. 

Do the performance goals include stretch targets for each level/role?

Be certain that your company is involved in complex tax accounting topics including business combinations, share based compensation, joint ventures, uncertain tax positions, valuation allowance analysis, etc.