Having good organization at year-end can be make or break for bookkeeping firms, which is why we want to make it even easier for you to get organized. It all starts with good checklists that are specific to your firm and your clients. In fact, we recently released a bundle of free sample checklists for year-end bookkeeping procedures to help you get started.
Aero makes it easy for you and your team to document your procedures AND edit them as you go along. While we have a good selection of sample year-end checklists that you can download and use now, we also want you to know how you can customize those checklists for specific client work… and why you should!
So… why customize your year-end checklists?
Basically, different clients have different problems that call for… very different solutions. For example, you probably set unique schedules for the various types of clients you work with. Your year-end work will depend a lot on whether your client is an individual or a business, what tax bracket they’re in, how many employees they have, and so much more. Your relationships with different clients will also affect your work. (Do you work in person or virtually? What forms of communication do they prefer?)
So what does this mean for your checklists? Since specific clients call for specific tasks, the ability to customize and edit your checklists is vital. It’s not really one-size-fits-all, and you definitely don’t want to miss a single step at year-end. Your clients are relying on you to cross out every little item in your procedure list.
You might find yourself adding items for clients that have more paperwork and/or assets. Maybe you’ll find yourself modifying time frames for your procedures depending on scheduling. Not every client will need the same reminders, so it’s important to make sure you aren’t unnecessarily spamming them. The type of firm you run will also change the way you interact with clients; if your bookkeeping firm is entirely online, onboarding new clients could look a lot different than usual. The important thing is to make sure you’re taking every small thing that makes your firm and your relationships with clients unique when you customize your checklists.
How do checklists work with Aero?
Aero Workflow is designed to help modern accounting and bookkeeping firms proactively manage work, scale their practice, and gain insight into their performance. One of the ways we do that is through checklists! Our smart checklists ensure that work can be performed by new and replacement staff. Step-by-step instructions on each checklist ensure consistent, detail-oriented, and accurate results.
We also understand how important customization is, which is why we made it simple to edit any of our checklist templates. All you have to do is navigate to “Checklist Templates” and click “view”. From there, you’ll be able to add, edit, or delete steps. You can also alter the order, add important links, and change the ID number.
Scheduled recurring tasks make sure client work doesn’t slip through the cracks. Work assignments in Aero empower staff with clear instructions and resources and remove roadblocks before they happen by sharing relevant client data, passwords, and history throughout the firm. As staff work their way through every checklist assigned to them, their time and work notes are also captured — and those notes can be valuable when it comes to modifying procedures for increased efficiency.
All client work you perform is unique in its own right, which is why it’s important to have flexible checklists that can be customized for your clients’ needs. With Aero Workflow, you get complete control. Schedule a demo with us today to find out more ways you can make your software work for you!
