Onboard accounting clients without chasing paperwork

This is your first real conversation with the prospective client - and it sets the tone for the whole relationship. Your goal here isn't to sell them on anything. It's to figure out exactly what they need and whether your firm is the right fit.

During the call, work through these points:

• Ask what services they're looking for - tax only, bookkeeping, or the full package
• Find out their business entity type (this affects everything downstream)
• Get a rough sense of their annual revenue so you can scope the engagement properly
• Take good notes - you'll reference these when building their service plan

Tip: Don't rush through entity type. Clients sometimes aren't sure if they're an LLC or S-Corp. If they say "I think my accountant set it up as an LLC," dig deeper. The wrong assumption here creates headaches later.

Don't do any work until this is signed. Seriously. The engagement letter protects both you and the client by spelling out exactly what services you're providing, what you're charging, and what's out of scope.

Here's what to do:

• Select the fee structure you agreed on during the consultation call
• Record the agreed fee amount - be specific (e.g., "$500/month" not "around $500")
• Send the letter and track the date you sent it
• Follow up if it's not signed within 48 hours - clients get busy and forget

Warning: If the client wants to change terms, don't just agree verbally. Update the engagement letter and get the revised version signed. Verbal agreements about scope are where billing disputes come from.

You need to see where the client has been before you can figure out where they're going. Collect at least the last two years of financial history so you can spot patterns, catch issues, and set up the right chart of accounts.

Go through this checklist:

• Get prior year tax returns - all of them, including state returns and any amended filings
• Request prior year financials (P&L and balance sheet at minimum)
• Obtain bank statements for at least the last 12 months
• Note anything that's missing - you'll need to follow up before you can start work
• If there's a prior accountant, get their contact info now - you may need to request records through them

Tip: If the client is switching from another firm, ask them to sign an authorization letter so the prior accountant will release the files. Some accountants won't hand over workpapers without one.

Time to get into their books. You'll need the right access level in whatever accounting software the client uses - and "Accountant" or "Admin" access is what you should be asking for, not standard user access.

Work through each of these:

• Confirm which software they're on (QBO, Xero, Desktop, etc.)
• Get yourself invited with accountant-level access - standard user access won't cut it for most workflows
• Check that bank feeds are connected and pulling in transactions
• Review the chart of accounts - does it make sense for their business, or does it need a cleanup?

Warning: If they're on "spreadsheets only," that's a bigger conversation. You'll want to recommend a proper platform and factor the setup time into your scope. Don't just absorb that work for free.

Tip: For QuickBooks Online, use the "Accountant" invitation path rather than having the client share their login credentials. It's more secure and gives you the right permissions.

A client portal keeps everything in one place - documents, messages, requests - instead of scattered across email threads. Get this set up early so the client starts using it right away, before bad habits form.

Here's what to do:

• Pick which portal system you're using for this client (Liscio, TaxDome, Karbon, etc.)
• Send the invitation and confirm the client has accepted it and can log in
• Create the standard folder structure - tax returns, financials, correspondence, and any industry-specific folders
• If a client says they'd rather "just use email," push back gently - lost attachments and buried threads will cost you both time later

Tip: Send the portal invitation with a quick 2-minute walkthrough video or a one-page guide. Clients who don't understand the portal won't use it, and you'll end up doing document collection over email anyway.

This step catches the things that will bite you later if you miss them now. Figure out every filing obligation this client has - across states, across tax types, and across any industry-specific rules.

Go through each area carefully:

• Identify all state filing requirements - a client with remote employees or online sales may have nexus in states they don't realize
• Check for industry-specific compliance needs (HIPAA for healthcare clients, fund accounting for non-profits, job costing for construction, etc.)
• Ask about any recent audit history - if they're under audit or recently resolved one, you need to know before you touch anything
• Document any additional compliance notes that don't fit the standard fields

Warning: Multi-state sales tax nexus is the one that catches firms off guard most often. If the client sells online or has employees in multiple states, don't assume their previous accountant had it covered. Verify it yourself.

This is where you bring it all together. The kickoff meeting is your chance to review everything you've gathered, set expectations, and make sure the client knows exactly what happens next.

Before you schedule it, make sure:

• Pick a date that gives you time to review all the documents and compliance info first
• Choose the right format - video calls work for routine engagements, but complex clients benefit from an in-person sit-down
• Ask who should attend from the client side (the bookkeeper, business partner, CFO?) - you want the decision-makers in the room
• Agree on a reporting frequency so the client knows when they'll hear from you going forward

Tip: Use this meeting to walk through the first 90 days together. Show the client what you'll be doing month by month. It builds confidence and cuts down on "just checking in" emails from anxious clients who don't know what's happening.