How to Start Your CFO-TA Subscription
From Decision to a Persistent Executive Sponsor Platform
Every organization begins from a different position. Some Executive Sponsors are preparing for a major Enterprise Transformation Program, while others are approaching solution selection, already implementing, pursuing Value Realization, introducing AI-enabled capabilities, or governing capabilities already in Operations.
The CFO-TA can be established at any lifecycle phase. The starting process identifies the organization's current position, prepares the client-controlled Microsoft environment, assembles the Sponsor Team, establishes the Business-Side operating model, confirms the governing foundation, and activates The CFO-TA for continuing use.
Start as early as possible. Enter later when necessary. Preserve what is valid. Establish or strengthen what is missing. Then govern the consequential decisions, outcomes, and changes that remain ahead.
Step 1: Select Your Starting Point
Organizations can begin with the bounded The CFO-TA Trial or proceed directly to the Production Subscription. The appropriate starting point depends on whether the Executive Sponsor wants a hands-on evaluation before making the Production commitment or is ready to establish The CFO-TA as the continuing Executive Sponsor Platform for the Enterprise Transformation Program.
Start With The CFO-TA Trial
The CFO-TA Trial provides a bounded opportunity to experience the platform before making a Production Subscription commitment. The 30-day Trial applies The CFO-TA to one of five predefined consequential operating domains using the SILMS Trial Edition within the client's Microsoft environment.
The Executive Sponsor and Business-Side team use the Trial to experience The CFO-TA methodology, AI-assisted capabilities, Sponsor Intent Lifecycle Management, and creation of real Sponsor Intent Assets within an intentionally limited scope.
The Trial is designed to support an informed Production decision rather than substitute for the broader Production Subscription.
Subscribe Directly to The CFO-TA
Organizations that have evaluated The CFO-TA sufficiently can proceed directly to the Production Subscription. The Trial is an optional evaluation path.
Starting Production establishes The CFO-TA for one Enterprise Transformation Program and begins the mobilization of the client environment, Sponsor Team, authority model, user entitlements, Transformation Component and Release structures, and Business-Side operating model required for continuing operation.
The Production Subscription supports Enterprise Transformation Programs with different lifecycle durations. Smaller Programs can progress through their initial lifecycle more quickly and require fewer annual subscription terms, while larger, phased, or longer-running Programs can continue across additional terms.
Step 2: Complete Contracting and Payment
Once the organization selects the Trial or Production path, Alentra and the client finalize the applicable agreement. The agreement establishes the subscribed or Trial scope, responsibilities, commercial terms, payment requirements, activation conditions, and other applicable provisions.
Payment must be received before Alentra begins substantive Trial or Production activities.
For the Trial, Alentra confirms:
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The selected predefined operating domain
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The participating Executive Sponsor and Sponsor Team
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Trial participants
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Client technical contacts
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Microsoft prerequisites
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SILMS Trial Edition deployment responsibilities
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The 30-day Trial start date
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Evaluation and completion requirements
For Production, Alentra confirms:
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The subscribed Enterprise Transformation Program
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The accountable Executive Sponsor
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Authorized Sponsor deputies
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Sponsor User, Core User, and View User entitlements
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Authorized client contacts
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Sponsor Team responsibilities
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Client technical responsibilities
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Microsoft prerequisites
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Initial Transformation Components
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Initial Release architecture
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Production Activation and onboarding requirements
For a qualifying Trial conversion, the Trial fee is credited against the first Production Subscription payment when the applicable eligibility requirements are met.
Step 3: Prepare the Microsoft Environment
The CFO-TA operates within the client's Microsoft environment. Technical preparation establishes the secure, client-controlled foundation required to deploy the applicable SILMS version, provision authorized users, preserve client-resident organizational intelligence, and support applicable The CFO-TA capabilities.
The Trial and Production environments have different operating boundaries, but both require the client to provide the applicable Microsoft environment, licensing, access administration, security, Information Governance, and designated technical resources.
