Turn the variance report into a one-page board memo Prompt
Prompt
Turn the financial report below into a one-page memo for our board finance committee. Audience: board members who are smart but not accountants. They have 5 minutes. Structure: 1. The headline: one or two sentences on where we stand. Are we on track for the year? 2. What changed: the three to five biggest variances, each in one sentence with the dollar amount and the reason. Use only the reasons in my notes. If a variance has no explanation in my notes, write [REASON NEEDED]. 3. What to watch: risks in the next quarter (cash, grant timing, revenue shortfalls), only if supported by the numbers or my notes. 4. What we need from the board: decisions or approvals, if any. If none, say "No action needed." Rules: - Plain English. No accounting jargon unless you explain it in a few words. - Round to the nearest thousand in the text. Don't change the underlying numbers. - Do not speculate beyond the numbers and notes provided. - Under 350 words. After the memo, list every number you used and where it came from in the report, so I can check them. FINANCIAL REPORT: [PASTE BUDGET VS ACTUAL OR FINANCIAL PACKAGE] MY NOTES ON WHAT HAPPENED: [PASTE NOTES]
Watch out for
Control: Every number in the memo should match the report. Check before you send.
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Finance TeamsExecutives