Bookkeeping Onboarding Checklist
Systematic bookkeeping onboarding prevents the errors that plague financial records and cost businesses money. This checklist covers service agreements, business information gathering, financial account documentation, software selection and setup, chart of accounts customization, tax information collection, vendor and customer setup, payroll configuration, internal controls establishment, and reporting requirements definition. Firms with documented onboarding processes complete new client setup in 8 hours versus 20+ hours without clear processes. Proper setup reduces monthly bookkeeping time by 35% through automation and correct initial configuration. The investment in quality onboarding pays dividends every single month through faster closes and fewer corrections.
Service Agreement Phase
□ Initial consultation completed
□ Service needs assessed
□ Pricing structure agreed
□ Contract terms reviewed
□ Service agreement signed
□ Payment method established
□ Billing cycle determined
□ Start date confirmed
□ Deliverables defined
□ Communication plan set
□ Expectations documented
□ Questions addressed
Business Information
□ Legal business name
□ DBA names
□ Business structure
□ Formation date
□ EIN/Tax ID number
□ State tax IDs
□ Business licenses
□ Industry classification
□ Physical address
□ Mailing address
□ Website/online presence
□ Business description
Financial Accounts
□ Business checking accounts
□ Savings accounts
□ Credit card accounts
□ Merchant services
□ PayPal/Venmo business
□ Loan accounts
□ Line of credit
□ Investment accounts
□ Petty cash processes
□ Foreign accounts
□ Cryptocurrency wallets
□ Other payment methods
Software Setup
□ Accounting software selection
□ Account creation
□ User permissions
□ Bank feed connections
□ Credit card feeds
□ App integrations
□ Payroll integration
□ POS integration
□ Inventory system link
□ Time tracking setup
□ Expense app connection
□ Report customization
Chart of Accounts
□ Review standard COA
□ Customize for industry
□ Add specific accounts
□ Set up sub-accounts
□ Configure account numbers
□ Set account types
□ Create cost centers
□ Set up departments
□ Configure classes
□ Create locations
□ Set up projects
□ Document structure
Tax Information
□ Federal tax classification
□ State tax requirements
□ Local tax obligations
□ Sales tax nexus
□ Payroll tax setup
□ Estimated tax schedule
□ Previous tax returns
□ Tax preparer information
□ Filing deadlines
□ Extension history
□ Tax planning needs
□ Audit history
Vendor Management
□ Vendor list creation
□ W-9 collection
□ 1099 requirements
□ Payment terms
□ Recurring bills
□ Vendor categories
□ Approval processes
□ Purchase orders
□ Credit applications
□ Vendor portals
□ Payment methods
□ Contact information
Customer Setup
□ Customer list import
□ Billing addresses
□ Payment terms
□ Credit limits
□ Tax exemptions
□ Invoicing preferences
□ Recurring invoices
□ Customer categories
□ Price levels
□ Discount structures
□ Collection procedures
□ Customer portals
Payroll Configuration
□ Payroll provider setup
□ Employee information
□ Pay schedules
□ Deduction setup
□ Benefit configurations
□ Time tracking
□ Overtime rules
□ Commission structures
□ Reimbursement process
□ Tax withholdings
□ Direct deposit
□ Reporting requirements
Internal Controls
□ Approval hierarchies
□ Spending limits
□ Segregation of duties
□ Document requirements
□ Receipt policies
□ Expense procedures
□ Reimbursement process
□ Cash handling
□ Check signing
□ Wire transfers
□ ACH procedures
□ Fraud prevention
Reporting Requirements
□ Financial statement frequency
□ Management reports
□ Cash flow projections
□ Budget comparisons
□ KPI tracking
□ Custom reports
□ Board packages
□ Investor reporting
□ Lender requirements
□ Grant reporting
□ Tax estimates
□ Year-end requirements
How the Bookkeeping Onboarding Checklist works
Execute your service agreement and collect complete business formation documents. Obtain secure access to all financial accounts including banks, credit cards, loans, and merchant services. Select and configure appropriate accounting software for their business size and complexity. Build an industry-specific chart of accounts that provides meaningful reporting. Import historical data and set up accurate beginning balances. Configure automatic bank feeds and create automation rules for recurring transactions. Train the client on their role in the process.
Bookkeeping errors cost small businesses an average of $8,000 per year in overpaid taxes, missed deductions, penalties, and accounting fees to fix mistakes. Clean setup with proper categorization and automation reduces monthly close time from 12 hours to 4 hours. Automated bank feeds eliminate 90% of manual data entry and associated errors. Accurate financial records enable better pricing decisions, cash flow management, and tax planning. Businesses with clean books also secure loans faster and at better rates.
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