Technical Prerequisites
The client should be prepared to provide or establish:
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An appropriate Microsoft 365 tenant
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An appropriate SharePoint environment
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The SharePoint site, libraries, and supporting structures required for the applicable SILMS deployment
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Applicable Microsoft Copilot licensing
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Microsoft identity and access administration
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Authorized user groups and permissions
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Appropriate security controls
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Privacy requirements where applicable
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Records-management and retention requirements
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Information Governance requirements
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Client technical resources authorized to support deployment
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A designated owner for Microsoft licensing, storage, capacity, and consumption
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A designated administrator responsible for ongoing environment support
Client information, Sponsor Intent Assets, decisions, evidence, validation records, Transformation Component and Release relationships, governance history, and other organization-specific intelligence created through The CFO-TA remain stored on the client's infrastructure.
Alentra provides the applicable SILMS deployment package, deployment instructions, standard activation guidance, entitlement definitions, standard permission architecture, product updates, methodology, and contracted product support. The client's designated technical resources perform the client-environment deployment and maintain the Microsoft environment required to operate The CFO-TA.
The client remains responsible for Microsoft licensing, identity and access, permissions, approved third-party access, security, storage, capacity, Information Governance, Microsoft consumption, environment troubleshooting, and ongoing client-environment technical support unless expressly stated otherwise in the applicable agreement.
Step 4: Assemble the Sponsor Team
The CFO-TA combines the client's Microsoft environment with a Business-Side operating structure that makes Executive Sponsor authority operational. The Sponsor Team centers on the accountable Executive Sponsor and the Business-Side roles required to establish, preserve, validate, monitor, improve, and prove Sponsor Intent.
The organization determines how responsibilities are staffed within its included user entitlements. Roles can be combined across qualified people when appropriate, while larger Enterprise Transformation Programs can use multiple analysts and contributors across operating domains, Transformation Components, Releases, and workstreams.
Authorized users can include client personnel and approved third-party participants supporting the Enterprise Transformation Program. Third-party participation remains subject to the applicable user entitlement, authority, security, Microsoft licensing, permissions, Information Governance, and contracted-use requirements.
Sponsor Users are ordinarily limited to the accountable Executive Sponsor, authorized Sponsor deputies, and other authorized client or covered-affiliate personnel. Approved implementation-partner personnel, consultants, and specialists can participate as Core Users when substantive platform use is required, while other authorized participants can receive View User access when governed information is required for their responsibilities.
Executive Sponsor
The Executive Sponsor owns Sponsor Intent and remains accountable for intended outcomes, priorities, boundaries, major tradeoffs, accountability expectations, consequential decisions, and authorized conclusions.
The Executive Sponsor can designate authorized Sponsor deputies and define the Sponsor authorities delegated to each deputy. Delegation supports timely Sponsor-level activity while preserving the accountable Executive Sponsor's continuing accountability for Sponsor Intent.
Sponsor Intent Coordinator
The Sponsor Intent Coordinator manages the operating process surrounding Sponsor Intent and connects Executive Sponsor authority with the Business-Side operating cadence.
Typical responsibilities include:
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Managing the Sponsor Team operating cadence
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Coordinating Executive Sponsor and Sponsor deputy participation
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Maintaining clarity around decision authority and accountability
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Coordinating Sponsor Intent reviews, approvals, decisions, and escalations
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Coordinating work across affected operating domains, Transformation Components, and Releases
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Coordinating participation in planned validation events
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Ensuring material changes reach the appropriate Sponsor authority
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Preserving continuity as participants and conditions change
The Sponsor Intent Coordinator manages the process without assuming the Executive Sponsor's decision authority.
Sponsor Intent Analyst
The Sponsor Intent Analyst supports the disciplined development, analysis, maintenance, and traceability of Sponsor Intent Assets.
