How CFOs Can Regain Control in Tech Projects

Most CFOs assume that once a technology project starts, control naturally shifts to IT or consultants. In reality, the success of any digital transformation depends on how well Finance keeps ownership — not just of the budget, but of the vision, governance, and value delivery.

1. Where Control Is Lost

In many organizations, Finance loses control long before go-live. The reasons are rarely technical — they’re organizational.

• Key roles are assigned to people with no ERP experience.
• Operational positions aren’t backfilled, leaving business experts torn between their day job and project responsibilities.
• Roles and responsibilities are unclear, leading to confusion and slow decisions.
• External consultants take over design, creating a dangerous ownership gap.
• Finance stops listening to internal voices, especially those who will live with the system after go-live.

These mistakes shift the center of gravity away from Finance, resulting in frustration, rework, and poor adoption.

“I’ve seen projects where Finance lost authority because too much was outsourced. The accounting team felt disconnected, resisting change instead of co-creating the solution.”

2. The Core Misconception

Too many CFOs still see ERP or digital transformation as a technical project.
It’s not. It’s a business transformation project with technology as the enabler.

When Finance delegates design, governance, or decision-making to IT or external partners, it effectively gives away control over how the company will operate for the next decade.

3. How CFOs Who Succeed Think Differently

CFOs who stay in control share a few key traits:

• They keep an eye on the big picture and key deliverables, not just timelines.
• They sell the new vision internally and ensure everyone understands why change is happening.
• They address resistance early instead of waiting for it to appear at go-live.
• They remain visible and present, attending steering committees and following up with key stakeholders.
• They support the project team, removing roadblocks and maintaining morale.

4. What a True Finance–IT Partnership Looks Like

The relationship should never be client–provider.
It’s a partnership built on clear roles, trust, and shared accountability.

Finance owns the vision.
IT translates it into solutions.

Both work hand-in-hand — not in silos — guided by transparent communication, decision logs, and benefit tracking.

Regular steering committees, frequent project status reviews, and quantified business cases for every customization are essential. Every decision should answer a simple question:

“What’s the business value, and is it worth the cost?”

5. A Simple 3-Step Playbook for CFOs

1. Set a Clear Vision – Define what success looks like and communicate it relentlessly.
2. Put the Right People in Place – Involve experienced resources and backfill operations so the business can fully engage.
3. Enforce Strong Governance – Approve decisions based on ROI, not convenience, and keep Finance in every key meeting.

6. Keep Control After Go-Live

The project doesn’t end at go-live — it evolves.
CFOs should stay involved by:

• Defining success indicators and tracking KPIs regularly.
• Reviewing benefit realization and process performance.
• Supporting the stabilization phase to ensure adoption and data quality.

7. The Takeaway

CFOs don’t need to code, configure, or micromanage.
They need to lead, align, and hold the organization accountable for delivering measurable value.

When Finance stays at the center of governance, tech projects stop being cost centers and become strategic enablers of control and growth.

👉 To help you structure clear accountability in your project, explore the ERP RACI – Roles & Responsibilities Matrix — a practical tool designed to clarify who does what across Finance, IT, and external partners.

You’ll find it on FitGapFinance.com, alongside other frameworks and checklists built to help CFOs regain control and drive value from their digital investments.