The SaaS CFO | The #1 source for SaaS finance education. Video lessons, content, templates, and communities to accelerate your SaaS and career.

WHAT I DO:  I help SaaS companies via fractional SaaS CFO services, coaching, and courses in SaaS metrics and finance.  I help companies achieve financial improvement and transparency via a SaaS finance framework that links operations to finance.

WHO I HELP:  I help SaaS founders, finance/accounting, and investors.

WHY IT WORKS:  Translating the operational story into consumable numbers is the key to driving corporate performance and understanding the economics of SaaS businesses.

WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT: From debits and credits to financial forecasting to M&A, my experience has not just been silo’ed in the accounting or finance track, but both sides of the desk.  My operations background at several airlines has improved my ability to translate operational performance into improved financial understanding and foresight. My on-the-job experience as a SaaS CFO has allowed me to help thousands of SaaS founders and finance teams.

I’m building the SaaS/AI finance command center I’ve always wanted.

And no — it’s not an “AI FP&A magic button.”

There’s a ton of AI clickbait right now.

Use Tool A and Tool B and Tool C and sprinkle a little AI over it, and voila, you have a Fortune 500 AI analyst.

I’ve clicked a few.

Usually, it ends at a paywall — and even if it didn’t, it wouldn’t solve the real problem.

Because AI doesn’t fix a broken or undefined process.

Here’s what I’m actually doing with AI:

I’m deconstructing my monthly FP&A process step by step.

Not asking AI to “analyze my numbers” or “build a 3 statement model.” 

Instead:
- What are the exact inputs?
- How is the data structured?
- What decisions am I trying to drive?
- What questions do I ask every single month?
- What output actually matters to a software CEO?

I’m using Replit to build it. That's my AI magic button right now. 

But Replit isn’t building an AI FP&A analyst for me.

It’s forcing me to:
- Clarify the logic (from 20+ years in finance; not asking AI to do it)
- Document the workflow
- Define the data structure
- Define the expected outcome

AI becomes powerful only after you’ve done the hard thinking.

I just built my MRR schedule feature. Pic below.

To do that, first you must understand this post: https://lnkd.in/gR7sgE8x

Includes my template (no paywall). Please use it.

The app I'm building is at https://lnkd.in/giyMftN6

#SaaS #CFO

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The SaaS CFO | The #1 source for SaaS finance education. Video lessons, content, templates, and communities to accelerate your SaaS and career. Fractional SaaS CFO helping founders scale. 

Greetings! Ben here. I hope you take a couple of seconds to enter your email address below. I send newsletters 2-3x per month to my audience of SaaS founders, finance, investors, and other SaaS professionals. I'll keep you updated on SaaS events, tech...

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Mentored two undergraduate business students in their junior and senior years.

The SaaS CFO | The #1 source for SaaS finance education. Video lessons, content, templates, and communities to accelerate your SaaS and career. Fractional SaaS CFO helping founders scale.

The 7th Annual SaaS Tech Stack Report is here!

This is NOT a market map! It's what is being used in software companies today.

Download the full report at the link below.

- 22 software categores
- debt financing providers
- tech stack by company ARR size
- ERP or point solution? what's preferred

Download here: https://lnkd.in/eiRGcMB

I started this survey 7 years ago b/c founders and CFO's would reach out to me with this question. What tech should I use for A, B, or C? 

I thought...why don't I survey my audience? And here we are today.

#SaaS

Here’s how I’m using AI in my fractional SaaS CFO practice.

And no, this is not a comment "CFO" for the magic AI button. I have also not revolutionized services overnight.

There’s a ton of AI content right now that sounds like:

“Connect your bank + Stripe + QuickBooks… and AI runs your business.” 

You’ve got an AI CFO. 

I’ve tried enough tools to know the truth:
- AI doesn’t fix a messy process.
- AI exposes it.

So I’m taking a two-pronged approach with my services practice

1) Automate the finance engine (client-facing)

I built SoftwareMetrics.ai to automate pieces of my financial process.

Not “AI does my close.” There’s a ton of funding going into that.

Instead:
- Standardize the chart of accounts + mapping
- Define the source data structure
- Build repeatable monthly outputs (MRR, GTM efficiency, burn, runway)
- Overlay AI for better analysis

2) Automate internal ops (my side of the house)

I built AgencyChief.ai (a new app I coded) to automate internal operations.

