For fractional CFOs & advisory accountants
'Two days a month' needs to say what happens on those days.
Fractional finance leadership is sold to founders who need more than bookkeeping and less than a full-time CFO: a forecast, a board pack, fundraising support, a pricing review, a finance team to hire. The engagement usually starts as a time commitment — a couple of days a month — and stretches when a fundraise heats up or due diligence lands. Meanwhile the founder isn't sure whether you also do the tax return.
ApeiroCraft sends the engagement as a link with the time commitment, recurring deliverables, what's included in a fundraise or diligence, exclusions such as bookkeeping and tax filing, and how extra days are priced. You see when it's opened and reopened, the founder signs in the browser, and the retainer is invoiced from the accepted proposal.
Where fractional finance engagements stretch.
Fundraise surges
During a raise, two days a month becomes two days a week: models, data rooms, investor calls. If the proposal didn't price that, the retainer absorbs it.
Role confusion
The founder assumes you'll do the bookkeeping, payroll and tax filings too. You're there to advise and lead, not to process.
Deliverables nobody defined
Without a list — monthly management accounts review, a rolling forecast, a board pack — the founder judges the retainer on how often you're on Slack.
From intro call to monthly cadence.
Deliverables, not just days
List what you produce each month and each quarter, alongside the time commitment, so the value is visible.
See when the founder's deciding
Opens and re-opens are recorded on the link. A proposal reopened before a board meeting is a cue to offer a call.
Boundaries signed
The signature records name, email, IP address and a UTC timestamp and can't be altered — exclusions and extra-day rates are on record.
Monthly retainer invoices
Convert the accepted proposal into the first month's invoice in one click, then raise each month against the client record.
What a fractional CFO proposal has to include.
If you hold a professional qualification, your body may set engagement-letter requirements. Beyond those, these sections keep the engagement clear.
Time commitment
If it's left vague
Two days a month quietly becomes always available.
With ApeiroCraft
State days or hours per month, availability for calls, and the rate for extra days.
Recurring deliverables
If it's left vague
The retainer is judged on responsiveness, not output.
With ApeiroCraft
List monthly and quarterly deliverables.
Fundraising and diligence
If it's left vague
A raise is assumed to be inside the retainer.
With ApeiroCraft
Say what's included and how fundraising or diligence work beyond it is priced.
Exclusions
If it's left vague
Bookkeeping, payroll and tax filing are expected.
With ApeiroCraft
Exclude transactional work and tax filing, and say who does them.
Responsibility and decisions
If it's left vague
Your advice is treated as your decision.
With ApeiroCraft
Note that decisions remain with the company's directors.
- Monthly invoices with an editable tax-rate field.
- Private notes per client for board dates and decisions.
- ApeiroCraft doesn't do accounting or tax filing.
Common questions.
How do fractional CFOs usually price?
Common structures are a monthly retainer based on days per month, a day rate for project work, fixed fees for defined projects such as a financial model or a fundraising pack, and sometimes a success fee or equity on fundraising (which needs careful agreement). ApeiroCraft holds the structure; it doesn't suggest rates.
What does a fractional CFO proposal look like?
Two days a month plus a weekly call; monthly review of management accounts, a rolling 12-month forecast and a quarterly board pack; fundraising support for the next round priced as additional days; bookkeeping and tax filing excluded and handled by the client's accountants; decisions remaining with the directors; a three-month minimum and a month's notice. The founder reopens it before a board meeting, signs, and you invoice the first month.
When is ApeiroCraft not the right fit?
It isn't accounting, forecasting or FP&A software and it doesn't file taxes. It doesn't track your days against the retainer either. It fits the engagement proposal, signature, invoices and client notes.
Can I propose a fixed-fee project first?
Yes. Many advisers start with a defined project — a financial model or a pricing review — and then propose a retainer. Send each as its own proposal.
Is there a template?
The consulting template — sharpened problem statement, phased approach with a stop option, fees anchored to the cost of the problem — fits advisory work well.
Define the days before you start them.
Start from the consulting template and add your deliverables and exclusions.
Start freeStill deciding? Talk to the founder
Keep reading
Free template
Consulting proposal template
A sharpened problem statement, phased approach with a stop option, and value-anchored fees.
Solution
ApeiroCraft for consultants
Scope, phases, and value-anchored fees in a document that gets signed, not edited.
Free template
Bookkeeping proposal template
Cleanup priced separately, a real closing timetable, and monthly tiers by transaction volume.