What should I include in SaaS cost of goods sold (COGS)? This is a very common question from SaaS founders and finance teams. It’s also an important question and something that you need to get right. The proper coding of SaaS COGS versus operating expenses (OpEx) is important for many reasons. First, we must understand …| The SaaS CFO
You can’t manage a SaaS business by only using the standard financial statements. To really understand the underlying economics of your business, you must have a properly structured “software” or SaaS P&L (Profit and Loss Statement). You must also calculate the relevant SaaS metrics and margins for your business. The SaaS P&L Explained “infographic” below …| The SaaS CFO
The SaaS P&L is critical to the management of your SaaS business. I talk about the SaaS P&L (profit and loss statement) almost every week with SaaS founders, finance, and accounting teams. At this point, I’ve reviewed hundreds of SaaS P&Ls (also called an income statement). I’d say about 90% of them are structured incorrectly, …| The SaaS CFO
I have worked in finance and accounting for 25+ years. I've been a SaaS CFO for 8+ years and began my career in the FP&A function. I hold an active Tennessee CPA license and earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and MBA from the University of Iowa.| The SaaS CFO
There are many financial metrics that I calculate and review each month, and this includes my SaaS gross margin. Of course, it’s not just your overall gross margin that is important. You must also calculate and understand gross margins for each of your revenue streams. Depending on your business model, these revenue streams may include …| The SaaS CFO
Net dollar retention measures the amount of revenue that you keep and expand in your existing customer base. Net dollar retention (NDR) along with gross dollar retention (GDR) have become popular metrics in the valuation world. Retention is Pillar 2 of my 5 Pillar SaaS Metrics Framework. Retention is critical to track, monitor, and improve …| The SaaS CFO
Gross dollar retention measures the amount of revenue that you keep from your existing customer base. Gross dollar retention (GDR) along with net dollar retention (NDR) are critical metrics for SaaS operators and investors. Gross dollar retention is also known as gross revenue retention (GRR). As operators of our SaaS businesses, it’s critical to track, …| The SaaS CFO
The path to financial transparency requires a strict, monthly data routine. One of the reports that contributes to this routine is the software bookings report. And it’s one of the biggest data mistakes that I see in SaaS. Without solid bookings data, we cannot track the performance of our sales team, forecast revenue accurately, and …| The SaaS CFO
MRR, or monthly recurring revenue, is the life of a SaaS business. It’s essential data to manage and improve your business. And the MRR schedule is one of the most requested data items in due diligence. The SaaS MRR schedule, or sometimes called the MRR waterfall, is the source of key SaaS metrics. It’s also …| The SaaS CFO
