Resources – GetAFractional

The tools, platforms, and resources used by fractional executives and the companies that hire them. Updated regularly.

For Companies Hiring Fractional Executives

QuickBooks Online — Most fractional CFOs prefer this for SMB clients. Cloud-based, integrates with most payroll and banking tools. Essential for any finance engagement.
NetSuite — The step-up from QuickBooks for companies with $5M+ revenue, multi-entity structures, or investor reporting requirements. Most fractional CFOs are NetSuite-certified.
BILL — AP/AR automation. Standard in fractional CFO engagements for companies processing 20+ invoices/month.

HubSpot — The default CRM recommendation from most fractional CMOs and CROs for companies under $50M. Strong free tier, scales well, integrates with everything.
Salesforce — Enterprise-grade CRM. Relevant when a fractional CRO is being brought in to professionalize a sales org at $10M+ revenue or ahead of a funding round.

Gusto — Most fractional CHROs recommend Gusto for SMBs. Handles payroll, benefits, and HR compliance in one platform. Easy for fractional engagements because it’s low-admin after setup.
Rippling — More powerful than Gusto for companies with complex org structures, multiple states, or fast headcount growth. Common recommendation from fractional CHROs at Series A/B companies.

ClickUp — Flexible enough for any function. Fractional COOs frequently use ClickUp to build operating cadences, track OKRs, and manage cross-functional projects during engagements.
Monday.com — More visual, easier for non-technical teams. Common in marketing and operations engagements.

DocuSign — Standard for fractional executive engagement letters, NDAs, and MSAs. Any engagement moving quickly will use DocuSign or a close alternative.
HelloSign (Dropbox Sign) — Lighter alternative to DocuSign. Sufficient for most fractional engagements.

Slack — Most fractional executives get added to client Slack workspaces. Managing multiple client workspaces is standard; use Slack’s workspace switcher or a third-party tool like Franz.
Loom — High-value tool for fractional executives working asynchronously. Record video walkthroughs of deliverables, analysis, and recommendations instead of scheduling calls. Saves significant time per client.

Calendly — Essential for managing scheduling across multiple clients. Set different meeting types (discovery call, weekly sync, ad hoc) with appropriate buffers and availability windows per client.
Toggl Track — Time tracking for fractional executives billing hourly or needing to report time against retainer hours. Simple, cross-platform, client-friendly reports.
Harvest — More robust time tracking with invoicing built in. Preferred by fractional executives managing their own billing.

FreshBooks — Clean invoicing and expense tracking for independents and small advisory firms. Easy to use without an accountant.
Bonsai — Purpose-built for freelancers and fractional executives. Handles contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and project management in one tool. Worth evaluating before building a multi-tool stack.

PandaDoc — Proposal and contract creation with e-signatures. Fractional executives use this to send professional engagement letters with built-in signing. Tracks views and opens.
HoneyBook — Full client management for independents. Proposals, contracts, invoices, and scheduling in one platform. Strong choice for fractional executives just starting out.

Notion — Many fractional executives use Notion to build client-facing operating wikis, project trackers, and onboarding materials. Shareable with clients without requiring accounts.
Miro — Visual collaboration for strategy sessions, process mapping, and workshops. Useful for fractional COOs and CMOs facilitating planning sessions across distributed teams.