E-commerce finance use cases

Start with the decision you need to make.

Choose the question in front of you: funding an inventory order, finding the products that contribute, explaining a fall in cash, or adding planning around your bookkeeper. Each scenario shows the records to check, a worked example and the action to assign.

Discuss your finance question View a sample report

Can we fund the next inventory order?

Before signing the purchase order, compare its deposit and balance dates with expected bank receipts and all existing payments. Check the lowest cash balance during the order cycle.

Leave with a payment schedule, a cash buffer chosen for your business and the supplier changes or stock risks to resolve before approval.

Plan the inventory purchase

Assess an inventory purchase against payment dates, existing commitments, the lowest weekly cash balance and a stated downside before approving the order.

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Which products and channels contribute after costs?

Compare contribution after product costs, channel fees, fulfilment and acquisition spending. Use the same period and cost definition for each product and channel.

Identify the charge or allocation that explains a weak row, then assign a cost check or a bounded offer test before changing spend or assortment.

Compare product and channel contribution

Compare the same product across channels using a stated cost bridge, identify missing costs and turn contribution differences into a focused investigation.

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The business shows a profit. Where did the cash go?

A positive income statement can coincide with falling cash when sales remain unsettled, inventory grows or investment and funding payments fall due.

Reconcile profit, balance movements and bank cash for one period. Assign a follow-up for the movement that matters, then carry its receipt or payment date into the forward plan.

Explain profit and cash movements

Reconcile a positive operating result with falling bank cash for one period, then separate collection timing, inventory, obligations and financing decisions.

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Can we keep our bookkeeper and add financial planning?

Yes. Your bookkeeper can retain the ledger and reconciliations while reporting and planning use those reviewed records. Define who checks the close, prepares the analysis and supplies future commitments.

Use a responsibility matrix and a handover checklist to close gaps. The existing bookkeeper changes the division of work; any additional CFO strategy depends on the decisions you need help with.

Plan the bookkeeper handover

Define the handover between your bookkeeper, the brand and the finance service, with preparation, review, analysis and approval assigned explicitly.

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Start with the decision, the date and the records you have.

For the initial finance audit, describe your sales channels, the decision ahead and when you need to act. Identify the reports you already receive and who prepares them.

List missing records and the decisions they affect. That gives the review a clear starting point and identifies which person needs to supply each input.

Inventory decision: identify the order, supplier payment dates and existing commitments.
Contribution decision: identify the product, channel, period and costs available.
Profit and cash question: identify the matching period and the accounts to reconcile.
Bookkeeper handover: identify the preparation owner, review owner and unresolved items.

Match the work to the question.

Start with reliable period reports and product contribution, then connect them to a budget, expected bank receipts and inventory payments. A strategic pricing, hiring or funding decision may need a separate comparison of alternatives.

Use Services to identify the work and responsibilities. Use Pricing to compare packages and the tasks that need separate scoping.