Hiring a Bookkeeper- The onboarding process
Deciding to outsource your bookkeeping can be scary at first. Not knowing what to expect or how the process works can lead to uncertainty. Let me give you the insider view of what it’s like to work with me.
Getting to know each other
To start things off we will have a consultation meeting either over the phone or on Zoom video calling. In this meeting you will get to learn about me, my processes, and the services offered, and I will gain insight to your business and what you are interested in getting some help with. Whether that be just categorizing transactions on a weekly basis or just monthly reconciliations and reporting. From there I will create an engagement letter detailing what services I would provide, what information is required from you (access to bank statements or company information), and the fixed monthly price for the services proposed. We can meet again to go over the engagement letter or you can reach out with any questions. If you like what you see, then you’ll sign the engagement letter, and we will begin our journey together!
Welcome Aboard
Our first month will consist of a lot of communicating during the onboarding process. I will be asking for access to your accounting software. With QBO you can send your file easily to your accountant via an email request. We will set up processes on how I will be accessing your bank statements and any other processes in order for me to complete your bookkeeping. If your bookkeeping is up to date, I will do a quick review of your books to check things such as your chart of accounts organization and suggest any recommendations. If your books require clean-up work, I will start organizing and cleaning up your transactions to bring your books current and then jump in to putting processes into place.
Once Established
Once we have you onboarded, and everything is set up the process will be smooth sailing. I will reach out when I have questions on any of your transactions and monthly, I will send you an email update with your Profit and Loss statement along with other helpful charts to provide insight to the financial performance of your business. If you prefer, we can also have monthly/quarterly meetings to go over your books. At any time, you can reach out to me with any questions. On an annual basis I will provide reporting and if possible, work with your tax accountant to provide necessary information for your tax return. If you have a tax planning engagement with your tax accountant, I will have an ongoing relationship with your tax accountant, if possible, to make sure your bookkeeping is being done consistent with the way your tax accountant will be filing your taxes.
I try to make this process as smooth as possible, and I am always here to help you along the way. If you are considering outsourcing your bookkeeping for better insight and to dedicate your time to running your business don’t hesitate to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options.