Not because I love tools. Because my time gets eaten by operational drag:

- intake + onboarding
- recurring requests
- task management
- status updates
- deliverable tracking
- follow-ups + handoffs

I found that traditional project management tools were way too complex and cumbersome.

Here’s the part that people skip in their social media posts.

None of this is “perfect” yet.

Because AI only works after you do the hard work:
- break the workflow into steps
- label the inputs/outputs
- decide where judgment happens
- automate the repeatable parts
- keep the CFO thinking as the final layer

I’m auditing every step of my process right now and asking one question:

Is this a human judgment step… or just a repeatable system step pretending to be “work”? With AI, there's no excuse now to NOT improve your process.

#SaaS

Once you use an FP&A solution, you never want to go back.

Spreadsheets always have their place, but FP&A software dramatically increases FP&A productivity.

Here are the highlights from my latest tech stack report.

- 37 forecasting and budgeting solutions named (down 11 YoY)
- Spreadsheets are the dominant solution with 73% market share in the survey
- Top 5 solutions own only 12% of the market
- Are we seeing some consolidation in this space?

A LOT of funding has gone into the FP&A space. And the CFO's tech stack in general. Great for us!

Other solutions in play: Runway, Causal, Pluvo, Anaplan, and Syft

Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eiRGcMB

#SaaS #CFO #FPnA

I've researched 200+ global tech company ARR definitions. I pasted the text below of a good ARR definition template.

The pic shows the common calculation builds that we covered in my live webinar today.

The ARR Disclosure Template (copy and edit this)

“Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) represents the annualized value of recurring revenue from active customer contracts as of period end. ARR includes recurring subscription fees and usage-based revenue. Professional services and other non-recurring revenue are excluded. Subscription ARR is calculated by dividing total contract value by contract duration and annualizing to 365 days. Usage-based ARR is calculated by annualizing the prior 90 days of their actual consumption, assuming no increases or reductions in their subscriptions or usage. ARR is a non-GAAP operating metric and may differ from GAAP revenue and from similarly titled metrics used by other companies.”

But! Make sure you watch the replay. There are a TON of nuances in disclosing your ARR number.

I'll post the slide deck later today here: https://lnkd.in/g6zTu4aZ

#ARR #SaaS

You don't get paid unless you invoice. Accurate, timely invoices.

These are the top invoicing vendors used in software companies. Plus, honorable mentions just off the chart.

Survey Highlights:
- 57 invoicing solutions named
- Top 5 solutions own 55% of the market share in the survey
- Core accounting solutions do not always handle the invoicing

Inviocing is part of the new revenue management software category. RM is a hot space and also competitive now. 

Previously, we saw very specific invoicing solutions (i.e. we invoice for usage-based companies). Today, it appears that you need to do more than that.

You need to handle different pricing models and go-to-market motions (contract-based process or self-service, for example).

Solutions just off the chart: Microsoft Dynamics, Zuora, Recurly, Tabs, Younium, Metronome, and Everest Systems.

Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eiRGcMB

#SaaS #Software

As I was building my MRR analysis feature, I realized that there is much more power in our MRR schedule than we realize.

With the correct metadata, we have a revenue intelligence engine that will provide more insight for our sales and marketing teams.

The report below should be simple and automated, yet many SaaS operators still struggle to create accurate MRR and retention schedules.

AI can't help you there. It still comes back to clean invoice data and a good data structure.

But the power is in the metadata. This is not something new, either. We must attach firmographic data points to our customer ID's to enrich the analysis.

Overlay AI on top of accurate MRR schedules and segmentation and you unlock insights and revenue upside.

For example, you can calculate:
- revenue durability (coming soon to my app)
- dormant expansion opportunity
- high-performing vs. low-performing segments
- ACV analysis within segments for upsell opps

I'm about to launch these features at https://lnkd.in/giyMftN6.

I've always said treat your MRR schedule like gold. Now, you can unlock more gold from your MRR data.

#SaaS

Tech stack remains a top topic of discussion in our tech CFO community.

In the thread below, evaluating ERPs. If you are a tech head of finance or tech CFO, please join us.

We have almost 500 in our private Slack community and around 700 on our email distribution list.

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/g_4wZX-k

There is no charge for this community. See you soon!

#SaaS #CFO

We've invoiced our customers. Now what?

When we close our books, we must run our revenue recognition process. Hopefully, not in spreadsheets, but that's where a lot of us start.

Here are the top rev rec players from my latest survey.

