Consolidation
The hidden cost of consolidating in spreadsheets
The real multi entity consolidation challenges are error risk, chart of accounts drift, key-person risk and no audit trail. Plus when spreadsheets still win.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
Field notes
Notes on actually getting the books done
Written by someone who has closed the month for a decade — including for owners running several companies at once. What the work actually is, where the days go, and what QuickBooks or Xero will and won’t do for you.
Bookkeeping
3 posts
Catch-up bookkeeping: cleaning up behind books before you scale
A practical sequence for catch-up bookkeeping across several entities: how far behind you really are, what order to fix things in, and what finished looks like.
Hugo Perrin7 min read
In-house bookkeeper vs. accounting firm vs. AI-assisted books
A fair comparison of the three bookkeeping options small business owners choose between, what each costs in money and attention, and when each is right.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
Setting up clean books across several businesses
How bookkeeping for multiple businesses works in practice: one chart of accounts, clear shared-cost rules, disciplined intercompany, one close calendar.
Hugo Perrin8 min read
Close & Controls
3 posts
Latest
Why your close takes 15 days when it should take 5
Why does month end close take so long? Six named causes, from dependency chains to review bottlenecks, and an honest look at when 15 days is rational.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
A financial-controls checklist for lean teams
An internal controls small business checklist built for lean teams: seven controls that survive a two-person finance function, and where to start first.
Hugo Perrin7 min read
What the month-end close really is (an owner's guide)
A plain-English guide to the month end close process for owners of several businesses: what happens, how long it should take, and what good looks like.
Hugo Perrin8 min read
Planning & FP&A
3 posts
Driver-based forecasting for owner-operators
Driver based forecasting for owner-operators. How to find the two or three real drivers per business, build revenue and cost from them, and test the result.
Hugo Perrin7 min read
Static budgets vs. rolling forecasts
Rolling forecast vs budget, weighed honestly. What static budgets do well, when rolling forecasts earn their keep, and the real cost of re-opening a budget.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
Building a 13-week cash-flow forecast
How to build a 13 week cash flow forecast with the direct method, from opening cash and receipts through disbursements, the weekly roll and a group roll-up.
Hugo Perrin8 min read
Payments & Spend
3 posts
Maverick spend: the silent margin leak
Maverick spend is off-contract buying that quietly erodes negotiated savings. What causes it, what it costs, and fixes a lean finance team can run.
Hugo Perrin7 min read
Cards vs. reimbursements vs. centralized AP
A decision framework for corporate cards vs reimbursements vs centralized AP in a group of companies, and what each one costs you at the close.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
Accounts payable 101 for multi-entity owners
How the accounts payable process works when you own several companies, from entity coding and approval thresholds to payment runs and intercompany balances.
Hugo Perrin8 min read
Receivables
3 posts
Building a collections process that scales
A buildable accounts receivable collections process with one owner per account, a cadence before and after the due date, escalation, holds and group rules.
Hugo Perrin7 min read
Why aging reports alone won't fix collections
An accounts receivable aging report shows what is late. It never shows why, who owns it, or what happens next. Here is what to build around it instead.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
Understanding DSO and what "good" looks like
What is DSO, how to calculate it two ways, and why the number tells you nothing until you compare it against your own stated terms, entity by entity.
Hugo Perrin8 min read
Consolidation
3 posts
Multi-currency consolidation for cross-border groups
Multi currency consolidation explained: functional vs presentation currency, average and closing rates, the CTA, and why the balance sheet stops balancing.
Hugo Perrin7 min read
The hidden cost of consolidating in spreadsheets
The real multi entity consolidation challenges are error risk, chart of accounts drift, key-person risk and no audit trail. Plus when spreadsheets still win.
Hugo Perrin9 min read
Consolidated vs. combined reporting for a group of companies
Consolidated vs combined financial statements explained: what control means, what gets eliminated, non-controlling interests, and what owner groups need.
Hugo Perrin8 min read
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