What to expect when you work with a bookkeeper in Melbourne

You’ve finally reached the point where your finances have gotten too large or complicated for you to manage on your own.

On the one hand this is a good thing: it means that you’re doing well and expanding.

On the other hand however, it also raises some issues: namely, you’re going to have to change up your financial reporting and tracking to keep up with things!

You can look after sales, marketing and operations, but past a certain point, bookkeeping becomes something that you need to outsource to the professionals.

Working with a bookkeeper in Melbourne is one of the best decisions that you can make as a growing business.

Don’t know what to expect when you work with a new Melbourne bookkeeper?

We get it – it’s new territory for you, especially if it’s your first time in business. 

Our team can’t speak for all bookkeepers in Melbourne – however, we can give you a general idea of what to expect as you start working with our team of professional bookkeepers!

It isn’t all business: choose a Melbourne bookkeeper who you ‘click’ with

Obviously, the first thing your Melbourne bookkeeper needs to do is get to know you and your needs. That means a catch up (even virtually!) where they get to know your business, as well as your goals and current financial situation.

They’ll ask you things like:

• Your business structure
• How you pay your bills
• Whether you’re registered for GST
• How many hours you spend bookkeeping each week

Of course, it isn’t all business!

Trust is a key part of the bookkeeping relationship. You need to trust your bookkeeper in Melbourne – they’ll be looking after your finances, after all.

Part of establishing this trust is presenting a plan that lets you know that your business is in good hands. Another part of that is making a connection on a personal level!

Remember to bring a copy of your finances if you can

This step isn’t mandatory – however, it’ll make our job much easier!

While we can offer some advice based on what you tell us, come equipped with some numbers and we’ll be able to offer much more in-depth information:

• Tax returns
• Cash flow reports
• Bank statements
• Spreadsheets

Even some rough numbers can be a huge help!

This sort of information helps your prospective bookkeeper in Melbourne assess your current financial circumstances and make suggestions right there and then.

Not only does it help us get a better idea of where your business is, but it helps you as well!

Seeing is believing. You want to make sure that your bookkeeper knows their stuff – if they can offer you great insight right from the bat, put them on your shortlist.

It’s all about understanding your industry

Different types of businesses have different goals, including different financial ones.

When choosing a bookkeeper in Melbourne for your business, it’s important that you choose one that has experience working with businesses in your industry.

Experience matters when it comes to choosing your Melbourne bookkeeper.

No matter what type of industry your business belongs to, your bookkeeper should be able to speak your jargon and understand what businesses like yours want.

Most importantly, they’ll also need to know what goals your business has, as well as insight in your industry.

As part of your initial consultation, your bookkeeper will ask all sorts of questions about your industry in order to get a better idea of what your business aspires to.

We’ll ask about your bookkeeping

How do you do it right now? What programs do you use? Do you feel like your time is being consumed by hasty bookkeeping?

These questions can tell us a lot about where your bookkeeping needs improvement or optimising.

Using the wrong system can soak up valuable time. Worst of all, it can also result in easily avoidable errors and mistakes in your reports – something that can have a major impact on your business and decision-making.

Our job isn’t just to look after the numbers and provide accurate numbers – equally as important is saving business owners like you time.

Oftentimes, overhauling your current bookkeeping system can be all it takes to achieve both of those goals.

During your initial consultation, expect any reputable bookkeeper in Melbourne to quiz you about your current bookkeeping system. Be prepared to provide specific answers regarding time, processes, software, and importantly, pain points.

You are also free to ask your questions! In this article, we gave out 4 important questions to ask your bookkeeper and why they matter.

Expect the conversation to shift to cloud bookkeeping

Cloud bookkeeping is the latest and greatest in bookkeeping, and for good reason:

• It can automate large parts of your bookkeeping
• You’ll save considerable amounts of time
• Gain the ability to access your financials and records from any place or device
• User-friendly alternative to traditional bookkeeping systems

Our cloud bookkeepers in Melbourne have helped countless small businesses make their bookkeeping simpler, faster and more accurate than ever before.

As such, you can expect the conversation to shift towards cloud bookkeeping at some point!

You can expect your bookkeeper to tell you about the benefits of cloud bookkeeping, and how it can improve your processes, security, and record-keeping.

As part of your initial consultation, they may also tell you how specific cloud bookkeeping systems like MYOB Essentials, Xero and QuickBooks can be integrated into your current operations.

Worried about outsourcing a bookkeeper? You can visit this article where our bookkeepers in Melbourne busted some common myths about outsourced bookkeeping services.

Set the right expectations when choosing a Melbourne bookkeeper

Numbers are at the heart of any business – make sure your numbers are accurate by bringing a Melbourne bookkeeper on into your business.

Maximum Business Solutions specialises in helping small and medium-sized businesses like yours with innovative bookkeeping solutions.

We promise to:

• Save you time
• Take away the stress of bookkeeping
• Provide actionable advice
• Improve financial transparency

Optimise your bookkeeping processes and start saving valuable time today – book a consultation with us, or get in touch by calling  (03) 9589 0128.