Subtitle
Practical prompts to turn treasury insights into decisions, not ignored emails.
Introduction: Why This Article Exists (Unfortunately)
Most treasury professionals don’t lack insight; they lack translation.
You see liquidity risks, FX exposure, funding gaps, and system weaknesses.
Your CFO, however, hears: “Interesting… but what does this mean for EBITDA and my board deck?”
This article is about closing that gap, helping you communicate treasury in a way that drives decisions, without losing the substance behind it.
What Is a “CFO Prompt”?
A “prompt” here is not some fancy AI concept. It’s simply a structured way of framing your message so it gets read, understood, and most importantly, acted on.
Instead of saying, “We have some liquidity concentration risk,” you say:
“If market rates move 100 bps, our headroom drops by €28m within three months.”
It’s the same underlying fact, but presented in a way that makes the impact immediately clear and far harder to ignore.
The Core Rule: Always Answer These 3 Questions
Before you send anything to your CFO, make sure your message clearly answers three things:
- So what? (Why does this matter?)
- How bad is it? (What is the impact or risk?)
- What do you want me to decide? (What action is required?)
If even one of these is missing, don’t be surprised if your message gets ignored.
The Prompt Categories
A. Strategy & Big Picture Prompts
Use these when treasury decisions affect long-term positioning.
Template
“If we continue with [current setup], we will [impact] within [timeframe]. The alternative is [option] with [trade-off]. My recommendation: [X].”
Example
“If we keep funding short-term, refinancing risk rises materially in 2027. Locking in now costs +35 bps but stabilises cash flow. I recommend securing €150m fixed before Q3.”
Why this works
You’re positioning yourself as someone who thinks ahead, not just someone reporting what’s happening.
B. Risk & Exposure Prompts
Use these when something may not be urgent today, but can become very real tomorrow.
Template
“Current exposure: [number]. Stress scenario: [impact]. Mitigation: [action]. Decision needed: [yes/no].”
Example
“Current USD exposure: $220m. In a 10% move, the impact is €19m on EBIT. We can hedge 60% for €400k. Do you want me to proceed?”
Why this works
You’re not just highlighting risk, you’re quantifying it and offering a clear path forward.
C. Liquidity & Cash Prompts
Use these whenever cash is involved, which is, realistically, always.
Template
“Our cash position will be [status] by [date] if nothing changes. The trigger is [reason]. Options are [A/B/C].”
Example
“By September, headroom drops below €40m due to capex timing. The trigger is supplier prepayments. Options: delay capex, extend the RCF, or activate intercompany funding.”
Why this works
No noise, no speculation, just clarity and control. That’s what builds trust.
D. Investment & Return Prompts
Use these when proposing an initiative or investment.
Template
“Investment: [X]. Cost: [Y]. Payback: [Z]. Risk: [main downside].”
Example
“Implementing the new TMS costs €180k. It saves €95k per year in fees and FTE time, with a payback period of 22 months. The main risk is implementation capacity.”
Why this works
You’re speaking in capital allocation terms, exactly how decisions are made at the top.
E. System & Process Prompts
Use these when something is broken, inefficient, or quietly creating risk.
Template
“Current process causes [inefficiency/risk]. Evidence: [fact]. Fix: [proposal]. Consequence of inaction: [pain].”
Example
“Manual confirmations cause 3% reconciliation errors. We lost €240k last year in corrections. Automation resolves this. Without it, audit pressure will increase.”
Why this works
You make the invisible visible, and the cost of doing nothing is hard to ignore.
F. Crisis & Escalation Prompts
Use these when the situation requires immediate attention.
Template
“Situation: [fact]. Impact: [financial/reputational]. Immediate actions: [steps]. Decision required: [X].”
Example
“Two banks froze €18m due to a KYC review. Payroll risk in six days. We’re activating backup accounts. Approval needed for an emergency credit line.”
Why this works
No emotion, no noise, just clarity, control, and leadership when it matters most.
The “Don’t Ever Do This” Section
Some classic ways treasury professionals unintentionally sabotage themselves:
- Long, technical emails that nobody has time to decode
- Excel dumps with no summary or clear takeaway
- “Just FYI” messages with no action attached
- Highlighting problems without proposing solutions
- Vague language like “we should maybe consider…”
Communicating like this almost guarantees one outcome: your message gets ignored, and not unfairly.
Bonus: The One-Slide Rule
If your message can’t fit on one slide, it’s not ready. CFOs tend to have one thing in common: they love slides and hate reading. That means your communication needs to be structured, concise, and immediately clear.
A simple way to think about it:
- Top: the key message
- Middle: the numbers that support it
- Bottom: the recommendation
Simple. Brutal. Effective.
Closing: From Treasurer to Business Partner
Great treasurers don’t just report they frame, prioritise, and recommend. They help drive decisions alongside leadership rather than simply providing information.
That’s the real shift: moving from back-office specialist to trusted financial advisor. Same job, different level.
And in practice, that shift often comes down to how you communicate. The right structure, the right framing, and the right prompts turn insight into action.
If you’re looking to strengthen your treasury function, whether that’s improving communication, bringing in interim expertise, or tackling long-standing challenges, it helps to have the right people involved.
At Pecunia, we connect companies with experienced treasury professionals who can step in quickly and make an immediate impact.
Get in touch HERE or explore available profiles HERE.
No unnecessary complexity, just a clear conversation about what actually moves the needle.
