Only Bookkeeping Services Offered?

[hbplifestyle]

Just curious those of you that are virtual bookkeepers if you find you have to offer other services to stay busy. So many potential clients have accountants and CPA do their things I'm not sure what need is out there for virtual bookkeepers. Earning trust of a client is so critical when it comes to their money I think easing my way into their bookkeeping is the key.

Your thoughts?

[Rebecka Melson]

There is definitely a need for virtual bookkeepers and it's very possible to only provide bookkeeping services if that is what you want to do. I provide bookkeeping and other administrative services, but most of my clients are just bookkeeping.

Clients are used to bookkeepers providing ONLY bookkeeping so sometimes I have to remind my clients that I provide other services as well. When clients are leary about hiring a virtual bookkeeper to handle their money I explain to them that I don't handle money, I handle numbers. I don't pay bills for my clients or anything that would consist of me actually handling money.

[Leanna Kalka]

When clients are leary about hiring a virtual bookkeeper to handle their money I explain to them that I don't handle money, I handle numbers. I don't pay bills for my clients or anything that would consist of me actually handling money.

How are you receiving your documentation needed to "handle numbers"? Such as receipts, invoicing information, etc. This is the part I'm still trying to understand with virtual bookkeeping.

[Rebecka Melson]

It varies by client, I let them choose whichever method is easier for them, but usually either mail, email or fax. I have one local client that I go pick up a package from once a month because she is just 1.5 miles away.

[lanelt]

I only provide bookkeeping services for my clients. I have some who beg me to do some administrative things and I do it for them but I'm busy as doing bookkeeping and don't really have the time to offer more services.

As for how I get information. E-mail, mail, fax and some of my clients give me bank log-in information after a while. The ones that give me bank log-in information usually start out faxing or e-mailing me the reports then ask me if they can give me that to make it easier for them.

[Office Goddess]

I offer primarily bookkeeping services w/some admin 'as needed.' I also get info via email, fax, and mail w/1 client dropping off papers at my mailbox weekly.

I DO pay bills for clients and have full access to their business accounts. But, I also have a 'theft insurance bond' for their peace of mind and I send weekly updates on bank balances to those clients.

[SaraASB]

"After-the-fact" bookkeeping is hard to find. If you aren't paying their bills, then you are simply crunching their manual checkbook, right? I only have one client that still does their own accounting manually and comes to me to "write it up."

Each client is different.
I have some that have an extra old computer set up in their office that I can access 24/7. The QuickBooks data is on their machine and I access it remotely. Some mail me work to do, others have in house A/P and A/R people that do the daily work and I pop in monthly to check it , handle accruals etc and do the bank recs. (Contract Controller)

Most of our bookkeeping is done here. Clients can scan and upload us work on our web portal. Or email the bills to us as pdfs. (I also insist that they mail me originals so I can check for fraud) Some mail us work. Some deliver it. We ARE their accounting office so we handle everything. The G/L, P/R, A/P and A/R. Right on through working with the CPA for their tax work or their financial auditors if they are a non-profit.

Clients with large A/R transactions are the trickiest. They are usually better off having the data in-house and we dial in and do the rest.

Be creative!

[Julie]

Sara,
I have so many questions! How do you access it remotely? What program do you use that would do this? What do you have to have to enable a client to "upload to your web portal"? And here's a really dumb question: how to get a PDF program that will enable me to send PDF files. Can you tell I'm brand new and not up on the latest?

[Office Goddess]

Sara,
I have so many questions! How do you access it remotely? What program do you use that would do this? What do you have to have to enable a client to "upload to your web portal"? And here's a really dumb question: how to get a PDF program that will enable me to send PDF files. Can you tell I'm brand new and not up on the latest?

I access remote computers through a (free) program called TightVNC - they install the program on their computer after I send the .exe file to them and I can then access it whenever I need to do so.

There are various web portals available - I don't use one, but you can use online access such as google docs or docstoc.

For pdf files, you can purchase Adobe Acrobat Professional or you can use a combination of the free acrobat reader and 'dopdf' or a similar pdf creating program. I prefer Adobe Acrobat as I can then 'tweak' my pdfs as well as reading/creating them.

[Julie]

Lily,

Thank you so much! You truly are the Office Goddess!
Judy

[SaraASB]

WebEx comes with QuickBooks Accountants Version.
The web portals are part of my website. Google around. There are all kinds of options available these days! And there are also free PDF printer drivers available online where you can "print" to a pdf file. I can't remember one off the top of my head at the moment. I have about 10 more S-corp year ends and 15 property tax returns to get out in 2 weeks, so I'm going to try and stay off "the boards" until March. Later!!

[Excellence]

Lily,

Can I ask you, what's the name of the company where you bought your "Theft Insurance Bond"?

Thank you,


Mariana

[Office Goddess]

I got my 'Surety Bond' through Napia.