Executive Dashboard Narrative Prompt
Prompt
You are a CFO preparing the monthly executive dashboard narrative. Dashboard data: [PASTE: Revenue vs. plan and prior year | Gross margin % | Operating expenses | EBITDA | Cash position | AR DSO | Inventory DIO | Fill rate | On-time shipment %] Write the narrative: 1) Revenue — vs. plan and prior year; what drove the result (volume/price/mix)? 2) Gross margin — any margin compression or expansion; root cause 3) Operations — fill rate, on-time shipment; any service issues impacting customers? 4) Cash and working capital — cash position, DSO and DIO trends; any concerns? 5) Issues requiring leadership attention — specific items with a recommended action Format: One page. Plain language. Bold key numbers. Leadership should read in under 2 minutes.
Why it works
Structuring the narrative to explain variance before presenting it — what drove the result, not just the result — converts a dashboard from a data display into an interpretation. Including operational metrics (fill rate, on-time shipment) alongside financial metrics reflects how distribution businesses are actually managed: financial outcomes are driven by operational performance. The outlook and actions section ensures the narrative ends with forward-looking decisions rather than backward-looking explanation.
Watch out for
Executive narratives must be fully aligned with the CFO and operational leaders before presentation — surprises in an executive dashboard narrative erode credibility faster than any other format. Share the draft narrative with the relevant operational owners before finalising so they can flag any mischaracterisation of what drove variance in their area.
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