Beyond the Grid
A variance table full of red numbers tells the board something went wrong, but not why. The best CFOs lead with narrative, not numbers.
The Three-Lens Approach
- Volume vs. Price — was the miss about fewer units, or lower margins?
- Timing vs. Permanent — is it a one-month shift or a structural change?
- Controllable vs. Market — did we cause it, or did the market?
Make It Actionable
Every material variance should end with one sentence: 'Here's what we're doing about it.'
Where AI Helps
Variance assistants can flag anomalies, draft root-cause hypotheses, and generate a first-pass narrative. Your job is to validate and own the story — not to start from a blank page.
