Question 1

What is Compass AI and who is it for?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI is an AI-powered financial operating system that transforms financial data into real-time financial clarity, forecasts, and actionable recommendations.

It's designed for owners, fractional CFOs and company CFOs at small-to-mid-sized businesses, managing $500K-$20M in annual revenue.

The platform goes beyond traditional dashboards by processing both financial data and business context to become your complete financial command center. It continuously monitors your financial health, alerts you to important changes.

For instance, you can connect all their entities' accounting systems in minutes, get AI-categorized transactions, and receive personalized alerts when any entity's cash runway drops below safe levels, all without manual spreadsheet updates.

Question 2

How much does Compass AI cost?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI costs $99 per month, currently available at a discounted rate of $49 per month for new users. This subscription includes unlimited access to all core features with no setup fees or hidden costs.

The pricing model is designed specifically for small to mid-sized businesses and fractional CFOs who need enterprise-grade financial intelligence without enterprise-level costs. Unlike traditional FP&A tools that can cost $10,000+ annually, Compass AI delivers comparable functionality at a fraction of the price.

For example, a full-time or fractional CFO managing 5-10 entities can use one Compass AI subscription for each entity and get a consolidated view for free, making it extremely cost-effective per month during the promotional period.

Question 3

Which countries is Compass AI supported in?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI currently supports businesses operating in the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom and integrates with many of their accounting systems and banking institutions. The platform is designed to work with popular accounting software used by small businesses.

Our infrastructure is built to expand internationally, and we're actively developing support for additional countries and accounting standards. The AI CFO understands accounting principles.

Question 4

What can Compass AI help me do?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI provides real-time financial clarity, cash flow forecasting, what-if scenario planning, and actionable cost-saving recommendations. It transforms complex financial data into board-ready insights and helps you make faster, more confident financial decisions.

The platform continuously monitors your financial health and proactively alerts you to opportunities and risks. Unlike passive dashboards, Compass AI's 24/7 AI CFO actively guides you with specific actions you can take right now to improve your financial position, complete with potential dollar-impact estimates.

For instance, Compass AI might identify that you're paying for three overlapping software subscriptions totaling $400/month and recommend consolidation, or alert you that your client payment terms are extending and threatening next quarter's cash position.

Question 5

Do I need financial expertise to use Compass AI?

Accepted Answer

No, Compass AI is built for users at any financial knowledge level. The 24/7 AI CFO acts as your guide, explaining concepts, answering questions, and walking you through your financial data in plain language without jargon.

While the platform provides sophisticated financial analysis capabilities that CFOs appreciate, it presents information in a way that founders and non-finance team members can understand and act on. You get the insights without needing the technical background.

For example, when Compass AI shows you a cash flow forecast, it doesn't just display numbers, it explains what's driving those numbers, what risks to watch for, and what specific actions you can take to improve the outcome.

Question 6

Is Compass AI built for fractional CFOs, owners, or full-time CFOs?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI is designed for fractional CFOs managing multiple clients, owners running their own businesses, and full-time CFOs at small-to mid-sized companies.

Each user type benefits from the same core platform but uses it differently based on their specific needs and responsibilities.

Fractional CFOs use multi-company dashboards to manage 3-15 client portfolios simultaneously, saving 10-15 hours weekly on manual analysis.

Owners get plain-language financial guidance without needing a finance background.

Full-time CFOs at growing companies gain enterprise-grade forecasting and scenario planning without enterprise-level costs or complexity.

For example, a fractional CFO might monitor cash runway alerts across all clients each morning, a owner might ask the AI CFO "Can I afford to hire two developers?", and a full-time CFO might build quarterly board presentation materials using multi-scenario forecasts, all using the same Compass AI platform tailored to their workflow.

Question 7

What size businesses is Compass AI designed for?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI is designed for businesses managing $500K to $20M in annual revenue across any industry, SaaS, manufacturing, construction, professional services, and more.

These companies typically need sophisticated financial planning but can't justify enterprise software or a full-time FP&A team.

The platform serves the critical gap between basic accounting software and expensive enterprise FP&A tools. Whether you're a growing startup, an established small business, or a mid-market company, Compass AI provides the financial intelligence layer you need without overwhelming complexity.

For instance, a $2M SaaS business and $15M construction company both face similar challenges, understanding cash runway, forecasting growth scenarios, and identifying cost savings, despite operating in different industries. Compass AI adapts to either business context.

