What Services Are Included in Outsourced Bookkeeping?
Outsourcing your bookkeeping saves time, money, and headaches – but only if you’re clear on what’s actually included.
Download Our Free Brochure →Some providers offer only basic categorization and disappear until tax time. Others deliver full financial visibility, monthly reporting, and CPA coordination.
Here’s a clear breakdown of what should be included in a solid outsourced bookkeeping package, and how to make sure you’re not overpaying for partial service.
1. Transaction Categorization
This is the foundation. Every transaction from your bank, credit card, and payment processors should be:
- Downloaded or synced automatically
- Categorized to the correct expense or income account
- Reviewed for duplicates or misclassifications
- Flagged for clarification when needed
Accurate categorization ensures your financial reports are trustworthy.
2. Monthly Reconciliation
Reconciling is the process of verifying that your financial records match your bank and credit card statements.
Outsourced bookkeeping should include:
- Monthly reconciliation of all accounts
- Correction of discrepancies
- Bank feed reviews
- Loan and liability account checks
If your accounts aren’t reconciled monthly, you’re not audit-ready – period.
3. Standard Financial Reports
A good bookkeeping provider delivers monthly reports you can use, including:
Download Our Free Brochure →- Profit and Loss (P&L)
- Balance Sheet
- Cash Flow Statement
- Custom reports (if applicable)
These reports should be delivered by a predictable date each month (usually by the 10th-15th).
Explore our monthly bookkeeping services to see how we standardize reporting for businesses of all sizes.
4. CPA Coordination
Your outsourced bookkeeping team should:
- Provide year-end financials to your CPA
- Answer their questions during tax prep
- Help reconcile any final entries before filing
- Grant access to QuickBooks or your accounting platform
This keeps your tax filing smooth and error-free – and avoids paying your CPA to clean up someone else’s mess.
5. Catch-Up or Cleanup Support (When Needed)
If you’re behind or your books are messy, cleanup is often the first step. Many outsourced firms offer:
- Historical transaction import and categorization
- Fixing opening balances
- Reviewing and rebuilding your chart of accounts
- Reconciling past months
Visit our catch-up bookkeeping services to learn how we bring businesses current quickly.
6. Secure Access and Data Handling
You should expect:
- Encrypted portals or cloud storage for uploads
- Role-based access to your data
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Direct login access to your accounting software
If you’re emailing spreadsheets – you’re at risk.
7. Add-On Services (Optional)
While not always included, the best outsourced firms offer optional add-ons like:
- Payroll integration
- Invoicing and AR tracking
- Bill pay and AP processing
- Sales tax filing
- Inventory tracking
- 1099 preparation
These can be layered on as your business grows.
Test Case: Construction Company in Arizona
A small construction firm needed monthly reports, catch-up on 6 months of missing entries, and CPA coordination before filing.
RemoteBooksOnline:
- Delivered full catch-up and reconciliation in 10 days
- Built custom P&L reports for each job
- Coordinated with their CPA and provided full tax-ready reports
They avoided penalties, stayed on schedule, and got approved for a line of credit using the new reports.
FAQs
What’s not included in basic bookkeeping?
Tax filing, payroll processing, and bill payments are typically add-ons. Basic bookkeeping covers categorization, reconciliation, and reporting.
Can I customize my bookkeeping plan?
Yes. Most providers offer flexible packages with optional add-ons based on your business needs.
Do I need QuickBooks to use outsourced bookkeeping?
No – but it helps. Most outsourced services integrate with QuickBooks Online, Xero, or similar platforms.
Will I have to train the bookkeeper?
No. A good outsourced provider will handle onboarding and learn your workflows without needing daily hand-holding.
Is outsourced bookkeeping secure?
Yes – if you’re using a professional firm with secure data handling, encrypted portals, and limited access controls.
Outsourced bookkeeping should include everything you need to run your business with confidence – from clean books to monthly reports to CPA coordination. RemoteBooksOnline offers full-service, flat-rate bookkeeping you can count on.
Get a free quote today and see what we include – and what others leave out.
