Delegation of authority matrix template, with a row for signing a data license

A delegation of authority matrix lists each type of decision, who may initiate, review and approve it, up to what limit, and when the board or owners must consent. Use this template to add a row for licensing company records, so everyone knows which sponsor can authorize a SourceX review and which terms need board sign-off.

When to use a delegation of authority matrix

Use a delegation of authority (DOA) matrix whenever people need to know, quickly and in writing, who can commit the company to a decision and up to what limit. It earns its keep at three moments: after a change of control, when a new CEO or fractional CFO starts, and before any contract outside the normal run of business, such as an exclusive license of company records for AI training.

A DOA matrix is internal policy. It sits beneath the bylaws or operating agreement, board resolutions, and any consent rights held by lenders or investors, and where they conflict, those documents control. For a SourceX introduction it answers one practical question: who is the authorized sponsor (the owner, CEO, CFO or an authorized representative), and which steps need the board.

The matrix template

Copy the table into your policy, replace each {placeholder} with your own limits, and delete rows that do not apply. The limits are left blank on purpose; set them with the board.

Decision	Initiates	Reviews	Approves (limit)	Board or owner consent
Customer contract on standard terms	Sales lead	Finance	VP or GM up to {limit_1}	Above {limit_2}
Customer contract on non-standard terms	Sales lead	Legal, finance	CEO	If liability or term exceeds {threshold}
Vendor contract or purchase commitment	Budget owner	Finance	Department head up to {limit_3}; CFO above	Above {limit_4} or multi-year
Capital expenditure	Budget owner	CFO	CEO within the approved budget	Unbudgeted items above {limit_5}
Hiring and compensation changes	Hiring manager	HR, finance	CEO for roles at {level} and above	Executive team changes
Pricing and discount exceptions	Sales lead	Finance	CFO up to {discount_cap}	Rarely needed
Borrowing, guarantees, bank accounts	CFO	Counsel	CEO and CFO jointly	Always
Data-sharing or data processing agreement	Business owner	Privacy, security, legal	CFO or COO	If sensitive data is involved
Non-exclusive license of company IP	Business owner	Legal	CEO	Above {limit_6}
Exclusive license of company records, such as for AI training	Authorized sponsor	Legal, privacy, finance	CEO and CFO jointly	Yes, unless governing documents say otherwise
Related-party transaction	Anyone	Counsel	Not delegated	Always
Spend initiated by an AI agent or automation	System owner	Finance	Within limits set for the named human owner	Never delegated to the agent
Settlement of a claim	Counsel	CFO	CEO up to {limit_7}	Above {limit_7}

Two rules sit above every row: no one may split a commitment to stay under a limit, and no AI agent or automated workflow holds signing authority in its own right.

Policy text you can adapt

Paste this at the front of the policy and replace each placeholder.

Then write out the data-license row in full, so reviewers know exactly what they are approving:

Asking who holds the authority

When the matrix has no row for this kind of decision, settle it before anyone takes a call. A short note from the CFO to the CEO or board chair does the job:

How to adapt it to the company's ownership

Ownership situation	What to change in the matrix	Who to check with
PE-backed with a term loan	Add a lender-consent column for licenses and dispositions; the excess cash flow sweep explainer covers the related cash question	Sponsor deal team, deal counsel
Owned by a trust	Replace owner consent with trustee approval and record the trustee's authority, as described in who can sign when a trust owns the business	Trustee, trust counsel
Independent sponsor deal	Add capital partner consent rights from the operating agreement and log the decision in the quarterly report to capital partners	Lead capital partner
Roll-up or holdco with subsidiaries	Give each subsidiary its own signer, route exclusive licenses to the holdco board, and first check whether acquired firms' client data can be used	Holdco CFO, counsel
Founder-owned with no board	The owner signs; add a second reviewer for anything exclusive or multi-year	Outside counsel or accountant
Acquired or wound down	The successor owner or remaining officer signs once it is clear who controls the records	Acquirer's counsel or wind-down officer