Question 8

How is Compass AI different from accounting tools?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI is a financial intelligence platform that sits on top of your accounting tools, transforming historical transaction data into forward-looking strategy, forecasts, and action recommendations. While accounting tools like QuickBooks and Xero record what happened, Compass AI tells you what's likely to happen next and exactly what to do about it.

Accounting software handles past, Compass AI handles financial strategy, analyzing trends, forecasting cash flow, modeling scenarios, and providing specific "Save Now" recommendations with dollar impacts. 
They serve completely different purposes and work together, not as replacements.

For example, QuickBooks shows you spent on software subscriptions last quarter. Compass AI analyzes those subscriptions, calculates you're overspending, and recommends specific consolidation actions. Your accounting tool provides the data; Compass AI provides the intelligence and guidance.

Question 9

What makes Compass AI better than traditional FP&A tools?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI offers enterprise-grade financial planning at $99/month versus $10,000+/year for traditional FP&A tools. You get setup in minutes instead of weeks, with AI-powered guidance included..

Traditional FP&A tools are passive platforms that require expertise to extract value. Compass AI is an active financial partner that continuously monitors your business and proactively surfaces insights and recommendations. It's the difference between buying software versus hiring a financial advisor.

For example, enterprise FP&A might give you the tools to build financial models if you know how, but Compass AI builds them with you, updates them automatically, and tells you exactly what they mean for your business decisions.

Question 10

Does Compass AI integrate with other tools?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Compass AI integrates with major accounting systems and connects directly to your bank accounts for real-time financial data synchronization. The platform is designed for fast, secure integration that takes minutes to set up, not days or weeks.

Integration happens through secure, read-only connections using industry-standard financial data APIs. Your accounting system remains your source of truth, Compass AI pulls data without making any changes to your books. You maintain complete control.

For instance, connecting QuickBooks Online or Xero takes about 2-3 minutes through OAuth authentication, similar to connecting any banking app. Once connected, Compass AI automatically syncs your transactions and begins building your financial intelligence layer.

Question 11

Who can access my financial information?

Accepted Answer

Only users you explicitly invite to your Compass AI workspace can access your financial information. The platform includes multi-user support with role-based permissions, allowing you to control exactly what each team member or advisor can see.

You maintain complete ownership and control of your data. Compass AI employees cannot access your financial data without your explicit permission, which is only granted in rare support situations with your consent. Your data is yours, period.

For example, you might give your fractional CFO full access to all financial data and forecasts, your operations manager view-only access to expense reports, and your bookkeeper access only to transaction categorization: all from the same workspace with different permission levels.

Question 12

How secure is my data with Compass AI?

Accepted Answer

Your data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using bank-level security standards. Compass AI employs enterprise-grade security measures, including SOC 2 compliance protocols, regular security audits, and secure cloud infrastructure to protect your financial information.

All connections to accounting systems and banks use read-only access through secure OAuth protocols, meaning Compass AI cannot make changes to your accounts or move money. We implement multi-factor authentication and continuous security monitoring to prevent unauthorized access.

For instance, when you connect your bank account, Compass AI uses the same secure connection technology that major financial apps use, we never see or store your banking credentials, only the secure access token that allows read-only data retrieval.

Question 13

How does the AI CFO learn my business?

Accepted Answer

The AI CFO learns your business through two sources: your financial transaction data and business context you provide about goals and concerns, and unstructured documents you upload like contracts, strategic plans, or client agreements. This combination of structured financial data and business context allows truly personalized guidance.

The learning happens continuously and automatically. Unlike generic financial software that treats every business the same, Compass AI adapts its monitoring, alerts, and recommendations to your specific circumstances and priorities.

For example, you might tell the AI CFO "We're planning to launch a new product line in Q3 that requires $50K upfront investment." It incorporates this into your forecasts and starts watching for signs you're building sufficient cash reserves.

Question 14

Can I have a consolidated view of multiple entities?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Compass AI supports multi-entity management with both individual company views and consolidated reporting across all entities. This is especially valuable for fractional CFOs managing multiple clients, parent companies with subsidiaries, or businesses operating multiple legal entities.

Each entity maintains its own separate financial data, dashboard, forecasts, and AI CFO context. You can switch between entity views instantly or view consolidated metrics across your entire portfolio. The system handles entity permissions, so you can invite team members to specific companies without giving them access to others.

For example, a fractional CFO managing 8 clients can see a portfolio dashboard showing each client's current cash runway, this month's burn rate, and active alerts in one view. Clicking into any client switches to that company's detailed dashboard.