Typical responsibilities include:
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Analyzing strategy, decisions, assumptions, requirements, and other source material
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Supporting Business Intent, Scope Intent, and Transformation Approach Intent development
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Identifying ambiguity, inconsistency, gaps, conflicts, and unresolved decisions
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Preparing and refining Sponsor Intent Assets
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Maintaining authoritative Sponsor Intent within the SILMS
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Maintaining traceability among Sponsor Intent Assets, Transformation Components, Releases, and downstream decisions
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Preparing Sponsor-grade analyses and deliverables
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Supporting reviews, decisions, approvals, and change analysis
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Incorporating authorized changes and accumulating evidence
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Supporting continuing monitoring and improvement
The Sponsor Intent Analyst helps make organizational intelligence explicit, traceable, accessible, and reusable as the Enterprise Transformation Program progresses.
Validation Business Analyst
The Validation Business Analyst prepares and coordinates the activities and evidence required for disciplined Sponsor Intent validation.
Typical responsibilities include:
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Developing and maintaining the Sponsor Intent Validation Plan
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Defining validation activities and evidence requirements
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Preparing Sponsor Intent Test Cases
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Identifying required Evidence References
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Assessing validation readiness
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Coordinating validation-event preparation
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Coordinating evidence collection and preparation
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Supporting Validation Reviews
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Documenting findings, exceptions, and supporting evidence
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Maintaining validation traceability
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Preparing information required for authorized Business-Side conclusions
The Validation Business Analyst prepares and coordinates validation. Authorized Business-Side leadership retains authority for determining whether Sponsor Intent has been achieved and for approving the applicable validation conclusions.
Domain Leaders and Subject Matter Contributors
Leaders of materially affected operating domains provide accountability, operating context, organizational intelligence, and decision participation within their responsibilities. Domain Leaders help ensure Sponsor Intent reflects actual operating implications, constraints, tradeoffs, Conditions of Success, Decision Boundaries, accountability, and evidence requirements.
Subject matter contributors provide the business, operational, regulatory, process, data, technology, AI, financial, or other expertise required to inform particular Sponsor Intent Assets, Transformation Components, Releases, or consequential decisions.
Their expertise informs Sponsor decisions without replacing Executive Sponsor authority.
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee provides the cross-enterprise leadership forum for consequential matters requiring broader executive alignment, escalation, authorization, or resolution.
The Steering Committee helps keep the Enterprise Transformation Program aligned with authorized Sponsor Intent while preserving the applicable Executive Sponsor authority and decision structure.
Technical Enablement Resources
The Sponsor Team is supported by the technical resources required to deploy and maintain the client Microsoft environment.
Depending on the organization's architecture and policies, responsibilities can include:
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Microsoft 365 administration
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SharePoint administration
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Microsoft Copilot administration
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SILMS deployment within the client environment
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Identity and access administration
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User provisioning, assignment, reassignment, and removal
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Approved third-party access administration
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Security and privacy
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Records management and Information Governance
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Microsoft licensing and consumption administration
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Storage and capacity administration
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Microsoft environment troubleshooting
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Ongoing client-environment technical support
Authorized Business-Side leaders determine the appropriate Sponsor User, Core User, and View User assignments. The accountable Executive Sponsor authorizes Sponsor deputies, and the client's designated administrators implement and maintain approved access.
Step 5: Mobilize the Sponsor Operating Model
Before substantive Production operation begins, Alentra and the client mobilize the Business-Side operating model required to make Executive Sponsor authority operational through The CFO-TA. Mobilization aligns authority, roles, entitlements, decision paths, validation responsibilities, technical access, operating cadence, and the initial Enterprise Transformation Program structures required to begin governed work.
