Buyer's Guide for Single Family Offices (SFOs)

# Buyer's Guide for Single Family Offices (SFOs)

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for Single Family Offices (SFOs) managing between $100M and $1B in assets, typically with lean internal teams. Most are focused on preserving multigenerational wealth, ensuring accurate consolidated reporting, and navigating complex entity structures. These offices often require tools that deliver transparency without introducing excessive operational overhead.

Common Software Needs

Must-Haves

• Consolidated reporting across custodians, banks, and entities

• General ledger and accounting support (in-house or via integration)

• Entity and trust structure visualization

Nice-to-Haves

• Document management and approval workflows

• CRM for tracking advisors, family members, and communications

• Portfolio analytics and basic forecasting

Watch For

• Integration complexity (especially for legacy custodians or advisors)

• Inflexible reporting templates or lack of white-labeling

• Overly broad solutions that don’t match office scale

Relevant Use Cases

• Consolidated Reporting

• Accounting & General Ledger

• Entity & Trust Management

• Document & Workflow Management

• Performance Analytics & Forecasting

Recommended Vendor Types

• Best fit: SaaS platforms with family office-native reporting and accounting

• Support level: Either self-managed with strong onboarding OR light-touch white-glove

• Region: Often prefer vendors with local presence or timezone-aligned support

• Tech stack: Modern, cloud-first tools that integrate with existing systems (custodians, tax, advisors)

Priority Features

• Multi-entity chart of accounts and GL support

• Reporting with drill-down by asset, entity, or family member

• Secure document repository and workflow approvals

• Relationship mapping between entities, advisors, and family

• Custom KPIs and performance benchmarking

Shortlist Evaluation Tips

• Request sample reports tailored to your entity and AUM structure

• Assess ability to integrate with your custodians and accounting system (if separate)

• Clarify onboarding timelines — some vendors offer multi-week white-glove service, others are self-serve

• Understand the pricing structure: AUM-based, user-based, or flat license

• Confirm data security certifications (SOC2, ISO 27001, etc.)

Additional Resources

• FAQ: What’s the best family office software for consolidated reporting?

• Compare vendors for GL + Reporting

• Schedule an advisory call