Strategy & operations

Payment recovery touted as source of working capital

Building a forensic audit into your source-to-pay process could put otherwise misspent money back into your pocket.

By Robert Freedman • March 26, 2020

Get to the core of coronavirus impacts in your reporting, AICPA specialist says

Accounting standards provide flexibility to work around coronavirus challenges, AICPA director Bob Durak said.

By Ted Knutson • March 26, 2020

Retail and restaurants face long recovery road, S&P says

Some struggling main street companies aren’t expected to recover without government help.

By Robert Freedman • March 25, 2020

Opinion

More CFOs feeling the heat with ransomware

Cybersecurity is a finance issue that CFOs leave to tech colleagues at their peril, Anup Singh of network security company Illumio says.  

By Anup Singh • March 25, 2020

Survey: Smart data management by CFOs helps retain subscription customers

Reducing churn, especially while customers hard-hit by uncertainty are demanding value, starts with deciding what data to collect and when to collect it. 

By Robert Freedman • March 24, 2020

Wall Street goes remote as NYC becomes COVID-19 epicenter

While many companies shift to remote work, Wall Street has two large roadblocks: compliance and security. 

By Jane Thier • March 23, 2020

CFOs can expect indirect benefit from Fed's latest credit facility

The move gives money market fund managers the confidence to buy or roll over the commercial paper that many companies rely on to cover short-term costs.

By Robert Freedman • March 23, 2020

CFO uses financial frame to smooth leadership confict

Resource allocation is a constructive starting point for building a healthy corporate culture, NerdWallet’s finance leader says.

By Robert Freedman • March 20, 2020

Coronavirus impact limited to timing issues so far, LED company CFO says

The company has taken steps to keep manufacturing on track by disinfecting its facility, but employees uncomfortable with working on site can stay home.

By Robert Freedman • March 19, 2020

Fed's new credit facility of little help if CFOs rely on small partners

Big companies benefiting from the Federal Reserve's backing of their commercial paper can still feel the outbreak's impacts if their suppliers don't get similar help.

By Robert Freedman • March 18, 2020

Regulators weigh easing more bank rules as markets stay jittery

A spate of initiatives, some released and some under consideration, are intended to keep credit flowing to businesses hard hit by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

By Robert Freedman • March 18, 2020

Rise in crisis-related employee costs tracks coronavirus outbreak

CFOs are being flexible on expense policies as employees rack up costs for canceled trips, remote working, face masks and other types of reimbursement requests that were once rare.

By Robert Freedman • March 17, 2020

CFOs confident going into coronavirus outbreak, survey finds

Thanks to the digital transformation of operations and a strong financial environment, CFOs think they're relatively well-prepared for COVID-19. But a global recession poses a real concern.

By Robert Freedman • March 16, 2020

Making the most of the cash-to-cash cycle

The finance function can encourage efforts by procurement to provide value when it comes to arranging and reviewing supplier contracts. 

By Amanda Loudin • March 15, 2020

Report: House scales back coronavirus leave bill, sends revisions to Senate

The bill also would temporarily amend the FMLA, creating protections for leave related to the new coronavirus for some employees.

By Kate Tornone • UPDATED: March 17, 2020 at 9 a.m.

Coronavirus to trigger corporate debt crisis, some analysts say

Since the 2008 downturn, companies have loaded up on cheap debt to fuel growth. Now they might face a reckoning if today's downturn leaves them struggling to repay. 

By Robert Freedman • March 12, 2020

Cloud is differentiator as CFOs grapple with coronavirus impact

Unlike in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, when some lockdowns were imposed, CFOs today can organize their teams to operate remotely. 

By Suzanne Northington • March 12, 2020

Most companies taking 'wait-and-see' approach to coronavirus

Two studies released this week show companies are becoming more apprehensive about coronavirus' impact on business performance. But can their risk management teams mitigate what's to come?

By Jane Thier • March 10, 2020

Opinion

How to get a clean accounts payable solution

Payment technology is available, but finance leaders are hesitant to add to their already fragmented collection of partially automated processes. Maybe they shouldn't be.  

By Doug Seaberg • March 10, 2020

Local leaders possess greater long-term company focus

Being from the same state as the company headquarters has more impact on executives' focus on future growth than equity incentives, a study finds.  

By Robert Freedman • March 10, 2020

CFO in the Know: Protecting capital in pre-revenue biopharmas

Last year, bankruptcies multiplied among early-stage drug companies, putting a premium on CFO finance management ideas. 

By Robert Freedman • March 10, 2020

Target CFO remains confident amid coronavirus threat to retail

The virus' spread is upending supply chain operations across the globe, but Target's new CFO retains "a ton of confidence" in its forward-facing strategy.

By Jane Thier • March 09, 2020

Opinion

An unlikely duo: CIO and CFO dynamic driving transformation success ... and failure

Removing friction between the CIO and the CFO, building strong working relationships and avoiding counter-behaviors can unlock a reduced IT cost. A principle roadblock? Establishing trust. 

By Gary O’Brien • March 09, 2020

Talent marketplace can help build future workforce

Factoring in non-traditional workers and letting workers play a role in their careers are part of a workforce strategy revamp that CFOs and HR heads must work together to build. 

By Robert Freedman • March 05, 2020

Opinion

Building a case for transforming your capital expenditure process

The real-dollar impact of having a cloud-based digital capital expenditure process can be substantial, which your colleagues outside of finance might not realize.

By Rich Feldman • March 04, 2020