Bookeeping Services

ultimatetouch

I am lookin into bookeeping services. Has anyone used account temps before? I believe they are nation wide.

How often does your bookeeper come out and what does he/she do for you? What day of the month typically do they come out? I am thinking of having them come out at the beginning of the following month so that bills will be in, etc.
I know it depends of volume. We dont do a lot of volume since most of our jobs are bigger ticket items. I would like to do know paperwork except righting contracts. No entering anything in the computer just filing it off for my bookeeper at the beginning of the following month.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Double-A

If you do use an outside bookkeeper, what about software?

Will they use their own? If so, to whom does the data file belong? You or them?

I think I'd be temped to buy and install my own software on my own computer if I had someone coming in from outside. That way there is no argument over who owns what if there is a payment dispute.

In addition, I think there is a huge benefit do doing your own bookkeeping yourself, if you have the time. Getting set up and learning the software is the big drag on time, but once that's done, its a snap to keep up with.

One other thing, I'd really want a bookkeeper with construction industry experience. Your's is a hybrid type of business and that just messes some folks up. If they don't have the experience, they are going to do it their way, which may or may not have anything to do with your real needs.

If I did hire an outside bookkeeper, I'd shy away from the temp services. I'd want the same person working on my accounts regularly. The last thing you want is someone new starting in the middle of someone else's work.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

ultimatetouch

I had a woman with construction experiance from the forum who was going to do my books but she hasnt called me back.

The temp service is my second and only option since I need a bookeeper. The temp service would be sending the same person out every time and she would do it once a month.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Double-A

Well, I guess my point with a temp service is, what happens when she finds a full time position, or decides not to temp anymore? Then what?

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

send_it_all

I had the same problem when I first started. I ended up having to marry a book keeper. If I had to do it over again, I would just fork over the money and hire one.

ultimatetouch

good point. I was goin to use a gal on here. Bookie was the screen name. She has experiance with builders and remodelers. I have begun to think its more valuable to have a good bookie then a good cpa. Bulk of the money goes to the bookie and then the cpa puts it on a form.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Double-A

You lucky dog. If she's half as sharp as she seems, ya done good.

Don't undersell the CPAs, they are important as well. One is more interested in taxes, while the other, your day to day operations. Both are vital to a well run company.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Debs

Hi,

Thought I'd offer a few suggestions to your questions:

Depending on your volume of work, I would suggest you have the bookkeeping done twice a month to keep your records up to date. That way you can view reports and see how your business is doing!

Quickbooks would be my software of choice, you can't go wrong with it. Either the pro version or I believe they offer a version just for contractors.

Definitely consider having the same person doing your books on a regular basis for you. That way they can get to know your business and you, and you won't have to be concerned that the job isn't being done correctly. Also you may find that they are capable of helping you with other administrative tasks to free up some more of your time! Hope that helps
Deb

ultimatetouch

Thanks Deb.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Double-A

Welcome Debs.

Good advice. Perhaps you'd like to make a post and introduce yourself to our forums.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Debs

Your welcome Ultimate and thanks David I'll do that Right after I get home from the gym..ughhhhhh!

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Deb

rbsremodeling

Ok time to stir the pot. Any one can be a bad apple but would you trust giving out your quickbooks info to a temp or virtual person. Some locally or even in your office can steal from you but atleast I can strangle them if they are in arms reach

No disrespect DEB just pointing out the obvious downside or potential problems

This person would have my checking, credit card, tax id, possibly my social security numbers and my employees info as well

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ultimatetouch

Rory,

This lady is a temp but she is looking for a full time position. I cant offer that. She would be willing to work for me part time. I like the idea of them being in front of me so I could strangle them as well. Thats why I request that they come to the office no virtual crap or email crap. Plus I am an organized person when it comes to paper work. I just never feel like its neet enough. I hope that they take some stress off of what to do with what.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

RCPainting

I have an accountant that does my taxes and payroll for a very reasonable fee. I use QB, he helped me set it up. Every quarter I email him a copy of my files. He reviews, makes sure everything is in line for tax payments. Lets me know if I need to do anything to make tax time easier.
It works well for me.

rbsremodeling

Mark

I miss the temp to fulltime connection.

I am paranoid of identity theft or fraud, it happen to my G-friend so I was putting out my spidey danger fielders. If someone is gonna steal there ain't anything you can do to stop them, but having them close by to stangle is a bit more satisfying. Me and my G-friend are quickbooks savy so stealing would be difficult, but not impossible because we pay attention. I would say give the right temp a shot and if you can have her do more to make her full time even better.

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rbsremodeling

Its a bit harder for remodelers Vs single trade guys. The invoices, credits, reciepts etc are a nightmare sometimes and a good bookeeper can make or brake you

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ultimatetouch

Rory,

I was hesitant to. Matter fact I ditched the appointement at my house at the last second. My wife answered and I talked to the lady for a while. She says she could do job costs and everything I want to do. Like I said in my 1st couple of posts, I was going to have a lady from the forum do my books. Her user name is bookie. She seems to have disipiered. NOt calling me back, etc. SHe specialized in remodeling and builders which is why I really wanted to use her. Either somthing happened to her or shes no longer interested. Ethier way its not a good way to start business. The thing that bugs me is shes been there and done that for many contractors. I could tell just from talking to her.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Debs

No disrespect taken at all Rory Basically its all a matter of trust, which sometimes takes awhile to gain. I can understand anyone's hesitancy to give out personal and business banking information.

So don't do it, use your bookkeeper to handle all the data entry of estimates, invoices ect but keep all your banking information to yourself. They can run reports for you on a weekly or monthly basis depending on when you like to pay your bills, and you can make the checks out and mail them.......and on the other end of things, you can make all bank deposits and just turn over the amounts for to be entered into the books.

The important part is having end of month or quartely reports to hand over to your accountant when it comes to tax time!

And even a fulltime employee that has been with you can end up stealing from you....but if you are paying attention to details there is less of a chance of somthing like this happening. Hope this makes some kind of sense.

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Deb

ultimatetouch

Debs,

Your advice is to not have banking statments available to the bookkeeper? I was going to have the bookeeper make out the checks but I was going to sign them and varify them.

How do they do the bank reconciliation? The object of the bank reconciliation is to check that the balance of your account is the same as the balance of the check book or quickbooks, is this correct.

I am trying to come up with a game plan since shes coming tomorrow.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

rbsremodeling

I was thinking the same thing. To me that defeats the purpose of having a bookeeper if he or she doesn't have access to everything or almost everything. If I am still checking everything or doing too much I might as well do it myself.

I got lucky and my girlfriend does an excellent job. I have had accountants praise her time and time again over her skills and she is self taught for the most part.

It is a hard job to hand over to someone else.

Some accountants will do the bookeeping for you mine accountant will they she has underlings that work under her that will to the routine stuff. It was not too expensive but I did not need that level of service.

Also if you are like me you write checks almost daily. She suggested having two accounts. A sort of petty cash for small bills and bigger bills get paid by them on a set schedule

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