One Deliverable, Four Options: Choosing Your 90-Day Number
The 90-Day Number is one virtual CFO deliverable, chosen from four. Here is how to pick between the cashflow forecast, the model, unit economics, and…
The 90-Day Number is one deliverable, not four. You choose which one before the engagement starts: a 13-week cashflow forecast, a fundraise-ready financial model, a unit economics build, or a board reporting pack. This article is about making that choice well, because the wrong choice is the most common way a good engagement produces the wrong artefact.
Published: July 2026
Most virtual CFO engagements try to do everything at once and finish none of it. The 90-Day Number does the opposite. It is a fixed-scope, fixed-price engagement at $17,850 plus GST, payable in three instalments of $5,950, and it produces one named deliverable on day 90.
The single-deliverable rule is not a limitation. It is the reason the work gets finished. Ninety days is enough to build one artefact properly, with the assumptions stress-tested and the founder trained to run it. It is not enough to half-build four. Choosing one forces the engagement to answer the question that actually matters to you right now, rather than producing a shallow version of all of them.
So the real work is picking the right one. Here is how.
The 13-week cashflow forecast is the right choice when the pressing question is about cash and timing rather than long-term strategy. Choose it if:
The deliverable is a rolling 13-week view of cash in and cash out, tied to your actual pipeline and commitments, with the weekly low point and its date visible. On day 90 you hold a model you can run yourself, plus the weekly discipline to keep it live. For most founders at this stage, this is the deliverable that changes the most decisions the fastest.
The fundraise-ready financial model is the right choice if a raise is on a 9-month horizon or sooner. Choose it if:
The deliverable is a model built from drivers rather than growth-rate guesses, with an assumptions sheet, a revenue build, a headcount plan, integrated P&L and cash, and scenario toggles. It is built to survive the ten diligence questions an analyst will ask. Because this deliverable often goes in front of investors, it is the one where it matters most that the work is led by a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ).
The unit economics build is the right choice when revenue is growing but you cannot say confidently whether each additional sale makes money. Choose it if:
The deliverable is a per-unit contribution build: per order for ecommerce, per seat or per account for SaaS, per job for services. It shows what each sale actually contributes after the variable costs that the P&L hides. On day 90 you know which parts of the business fund the rest, and which parts are quietly subsidised.
The board reporting pack is the right choice when you have a board or investors and the current reporting is either too much or beside the point. Choose it if:
The deliverable is a reporting pack cut to the numbers that change decisions for your business at this stage, with the supporting detail available but not dominant. On day 90 you have a pack you can produce each period and a board conversation that turns on the right questions.
The mistake we see most often: a founder chooses the model when cash is the real problem. A financial model is satisfying to build and feels strategic, but if the business cannot see the next 13 weeks of cash, the model is answering a question the founder does not yet have the runway to ask.
The rule of thumb is simple. If a cash surprise in the next quarter would hurt, start with the 13-week. The model can be the second engagement. Runway buys you the room to think strategically; without it, the strategy is theoretical.
Every option finishes the same way: a built artefact, handed over, with the assumptions stress-tested and you trained to run it yourself. There is no retainer, no auto-renewal, and no scope creep. The deliverable is yours on day 90, and what happens next is your call. Most founders move to a fortnightly or monthly cadence at that point. Some take the artefact and run the next twelve months alone. Both are correct, and the engagement does not assume one for you. For more on that decision, see what happens after day 90.
Can I do two deliverables in one 90-Day Number?
No, and the reason is quality, not policy. Ninety days is enough to build one artefact properly or four badly. If you need two, the second is a separate engagement, scoped and priced on its own. Most founders find that the first deliverable answers the pressing question and clarifies whether the second is even needed.
What if I am not sure which one I need?
That is what the first conversation is for. Describe the decision you are trying to make, not the deliverable you think you want. The decision points to the artefact. A hiring call points to the 13-week; a raise points to the model; a margin worry points to unit economics; a board problem points to the pack.
Is the price different for different deliverables?
No. The 90-Day Number is $17,850 plus GST regardless of which deliverable you choose. The scope of each is set so that the fixed fee holds across all four.
Can I change my mind partway through?
The deliverable is fixed at the start, because that is what makes the fixed price and the day-90 date possible. If the engagement reveals that a different artefact is more urgent, that becomes the next engagement rather than a mid-course switch, so the current one still finishes on time.
What if my business needs something that is not on the list?
Then the 90-Day Number may not be the right fit, and we will say so. The four deliverables cover the questions most $2M to $15M founders actually need answered. If yours sits outside them, an ongoing engagement or a different provider may suit better.
Which deliverable is most popular?
The 13-week cashflow forecast, because cash timing is the question most founders at this stage feel first and most sharply. The model tends to be the second engagement, once the forward view is in place.
Do I need to be technical to run the deliverable afterwards?
No. Part of the engagement is making sure you can run the artefact yourself after day 90. A deliverable you cannot maintain is a deliverable that decays, so the handover is built into the work.
Sydney Virtual CFO is a Sydney-based virtual CFO service for founders running $2M to $15M businesses across SaaS, ecommerce, professional services, construction, and other low-volume, high-value industries. We deliver fixed-scope CFO engagements with a named deliverable on day 90: a 13-week cashflow forecast, a fundraise-ready financial model, a unit economics build, or a board reporting pack you can run on your own.
Our front-door product, the 90-Day Number, is fixed scope at $17,850 plus GST. We are one of the few project-based virtual CFOs in Australia, in a market built almost entirely on monthly retainers. No retainers without a deliverable. No 80-page reports. No theatre.
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This content is general information only, written for Australian founders running businesses in the $2M to $15M revenue range. It does not constitute tax, financial product, investment, or legal advice and should not be relied on as such. The work referenced is led by a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ), but Sydney Virtual CFO is not a licensed tax agent, not a licensed financial adviser, and not authorised to provide personal financial advice. Tax obligations, accounting treatments, fundraise terms, and statutory requirements depend on your individual circumstances. For advice specific to your business, contact the team directly or consult a registered tax agent, licensed financial adviser, or qualified lawyer. Information was current at the time of publication and may change without notice. We review and update guides periodically.