Approval timing from first conversation to signature

The matrix also sets the order of events. A sequence that keeps the company in control:

Confirm the sponsor named in the matrix and note in writing that exploring is non-binding.
Introduce the company to SourceX through a partner's referral link or the referral form, sharing basic fit information only.
SourceX checks size, history, data breadth and rights with the sponsor.
The company lists its systems and records in a data inventory.
Price and terms are agreed; nothing binds the company until it signs.
Before signature, collect the reviews and the board or owner consent the matrix requires, and file them with the executed agreement.

If the board meets only quarterly, plan on a written consent rather than waiting for the next meeting. Why data rights matter explains what the legal review will look for.

What never goes in the matrix or the introduction

Confidential records, client names, samples or exports. Partners make introductions and give basic fit information only.
Typed reward amounts, or promises of payment to anyone inside the company.
Personal signing authority for an individual that no board resolution or owner approval supports.
Signing authority for an AI agent, chatbot or automated workflow.
Commitments on price, exclusivity or timing before the company has agreed them.

If you introduce the company as a partner

A fractional CFO who maps the matrix is often the person who knows which sponsor to call; the fractional CFO partner page explains that path. Partners earn 25% of the eligible platform fees SourceX collects from the company's licensing deals, up to $100,000 per referred company, payable only once the buyer pays and SourceX receives its fee. No reward is guaranteed, and it never comes out of the company's proceeds. Check your engagement letter and any professional rules before accepting a referral fee connected to a client.

This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Have counsel check the matrix against your governing documents before adopting it.

Next step

Add the data-license row, name the sponsor, then test the company against who qualifies. When the sponsor is ready, register as a partner and send the introduction.

Step 1Share your linkSend your personal link to a company you know.
Step 2Company appliesThe company applies itself at /apply.
Step 3Buyer selects and paysThe buyer selects and pays for the data and SourceX receives its fee.
Step 4You get your rewardYour share of SourceX fees becomes payable.

Common questions

What is the difference between a delegation of authority matrix and a board resolution?

A board resolution is a formal act of the board that grants or limits authority, often for one decision or one officer. A delegation of authority matrix is a management policy summarizing who can approve what across many routine decisions. The board should adopt or ratify the matrix, and nothing in it can delegate more authority than the board and the governing documents actually grant.

Who usually owns and updates the DOA matrix?

The CFO or controller typically maintains it, with the CEO approving changes and the board adopting the overall policy. Update it after a change of control, new financing, leadership turnover, or an acquisition that adds subsidiaries. A matrix naming people who have left is a common audit finding, so tie entries to titles rather than names wherever possible.

Can a CFO sign a data license without board approval?

Only if the governing documents, board resolutions and the matrix give the CFO that authority for a contract of that kind and size, and no lender or investor consent right applies. Because AI-training licenses are typically exclusive for an agreed term, many companies treat them as outside the ordinary course and route them to the board or owners. Counsel should confirm before signature.

How should a DOA matrix handle AI agents that place orders or approve spend?

Treat an agent as a tool acting for a named human owner, never as an approver in its own right. Set the agent's limits at or below that owner's limits, log every action, and require a human signature for contracts. Review agent permissions in the same cycle as the rest of the matrix, and remove them when the owner changes roles.

Is a DOA matrix required before a SourceX introduction?

The published baseline does not list one. It asks for an authorized sponsor, such as the owner, CEO, CFO or an authorized representative, alongside size, history and rights. A matrix simply helps the company confirm who that sponsor is and which internal approvals it must collect before it signs anything, which avoids delays late in the process.

Free resources

Working capital calculator — Net working capital, current ratio and quick ratio.
Due diligence checklist generator — A tailored document request list by deal type.
Cash flow calculator — A 12-month cash forecast with shortfalls highlighted.
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By SourceX Partnerships Team · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09

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