Question 15

Is Compass AI GDPR compliant or certified for data protection?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI is built with data protection and privacy as core principles. We implement security practices that align with international data protection standards and are actively pursuing formal compliance certifications.

The platform gives you complete control over your data, including the ability to export or delete it at any time. We maintain transparent data processing practices and never sell or share your financial information with third parties for marketing purposes.

For example, if you decide to stop using Compass AI, you can export all your data in standard formats and request complete deletion of your information from our systems, giving you full data portability and control.

Question 16

How often is my data synced or updated?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI syncs your financial data in real-time throughout the day. Once connected to your accounting system and bank accounts, the platform continuously monitors for new transactions and updates your dashboard, forecasts, and alerts automatically without any manual intervention required.

Real-time synchronization means you're always looking at current data, not yesterday's or last week's snapshot. This is critical for making time-sensitive decisions and catching issues before they become problems.

For instance, if a large payment hits your bank account this morning, Compass AI updates your cash position immediately and recalculates your cash runway forecast within minutes. You don't have to wait until end-of-day or manually trigger a refresh.

Question 17

How long does it take to set up Compass AI?

Accepted Answer

Most users complete Compass AI setup in 5-10 minutes. The process involves connecting your accounting system and bank accounts through secure integrations, after which the AI immediately begins categorizing transactions and building your financial dashboard.

Setup is designed to be simple and guided. No complex configurations, no data migration projects, no technical expertise required. You're not importing historical data or mapping complex charts of accounts, just connecting and letting the AI do the work.

For example, a typical fractional CFO adding a new client to Compass AI would: create the company (30 seconds), connect QuickBooks (2 minutes), and let the AI categorization run (automatic). Within 5-10 minutes, they're reviewing the AI-generated dashboard.

Question 18

What technical requirements do I need?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI works in any modern web browser, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge, with no software installation required. You need a stable internet connection.

There are no minimum system requirements, no server infrastructure to maintain, and no IT department needed. If you can check email you can use Compass AI. The platform is cloud-based and accessible from any device.

For instance, you can review your dashboard on your desktop at the office in the morning, check an alert on your phone during lunch, and share a forecast with your team from your tablet in the evening, all seamlessly synchronized.

Question 19

Can Compass AI create financial forecasts and scenarios?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Compass AI generates cash flow forecasts automatically and allows you to create multiple what-if scenarios to model different business decisions. You can test scenarios like "What if we hire 2 people?" or "What if sales grow 20%?" and instantly see the impact on your cash runway.

The forecasting engine uses your historical data, current trends, and business context to project future financial positions. Unlike static spreadsheet models, these forecasts update automatically as new data comes in and adjust to your actual performance.

For example, if you're considering taking on a large project that requires upfront expenses, you can create a scenario showing the cash flow impact over 12 months, compare it against your baseline forecast, and make a confident decision about whether you can afford it.

Question 20

Does Compass AI provide actionable recommendations?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Compass AI continuously analyzes your financial data and proactively surfaces "Save Now" recommendations with specific actions you can take and estimated dollar impacts. These aren't generic tips, they're personalized to your business situation right now.

The AI CFO identifies cost-saving opportunities, revenue optimization possibilities, and risk mitigation actions. Each recommendation includes the specific issue, why it matters, the recommended action, and the potential financial impact so you can prioritize what to address first.

For example, Compass AI might detect that you're being charged for a software subscription you haven't used in 90 days and recommend cancellation ($200/month savings), or notice that a client invoice is 15 days overdue and recommend follow-up ($8,500 cash impact).

Question 21

What is multi-scenario tracking?

Accepted Answer

Multi-scenario tracking allows you to create and compare multiple financial forecasts simultaneously to model different business decisions before committing resources. You can test scenarios like hiring plans, pricing changes, or major investments and see the projected impact on cash runway, profitability, and key metrics side-by-side.

Each scenario maintains its own assumptions and projections while using your actual financial data as the baseline. Unlike static spreadsheet models, these scenarios update automatically as your real financial data changes, keeping projections current.

For example, you might track three scenarios simultaneously: Scenario A shows baseline growth with current staffing, Scenario B models hiring two salespeople in Q2, and Scenario C models aggressive hiring plus increased marketing spend. You can watch how each scenario evolves weekly based on actual performance, helping you decide when and how aggressively to invest in growth.

Question 22

Can I import historical data?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI automatically imports your complete historical financial data when you connect your accounting system, or upload files directly.

