Business Advisory Preparation Checklist
Bring the numbers you have and the question on your mind. This checklist helps us get to the useful part of the conversation faster.
DOWNLOAD & KEEP
A clearer conversation starts here.
Download the checklist, mark what you already have and add the questions you want us to cover. Use it on your device or print a copy—whichever feels easier.
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Your information stays with you
The checklist stays on your device unless you choose to share it with us. Remember to save the file after adding your notes.
Leave Social Security numbers, PINs, passwords and bank details out of your notes. When documents are needed, we will show you how to share them securely.
Start here
- The decision you want help with
- Recent financial reports, if available
- Upcoming payments and major commitments
Missing something or not sure what a term means? Ask us. You do not need a completed checklist before we talk.
What to gather
Open the sections that fit your situation, or download the PDF to work through them offline.
Start with the question on your mind
- Write down the decision you want help with, any deadline and who will make the final decision.
- Tell us what you want to achieve and the limits you need to work within.
- Note the options you have considered, including waiting or keeping things as they are.
- Separate what you know from what you are estimating or still need to find out.
- Let us know who should join the conversation and what information they can bring.
A picture of your business today
- Bring monthly profit and loss reports and balance sheets, with last year’s figures if available.
- Bring your budget or forecast and any explanation of why actual results were different.
- Tell us which dates the reports cover, how the books are kept and whether any accounts still need checking.
- Point out one-time income or costs, owner transactions and anything unusual.
- Let us know who can answer questions about your bookkeeping or reporting software.
Cash coming in and going out
- Bring current cash balances and note any money reserved or restricted for a specific purpose.
- List unpaid customer invoices, when you expect payment and any disputes.
- List unpaid bills, payroll dates and upcoming tax and loan payments.
- Bring details of available borrowing, repayment terms and conditions set by lenders.
- Note planned equipment purchases, owner withdrawals and other large commitments.
- Bring a 13-week cash forecast if you have one, or the income and payment information we can use to build it.
Sales, customers and what you earn
- Bring sales figures by product, service, customer or location, using the detail you already have.
- Include prices, discounts and refunds alongside sales figures.
- Show direct product or service costs separately from general running costs, if possible. Tell us how shared costs were divided.
- Mention large customers, recurring contracts, renewals and cancellations that affect the business.
- Tell us about expected sales, seasonal changes and what supports your expectations.
- Point out work that takes more staff time or cash than you expected.
People, capacity and growth plans
- Bring staff roles, pay, benefits and expected costs of hiring employees or contractors.
- Tell us how much work the team can handle, where there are delays and what is waiting to be done.
- Bring supplier commitments, delivery times and details of any supplier you depend on heavily.
- Gather quotes and expected timing for planned hiring, expansion or equipment purchases.
- Note insurance, contract or compliance questions that may need another professional’s input.
Planning your next steps together
- We can compare your expected results with a tougher situation, such as slower customer payments or higher costs.
- Note which spending you could pause and which commitments would be difficult to change.
- Tell us how much cash you want to keep available and what would make you rethink a decision.
- We will choose useful measures, explain what they mean and agree who keeps them updated.
- Bring previous meeting notes, unfinished actions and changes since the last review, if available.
- We will agree on what we will review, how often we will meet and the written summary you will receive.
- For each next step, agree who will act, by when and when the decision should be reviewed again.
This is a general preparation guide. We may ask for additional records for your circumstances; the checklist does not determine tax eligibility or replace individual advice.
Want help making sense of the numbers?
We can review what you have, identify the gaps and turn the information into practical next steps for your business.
You do not have to figure it out alone.
Bring what you have. We will help you sort through the numbers, the options and the next step.