Survey Highlights
- 49 revenue recognition solutions named
- Top 5 solutions hold 41% market share in the survey data (ex. spreadsheets)
- Spreadsheets maintain top position with a 34% share

When should we implement rev rec? Ideally, in the 3-5M ARR stage and scaling. It becomes very difficult to understand your business's true unit economics with cash-basis accounting.

49 solutions were named in this category. The top 5 solutions had only 41% participant market share (ex. spreadsheets).

Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eiRGcMB

#SaaS #Software

I'm live in 2 hours! I'm tackling ARR definitions, calculations, and disclosures. Join us with the link below. Replay will go out later today.

Link: https://lnkd.in/gSWi5WR5

#ARR

Software founders can no longer stick their heads in the sand when it comes to sales tax. Want to sell your company? Raise funds?

Sales and use tax will be on the due diligence list. No doubts about that.

And taxing agencies are becoming better at understanding the activity in their jurisdictions.

Don't delay your compliance!

Here are the top players in sales and use tax in software companies.

Survey Highlights
- 30 sales tax compliance solutions named
- Avalara named top solution at 25% market share in survey (down 6 points)
- Anrok secures #2 with a nice jump
- Top 5 solutions own 46% market share
- 20% of respondents do not remit sales tax (up 2) and 7% not sure

Want my full report covering 22 software categories?

Download here: https://lnkd.in/eiRGcMB

#SaaS #CFO

If you’re layering AI into your product but still modeling your business like it’s 2021 SaaS… we need to talk.

On February 25th, I’m joining a live session to tackle a question I’m seeing with almost every AI-native or AI-enabled company right now:

What is the real cost of AI — and how are you going to raise your next round if your gross margin is stuck at 30%?

AI isn’t just “higher hosting bills.”

It’s a fundamental shift in your cost structure, your pricing model, and your SaaS metrics.

In this session, we’ll break down:
- Why AI workloads are distorting classic SaaS metrics
- How to properly map LLM and GPU consumption into COGS and gross margin
- What strong CFO x CTO governance actually looks like
- When you’re truly ready for committed spend (and when you’re absolutely not)

We’ll also walk through the mistakes we’re seeing in the wild — the ones that look small in month one… and turn into Board-level conversations by month six.

If you care about ARR, gross margin, fundraising, and building a durable AI-powered business model, this one’s for you.

Save your seat here: https://lnkd.in/gS4qfzyY

#SaaS #COGS

Will anyone dislodge Stripe as the payments king?

This chart is about the same as last year. Stripe lost a few points, but the same number of Do Not Accept / N/A remains the same. 

PayPal remained the same. 

Survey Highlights:
•	38 payment processing solutions named
•	Top 5 solutions own 56% (up 3 points) of the participant share

Download the full report covering 22 software categories here: https://lnkd.in/eiRGcMB

#SaaS

Is your MRR a mystery?

Many companies I help struggle with revenue accuracy. Are one-time services muddying your recurring revenue? Co-mingled revenue streams aren't just confusing; they're a "big SaaS sin" impacting valuation and strategic planning and metrics.

Clean up your P&L for true growth insight:
*  Define Revenue Streams: Clearly separate subscription, usage, overage, and service revenue.
*  Map GL Accounts: Assign distinct General Ledger accounts for each revenue type.
* Leverage Billing Tools: Use modern billing platforms for proper categorization and clear start/end dates.

How confident are you in your *true* recurring revenue figures?

Learn more about the SaaS revenue hierarchy here: https://lnkd.in/grHVSipB

#SaaS

Where was the fundraising flowing in January 2026? I created 3 charts. Funding by parent SW category. Funding by sub-parent category. Funding by AI-first, AI-embedded, and non-AI.

Top 10 Parent Categories:
Vertical Industry Software
AI Infrastructure
AI Development & Operations
IT Management Software
Security Software
ERP Software
Marketing Software
Sales Tools
Collaboration & Productivity Software
Other Services Providers

Top 10 Sub-parent Categories
Utilities Software
Foundation Models (LLMs, multimodal)
AI Security Posture Management (AI-SPM)
Columnar Databases
AI Orchestration Software
Generative AI Software
Health Care Software
Hospitality Software
Cloud Security Software
Conversational Marketing Software

Is my coding perfect? No, not perfect, but directionally correct. The third chart is interesting. Distinguishing between AI-first and AI-embedded is a bit nuanced.

I excluded x.ai's funding so the charts didn't skew. I also removed my generic "AI" parent category.

Source: TechFundingEvents.com

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