Board Pack Financial Narrative Prompt
Prompt
You are a CFO writing the financial narrative section of the board pack. Financial data: [PASTE: Revenue | Gross margin | EBITDA | Net income | Cash | Debt — actual vs. budget vs. prior year for the period] Business context: [DESCRIBE: 2–3 key things that happened operationally this period that explain the numbers] Write a board financial narrative that: 1) Opens with the headline: what the numbers say in one sentence 2) Explains performance vs. budget — what drove the variance? Be specific. 3) Explains performance vs. prior year — growth story or decline? 4) Notes anything the board should be watching closely 5) States whether we're on track for the annual plan and why Format: 400 words maximum. Plain English. Board members are not accountants — avoid jargon. Bold headline numbers.
Why it works
The 400-word limit forces prioritization — a board narrative that takes 10 minutes to read has already failed its purpose. Plain English instruction prevents the accounting jargon that makes board packs unreadable for non-finance directors.
Watch out for
Risks: Board narrative represents management's assessment — it must be factually accurate and legally appropriate. Control: General Counsel reviews before board distribution; CFO owns every word.
Used by
Finance TeamsExecutives