Beyond Accounting Automation: The Services Your Firm Needs Right Now

We could probably write a hundred blogs on the variety of issues that face firms, but the vast majority come down to a small handful of overarching challenges—the biggest two of which are capacity and bottlenecks. Both alone and in concert, capacity issues and bottlenecks in your workflow act to rob your firm of both efficiency and profit. And perhaps not coincidentally, both are difficult to solve quickly and inexpensively.

Many accounting firms find themselves stretched thin trying to balance the bottleneck of routine bookkeeping with client-focused advisory services. Some of the most common pain points include:

• Time Management: Manual bookkeeping tasks can consume hours of your team’s valuable time.

• Scaling Challenges: Meeting the demands of a growing client base often requires additional staffing, recruitment, and training—a costly and time-intensive process.

• Data Accuracy: Ensuring clean, accurate books is critical but can be challenging without the right systems and processes in place.

• Technology Integration: Adopting new tools often feels overwhelming, especially if they’re not built to work seamlessly with your existing workflows.

Botkeeper addresses these challenges by offering scalable, automated bookkeeping solutions backed by human oversight, allowing you to deliver accurate, timely results with less effort.

A Seamless Transition to Enhanced Efficiency

Adding Botkeeper’s capacity-expanding services to your firm is a smooth and straightforward process. Working hand-in-hand with our award-winning automated bookkeeping solution, our services are designed to integrate seamlessly with the tools you already use, such as QuickBooks Online or Xero. Think of it as having a superhero join your team—minus the cape (unless you’re into that sort of thing, we don’t judge). 

Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of these services is that your Botkeeper service provider is dedicated—no bouncing among different people who aren’t familiar with your firm’s accounts. Your Botkeeper service provider is a true extension of your team, fitting right into place.

The Four Service Plans: A Quick Overview

Botkeeper offers four tailored service plans, each designed to address different challenges and requirements faced by accounting firms. Let’s explore what these plans offer and how they can help solve your firm’s unique challenges:

1. Essentials Plan

Imagine you’re running a lean operation and need reliable tools to handle the basics without breaking a sweat. The Essentials Plan provides the foundational tools you need to streamline routine bookkeeping. Key services include the below, plus much more:

• Automated transaction categorization

• Financial statement preparation

• Bank and credit card reconciliations

Problem Solved: This plan helps firms eliminate manual data entry, reducing the risk of errors while saving time on everyday bookkeeping tasks and keeping communications in house.

2. Core Plan

Let’s say your firm is growing, and you’re starting to feel the pinch. The Core plan steps in with additional features to help you manage your expanding workload. Firms with growing client needs require complex support and enhanced accounting services, without requiring direct client communication. The Core plan includes everything in the Essentials plan and much more, including:

• Analyzing vendor records to determine 1099 eligibility and ensuring accurate compliance.

• Generating custom reports beyond standard P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow statements to meet specific client needs.

• Performing monthly inventory reconciliations to ensure general ledger (GL) balances align with inventory reports.

Problem Solved: With the Advanced Plan, firms can better manage cash flow and client invoicing, improving overall financial visibility and operational efficiency.

3. Professional Plan

With success comes complexity. The Professional plan is perfect for firms managing high-volume or intricate client portfolios, providing expert financial oversight, with the option for direct client communication if needed. The plan offers everything in the Core plan, with the key features below and much more:

• Conducting a comprehensive review of client books to flag anomalies or significant variances.

• Preparing monthly balance sheet schedules to reconcile Accounts Receivable (AR) accruals and Revenue Recognition amounts with QuickBooks Online (QBO) or Xero.

• Creating and reviewing monthly balance sheet schedules to ensure all balances reconcile accurately with QBO or Xero.

Problem Solved: The Professional plan helps firms maintain high levels of accuracy and efficiency while providing the insights needed to make strategic business decisions.

4. Premium Plan

For firms that have “big fish” problems, the Premium plan offers fully customizable services to meet your specific needs. The plan provides comprehensive, high-touch accounting services, with real-time communication and collaboration during US business hours, including direct client interaction as requested. Services include everything in the Professional plan, but the below and much more:

• Preparing and managing complex journal entries, including adjustments and custom allocations.

• Reconciling monthly fixed asset and amortization schedules to ensure accuracy with QBO or Xero.

• Creating, updating, and reviewing monthly balance sheet schedules for AR accruals and Revenue Recognition to reconcile with QBO or Xero.

Problem Solved: The Premium plan provides firms with the flexibility and support needed to manage complex bookkeeping and reporting needs across multiple entities.

Real-World Impact: How Botkeeper Transforms Firms

Imagine this: You’re an accounting firm owner whose firm spends countless hours each week reconciling client accounts, managing payroll, and tracking cash flow. Your team feels overwhelmed, and you’re struggling to dedicate time to advisory and other services that could grow your business.

By adopting one of Botkeeper’s service plans, you could end bottlenecks in your workflow and grow new capacity, allowing you to:

• Save Time: Automated bookkeeping tools handle repetitive tasks, freeing up hours for strategic initiatives.

• Improve Accuracy: AI-powered solutions reduce the risk of errors, ensuring cleaner books and smoother audits.

• Scale Seamlessly: Whether you’re onboarding a new client or managing a surge in demand, Botkeeper’s flexible services grow with your firm.

• Enhance Client Satisfaction: With more time to focus on advisory services, you can deliver greater value to your clients without compromising on the speed or quality of the services you already offer.