Even small errors in your MRR schedule can have a massive impact on your retention metrics, and in due diligence, that can destroy investor confidence.

In episode #318, Ben Murray explains why gaps in your monthly recurring revenue (MRR) schedule create inaccurate gross revenue retention (GRR) and net revenue retention (NRR) results — and how poor invoicing and renewal practices are often the root cause.

You’ll learn how to identify, fix, and prevent these gaps so your SaaS financial reporting and valuation metrics remain accurate and investor-ready.

What You’ll Learn

✅ What causes gaps in your MRR schedule (and how to spot them).

✅ How MRR gaps distort your retention, expansion, and churn calculations.

✅ Why these data issues raise red flags in due diligence.

✅ How to align renewal dates, contracts, and invoicing to eliminate data breaks.

✅ What a clean, accurate MRR waterfall should look like for SaaS and AI companies.

✅ Why you need at least three years of clean retention data before a fundraise or exit.

Why It Matters

• For CFOs & Finance Teams: Gaps cause misleading GRR/NRR trends that erode trust in your data.
• For Founders & CEOs: Bad MRR data can hurt company valuation and slow down fundraising or acquisition.
• For Investors: Clean MRR schedules provide transparency into predictable revenue and retention strength.
• For Accountants: Accurate MRR waterfalls enable stronger financial modeling and forecasting.

Resources Mentioned

SaaS Metrics Foundation Course: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/the-saas-metrics-foundation

Quote from Ben

“If there are gaps in your MRR schedule, your retention story falls apart — and investors will notice.”

To build a world-class FP&A process in a SaaS or AI business, you need more than great dashboards—you need clean, reliable data from the right sources.

In episode #317, Ben Murray shares the four foundational SaaS finance data sources that power accurate forecasts, meaningful metrics, and board-ready financial models. Drawing on his experience in FP&A across airlines and software, Ben explains how to integrate data from accounting, CRM, subscription management, and HR systems to create a trustworthy SaaS P&L and streamline financial reporting.

This is the go-to framework for any finance leader, CFO, or operator seeking to enhance their financial systems and forecasting accuracy.

What You’ll Learn

• The four essential SaaS finance data sources for great FP&A.
• How each data source powers financial forecasting, SaaS metrics, and Board reporting.
• Why poor accounting structure creates “data debt” that hurts accuracy and slows decision-making.
• How to link bookings data to go-to-market efficiency metrics like CAC, LTV/CAC, and CAC payback.
• Why accurate HR data improves unit economics and organizational efficiency analysis.

Why It Matters

• For FP&A Leaders: Build forecasts grounded in data integrity.
• For SaaS Founders: Understand Which Data Sources Drive Investor-Ready Reporting.
• For Investors: Confidence in a company’s data architecture improves valuation and diligence outcomes.
• For CFOs: A solid finance foundation enables better strategic planning, cash flow forecasting, and profitability tracking.

📎 Resources Mentioned

The SaaS Academy: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/#section-1744932157830

Quote from Ben

“Without clean financial, bookings, revenue, and HR data, your FP&A process can’t deliver the insights your Board expects.”

Is renewal rate just another way of saying retention? Not exactly. In episode #316, Ben Murray breaks down the difference between renewal rate and the classic retention metrics—gross revenue retention (GRR), net revenue retention (NRR), and customer/logo retention.

Ben explains why the renewal rate is the leading indicator of retention, especially when running annual or multi-year contracts, and why investors, private equity buyers, and your board will want to see this number alongside your standard SaaS metrics.

If you’re a SaaS or AI operator looking to better understand your unit economics and improve your company’s valuation, this episode will help you put renewal rate into context as part of your financial metrics toolkit.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

✅ The definition of renewal rate and how it differs from retention.

✅ How renewal rate acts as the leading edge of retention performance.

✅ Why renewal rate matters most for SaaS and AI companies with annual or multi-year contracts.

✅ How to track renewal rate by customer count and dollar value.

✅ Why renewal rate is increasingly scrutinized in due diligence and PE-backed exits.

✅ How renewal rate complements ARR growth, gross profit, and retention metrics.

📊 Why It Matters

• For Finance Teams: Renewal rate shows early signs of churn risk before it hits your GRR/NRR numbers.
• For Leaders: Renewal performance provides insight into customer satisfaction and product adoption.
• For Investors & Buyers: Renewal rate is a leading signal of predictable revenue and future valuation.
• For Boards: Adds confidence in forecasting ARR, revenue growth, and unit economics.

📎 Resources Mentioned

🎓 SaaS Metrics Academy
— Courses on SaaS P&L, retention, and financial strategy: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/#section-1744932157830

🧾 Quote from Ben

“Renewal rate is the tip of the iceberg. If customers keep renewing at a high rate, your retention story will follow."