Historical data is essential for accurate forecasting because the AI analyzes past patterns, seasonality, and trends to project future performance. The more history available, the more accurate your forecasts become. The AI processes this data immediately upon connection, categorizing transactions and building your initial financial baseline.

For example, when you connect QuickBooks that contains 30 months of transactions, Compass AI imports all that history within minutes. The AI then analyzes seasonal revenue patterns, identifies recurring expenses, detects trends in your burn rate, and uses this historical context to generate more accurate 12-month cash flow forecasts than would be possible with only recent data.

Question 23

What kind of support is available?

Accepted Answer

All Compass AI users receive technical support and access to help documentation. During your trial period and as a paying subscriber, you also receive concierge onboarding support to help you get the most value from the platform quickly.

Support includes email assistance, Slack support chat, and for owners, we offer one complimentary financial expert session to help you interpret your data and understand what actions to take. We're committed to your success, not just your subscription.

For instance, if you're unsure how to interpret a cash flow forecast or want guidance on which scenario planning features to use for a specific decision, our team can walk you through it during onboarding or via support channels.

Question 24

How can I get started with Compass AI?

Accepted Answer

Sign up for a free trial at https://compassapp.ai/, connect your accounting system and bank accounts (5 minutes), and let the AI CFO onboard itself by analyzing your data and creating your initial dashboard and alerts automatically.

The onboarding process is self-guided but supported. You'll receive prompts to add business context like your goals, concerns, and strategic plans, which helps Compass AI personalize recommendations. There's no lengthy training required, start exploring immediately.

For example, after connecting your QuickBooks account, you might spend 5 minutes telling Compass AI about your growth plans and cash concerns. The AI then tailors its monitoring and recommendations to focus on the metrics that matter most for your specific situation.

Question 25

Is there a free trial for Compass AI?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Compass AI offers a free trial period allowing you to explore all features with your real financial data before committing to a subscription. This gives you time to connect your systems, see how the AI analyzes your business, and evaluate whether the insights and recommendations are valuable.

The trial includes full access to the 24/7 AI CFO, forecasting, scenario planning, custom dashboards, and personalized alerts. You're not working with demo data or limited features, you're experiencing the complete platform with your actual business context.

For instance, within your first trial week, you'll see Compass AI categorize your transactions, generate your first cash flow forecast, and likely surface at least one specific cost-saving or risk-mitigation recommendation you can act on immediately.

Question 26

What happens after the free trial ends?

Accepted Answer

After your trial ends, you can choose to subscribe to Compass Basic at $99/month (currently $49/month promotional rate) to continue full access. If you don't subscribe, you won't be charged, but you'll lose access to your dashboard, forecasts, and AI CFO guidance.

Your data remains secure during the decision period. If you choose to subscribe later, all your historical data and configurations are preserved. If you decide Compass AI isn't right for you, you can request data export and account deletion at any time.

For example, if you complete your trial but need a week to get approval for the subscription, your account simply pauses. Once you subscribe, everything picks up exactly where you left off, no need to reconnect systems or reconfigure settings.

Question 27

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can cancel your Compass AI subscription at any time with no cancellation fees or penalties. Your access continues through the end of your current billing period, after which you won't be charged again.

We believe in earning your business every month through value, not by locking you into lengthy contracts. If Compass AI isn't delivering value, you should have the freedom to walk away. It's that simple.

Question 28

Do you offer refunds?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI operates on a monthly subscription with no long-term contracts. While we don't typically offer refunds for partial months, we handle each situation on a case-by-case basis and prioritize customer satisfaction over rigid policies.

If you're dissatisfied with Compass AI, contact our support team immediately. We'll work to resolve issues, improve your experience, or discuss options. We'd much rather fix problems and earn your continued business than keep a subscription fee you're unhappy about paying.

For example, if you subscribe, encounter a technical issue that prevents you from using the platform for your first week, and we can't resolve it quickly, we'll absolutely discuss refund options rather than charging you for a service you couldn't use.

Question 29

What's the pricing for CPA firms with multiple clients?

Accepted Answer

Compass AI's regular price $49/month per client, but depending on the number of clients, we offer a bulk discount. No setup fees. No long-term contracts. Contact us or schedule a demo for more information.

Question 30

Will this replace our team or make us obsolete?

Accepted Answer

No. Compass AI eliminates hours of manual analysis per client monthly so your team can focus on high-value strategy conversations. You remain the trusted advisor; Compass AI handles the repetitive financial modeling and report generation. Think of it as an AI analyst on your team, not a replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions