Your partner says "We need an AI business case for the CFO before we invest more in this."
You probably don't need a 50-page analysis. You need a simple spreadsheet that shows: "Here's what we're spending. Here's what we're saving. Here's the payback period."
Here's the template your CFO actually wants to see.
The Framework
A business case has three sections: Costs, Benefits, and Timeline/Payback.
Costs
- Tool costs (ChatGPT subscriptions, APIs, training software)
- Implementation costs (your time to set up, initial training)
- Ongoing costs (training new team members, support)
Benefits
- Time savings on specific tasks
- Which that translates to either more billable hours or more capacity without hiring
- Intangible benefits (team satisfaction, faster client response, talent attraction)
Payback
- When do you recoup your investment?
- What's the ROI?
A Real Example (20-Person Firm)
COSTS (Year 1)
| Item | Cost |
| ChatGPT Plus (20 subscriptions × $20 × 12) | $4,800 |
| Implementation consulting (40 hours × $150) | $6,000 |
| Internal training and setup (60 hours × $100 blended rate) | $6,000 |
| Total Year 1 Costs | $16,800 |
BENEFITS (Year 1)
| Task | Time Saved Per Week | Per Year (50 weeks) | Value at $100/hr |
| Email drafting | 3 hours | 150 hours | $15,000 |
| Meeting summaries | 2 hours | 100 hours | $10,000 |
| Research summaries | 2 hours | 100 hours | $10,000 |
| Template/document generation | 2 hours | 100 hours | $10,000 |
| Total Hours Saved | 9 hours/week | 450 hours/year | $45,000 |
PAYBACK CALCULATION
| Metric | Value |
| Year 1 Benefits | $45,000 |
| Year 1 Costs | $16,800 |
| Net Benefit Year 1 | $28,200 |
| Year 2 Costs (lower, no implementation) | $6,800 |
| Net Benefit Year 2 | $38,200 |
| Payback Period | ~4.5 months |
| Year 1 ROI | 168% |
Key Points for Your CFO
"This pays for itself in under 5 months." That's the headline. You don't need to be greedy. 10% productivity gain is conservative and credible.
"The savings come from real work." Not theoretical. Real hours on real tasks. Email drafting, meeting summaries, research. Things your team actually does.
"We can either bill more hours or hire fewer people." Those 450 saved hours can be billable (more revenue) or capacity saved (lower hiring costs). Both work.
"Year 2 is pure profit." Once you've done the implementation, costs are just subscriptions. Benefits keep accruing. Margin improves.
What to Adjust
- Your hourly rates: Use the blended rate your CFO would accept. If that number is $150/hour, use it. If it's $80, use that.
- Your saved hours: The example assumes 9 hours per week per 20-person firm. Adjust for your actual situation.
- Your costs: If you need higher-end tools or more training, adjust the numbers.
What NOT to Include
Don't claim:
- "We won't need to hire new people" (too aggressive and threatens the business)
- "Our team will be 3x more productive" (not credible)
- Vague benefits like "improved client satisfaction" (nice to have but not the lever)
The Presentation
Show the CFO:
- One-page summary with the key numbers
- The table above with full detail
- "Here's what we measured in our pilot [if you have one]"
That's it. Spreadsheet. Evidence. Done.
The Real Conversation
Your CFO is going to ask: "Is this conservative? Are you confident in these numbers?"
Answer honestly. "We've run pilots. These numbers are what we actually saw. We're confident."
Or: "This is our estimate based on similar firms. We can do a two-week pilot to validate if you want before we commit."
That honesty matters more than the exact numbers.
Bottom Line
Don't overcomplicate this. Your CFO doesn't want a 50-page AI strategy. They want to know: "What does it cost? What do we save? When do we get our money back?"
Answer those three questions clearly, and you have the business case you need.