You close. The lenders want a covenant report in 45 days. Your finance team is running on spreadsheets, three ERPs, and a shared folder nobody has cleaned since 2019. This playbook is the week-by-week plan for exactly that moment — written for incoming CFOs, interim CFOs, and the Operating Partners who place them.

## What’s Inside

- The Covenant Clock — why the lender reporting deadline (typically 45–60 days after close) defines your entire data priority stack from Day 1
- Phase 1: Discover (Days 1–14) — the five diagnostic questions that tell you what you have, what you’re missing, and what will burn you in Month 2
- Phase 2: Build (Days 15–60) — how to connect disparate ERP systems, automate consolidation, and deliver your first [board pack](/content/blog/cfo-blind-spots-what-scattered-data-is-costing-you-in-2026/index.html) without replacing a single source system
- Phase 3: Lead (Days 60–100) — from reactive firefighting to forward-looking dashboards your Operating Partner actually wants to see
- The Day 100 Sign-Off Checklist — a crisp definition of done, so you know when you’re out of the woods and ready to hand it over
- P3 Logistic Parks case study — 100+ man-days saved monthly, up to 60% faster month-end close, first standalone board report within 5 weeks of close

## This Is For You If

- You’re an incoming or interim CFO at a PE-backed company with a board review in the next 60–90 days
- You’re an Operating Partner who places CFOs and wants a structured 100-day data framework you can hand off with every new acquisition
- Your first board meeting is approaching and the consolidated P&L is still in Excel

## What PE CFOs Are Achieving

> It propelled us to the next level, enabling our business leaders to have forward-looking, business-relevant information at their fingertips.

_— Thilo Kusch, Group CFO, P3 Logistic Parks_

**100+ man-days saved monthly · Up to 60% faster month-end close · First standalone board report within 5 weeks of close**

## The Bottom Line

The first 100 days as a PE-backed CFO aren’t about strategy — they’re about survival. The covenant clock starts ticking the moment the deal closes. This playbook gives you the week-by-week framework to get your data house in order before the board asks why you don’t have it. Download free alongside the companion [8–12 Week PE Financial Data Foundation Framework](/content/blog/pe-financial-data-foundation-framework-8-12-week/index.html). No sales call, no demo required.