Mobilization should:
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Confirm the accountable Executive Sponsor and Sponsor decision authority
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Confirm authorized Sponsor deputies
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Confirm delegated Sponsor authorities and Decision Boundaries
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Designate the Sponsor Intent Coordinator
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Designate one or more Sponsor Intent Analysts
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Designate one or more Validation Business Analysts when required
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Identify materially affected operating domains
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Identify the accountable leader for each affected domain
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Identify applicable subject matter contributors
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Establish or confirm the appropriate Steering Committee
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Define decision authorities and escalation paths
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Establish the initial Sponsor decision and review cadence
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Confirm accountability for Sponsor Intent Assets
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Establish Sponsor Intent Asset handling and governance practices
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Confirm the initial Transformation Components
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Confirm the initial Release architecture and applicable Component-to-Release relationships
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Confirm responsibility for the Sponsor Intent Validation Plan
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Confirm responsibility for Sponsor Intent Test Cases
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Confirm responsibility for evidence coordination and validation readiness
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Establish Validation Review responsibilities
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Confirm SILMS access and permissions
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Confirm technical support ownership
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Complete required security, privacy, records, and Information Governance enablement
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Complete initial participant onboarding and training
The objective is to establish a durable Business-Side operating structure that makes Sponsor authority practical, explicit, and sustainable. The resulting operating model gives participants clear roles, permissions, responsibilities, escalation paths, and governing relationships before substantive Production activity begins.
Step 6: Establish and Strengthen the Governing Foundation
The CFO-TA begins from the Enterprise Transformation Program's current lifecycle position. Alentra and the client identify what authoritative Sponsor Intent already exists, which decisions and artifacts remain valid, where material gaps or inconsistencies exist, and which elements require clarification, strengthening, validation, or authorization.
Existing work that is explicit, authorized, current, coherent, and usable is preserved. Missing or inadequate foundational Sponsor Intent is established or strengthened according to the Program's current lifecycle position. The implications of earlier contractual, solution, architectural, scope, and implementation commitments are made explicit.
The initial governing architecture also establishes or confirms the Transformation Definition, Transformation Roadmap, active Transformation Components, current and planned Releases, and the relationships through which Sponsor Intent applies across them.
Start as early as possible. Enter later when necessary. Preserve what is valid. Establish or strengthen what is missing. Make the consequences of earlier gaps explicit. Then govern the consequential decisions, outcomes, and changes that remain ahead.
Entering During the Plan Phase
Plan provides the strongest opportunity to establish Foundational and Solution-Critical Sponsor Intent before consequential commitments are made. The CFO-TA helps establish the Transformation Definition, Transformation Roadmap, initial Transformation Components and Release architecture, and the Sponsor Intent needed to shape solution selection, provider responsibilities, commercial commitments, implementation assumptions, accountability, validation, Total Cost of Ownership, and expected outcomes.
Foundational and Solution-Critical Sponsor Intent that materially affects solution selection or the Statement of Work must be sufficiently defined before Solution Selection and the Statement of Work are finalized. Progressive refinement then continues as specialist expertise, implementation learning, operating experience, and evidence accumulate.
Entering During the Source Phase
The CFO-TA assesses the Sponsor Intent and governing foundation inherited from Plan before affected Solution Selection and Statement of Work decisions proceed. Existing authoritative work is preserved, while material gaps affecting Meaning-Aligned Requirements, evaluations, tradeoffs, provider commitments, solution decisions, or the Statement of Work are strengthened before those decisions are finalized.
The assessment also confirms the Transformation Definition, Transformation Roadmap, applicable Transformation Components, expected Releases, and the relationships required to keep Source decisions connected to authorized Sponsor Intent.
Entering During the Implement Phase
The CFO-TA assesses the Sponsor Intent, decisions, requirements, solution commitments, Statement of Work, Transformation Components, Releases, assumptions, and other governing artifacts inherited from Plan and Source. Existing work that remains authoritative and usable is preserved, while material gaps in the governing foundation are made explicit and strengthened.
Earlier commitments can constrain the options still available. The CFO-TA makes those constraints and their implications visible so the Executive Sponsor can govern the designs, configurations, integrations, business processes, data structures, organizational changes, implementation decisions, exceptions, and evidence that remain ahead.
Entering During the Value Realization Phase
The CFO-TA establishes or strengthens the authoritative relationships among Sponsor Intent, expected outcomes, Conditions of Success, implemented Transformation Components and Releases, accountability, validation requirements, and available evidence. This creates the governing and evidentiary foundation required for sampling-based validation during planned events and authorized Business-Side conclusions.
