Planning
Headcount planningEach hire should move burn and runway.
Roles, start dates and fully loaded cost belong in the same model as cash. See how sequencing hires changes months of runway, and when the raise has to land before the roster does.
Why it matters
Headcount is the burn lever most founders underestimate
For most early companies, people are the largest cash cost. A static burn rate taken from last month's bank feed ignores the engineer who starts in March and the seller who starts in June. Those dates are commitments; they just have not hit the account yet.
Headcount planning puts the roster on the timeline so runway is the path you will actually walk, not the path last month implied.
Inputs
Roles with start dates
In Replafin, payroll lives as roles on the plan: title or function, count, cost and the month each role begins. The model steps headcount up on those months and carries the cost into opex, cash and runway automatically.
- Who you pay today and who you plan to hire, distinguished by start month.
- Counts that can change (two backend engineers in month seven, not a single blended “team” line).
- One driver set shared with the driver-based model and the three statements.
Cost
Fully loaded, not just salary
Salary is the headline. Employer payroll taxes, benefits and recurring tools move with the seat. If you model only wages, net burn looks lighter than the bank will feel on payday.
Worked scenario
Delaying one hire buys months
Illustrative figures for a seed-stage team. Your numbers will differ; the shape is what matters.
| Plan | Net burn (steady) | Hire step-up | Runway (flat math) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both hires in month 1 | $70k / mo | Engineer + seller now | ~13 months on $900k |
| Seller delayed to month 6 | $55k then $70k | Engineer now, seller later | Longer: early months burn less |
| Both delayed to month 4 | $40k then $70k | Founders-only first | Longest early runway; slower milestone |
Flat division is only a sketch. Replafin walks ending cash month by month so the step-up lands on the right month, the same way the cash flow forecast does. Delaying a hire is sometimes the cheapest bridge; delaying the wrong hire can miss the milestone that makes the next round possible.
Sequencing
Order hires against cash and milestones
- Name the milestone the roster is supposed to unlock (ship, revenue, retention, geography).
- Place must-have roles on the earliest month that still leaves runway to hire and learn.
- Slide discretionary roles until the cash path or the raise supports them.
- Re-read runway after every change; do not trust a burn number from before the edit.
Owner view keeps the language plain (“Who You Pay”); Accountant view keeps the spreadsheet-style detail. Same engine underneath.
Raise
Headcount and the round are one conversation
Investors read use of funds as a hiring plan whether or not your deck says so. Size the round from the burn the roster implies and the months those people need. Replafin's raise plan and cap table sit on the same model, so dilution and runway update together. More on finding investors when the numbers are ready.
Actuals
Otto HR and payroll sync
Otto HR connects completed pay runs, gross pay and headcount into the workspace so actual payroll can inform the plan. CSV import works when you are not on Otto. Other sources (bank, Stripe, books) cover the rest of cash and revenue; see all integrations.
Questions
Headcount planning, answered
What is headcount planning?
Deciding which roles to hire, when they start, and what they cost fully loaded, then seeing the effect on burn, runway and the financial statements. It is workforce planning tied to cash, not a separate org chart document.
How does a hire change runway?
Fully loaded monthly cost raises net burn from the start month onward. Runway falls roughly by how much that extra burn shortens the path to zero cash, unless revenue or a raise offsets it. Model the start date; a hire in month six does not belong in month one's burn.
What is fully loaded cost?
Salary plus the employer costs that travel with the role: payroll taxes, benefits, and often tools or seat licenses. Using salary alone understates burn and overstates runway.
Can payroll actuals sync into Replafin?
Yes. Otto HR is a supported integration for completed pay runs, gross pay and headcount. You can also import payroll CSV. See the Otto HR integration page for connect steps.
How does headcount tie to a raise?
The hiring plan is often the largest use of funds. Size the round from the burn the roster implies and the milestone those hires are meant to hit. Replafin's raise plan reads the same model as payroll roles, so dilution and runway stay in one view.
Put every hire on the timeline.Then read the runway.
Add roles and start dates in the workspace and watch burn and cash recompute. Starter is $200 a month; Pro is $500.