Material gaps are addressed to the extent necessary to support credible validation and continuing Value Realization. Evidence and validation results then become part of the organizational intelligence available to subsequent decisions and Releases.
Entering During Operations
The CFO-TA establishes or strengthens the authoritative Sponsor Intent required to govern current operations, continuous monitoring, continuous improvement, planned validation, subsequent Releases, changing business conditions, and AI-enabled operating capabilities. Historical decisions, evidence, Components, Releases, and operating artifacts provide valuable context while current Sponsor authority determines the governing foundation for decisions and operations going forward.
Operating experience and accumulating evidence continue to refine Sponsor understanding. The SILMS preserves these relationships so subsequent Releases can begin from a richer governing foundation rather than reconstructing the Enterprise Transformation Program's purpose and history.
The CFO-TA does not require the organization to restart the Enterprise Transformation Program. Start as early as possible, but enter later when necessary. Preserve what is valid. Establish or strengthen what is missing. Make the consequences of earlier gaps explicit. Then govern the consequential decisions, outcomes, and changes that remain ahead.
Step 7: Begin Operating The CFO-TA
Once the Microsoft environment, Sponsor Team, authorities, operating model, entitlements, and governing starting position are established, The CFO-TA becomes part of the Executive Sponsor's operating model for the Enterprise Transformation Program.
The Sponsor Team begins using The CFO-TA for applicable guidance, methodology, authoring, analysis, deliverable production, validation, review, coordination, decision support, continuity, and Sponsor Intent Lifecycle Management. The SILMS preserves authoritative Sponsor Intent, the Transformation Definition, Transformation Roadmap, Transformation Components, Releases, decisions, evidence, validation records, governance history, and organization-specific intelligence within the client's infrastructure.
The operating cadence adapts to the Enterprise Transformation Program's lifecycle position and current activity. Consequential decisions, material changes, exceptions, solution-selection decisions, Statement of Work decisions, Transformation Component progression, Releases, and planned validation events create specific Sponsor activities, while monitoring and improvement continue as evidence and operating experience accumulate.
When AI-enabled or increasingly autonomous execution becomes part of the operating environment, explicit Sponsor Intent provides the authoritative intended outcomes, priorities, Decision Boundaries, accountabilities, validation requirements, and evidence expectations required to guide that execution.
The CFO-TA value compounds over time as Sponsor Intent, decisions, evidence, validation history, Transformation Component and Release relationships, and operating learning accumulate within the governing foundation.
Add Specialized Expertise When Needed
Some situations require human expertise beyond the support included in the Production Subscription.
A Transformation Accelerator provides concentrated specialist intervention for a bounded transformation challenge requiring a defined scope, expected outcome, duration, responsibilities, and fixed fee.
An Executive Advisory Block provides flexible access to senior transformation judgment for a consequential Executive Sponsor need over an agreed availability period.
External specialists can also participate when industry, regulatory, operating-model, process, data, technology, AI, validation, or other expertise is required. Their expertise informs analysis, alternatives, evidence, recommendations, and decisions while Executive Sponsor authority remains explicit.
Intent Governance governs purpose. Execution Governance governs behavior.
Ready to Begin?
Organizations can begin with the bounded 30-day Trial or proceed directly to the Production Subscription.
Starting Production requires:
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An executed agreement
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Payment
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An appropriately prepared Microsoft environment
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An accountable Executive Sponsor
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The required Sponsor Team
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Defined user entitlements
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Designated technical resources
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Confirmed Transformation Components and initial Release architecture
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An understanding of the Enterprise Transformation Program's current governing foundation
Alentra then helps mobilize the client environment, Sponsor Team, authority model, Enterprise Transformation Program structures, and initial operating cadence required to begin using The CFO-TA.
The Trial price, Production Subscription pricing, Trial-credit requirements, Founding Customer provisions, and other commercial terms are maintained on the Pricing page.
The CFO-TA meets the Executive Sponsor where the Enterprise Transformation Program is today and creates continuity from that point forward.