Many US small businesses now keep their books with an offshore team. Done well, you get books closed on time every month at a lower cost than a local hire. Done badly, you get delays and questions you cannot answer. Here is what a good arrangement looks like.

What is included

• Recording income, expenses and payroll journals in QuickBooks Online or Xero.
• Reconciling every bank, credit card and merchant account monthly.
• Managing accounts receivable and payable, if you want it.
• Monthly financial statements: P&L, balance sheet and cash flow.
• Year-end schedules for your CPA, who prepares and signs the tax return.

Time zones work in your favor

An India-based team works while you sleep. Documents sent at the end of your day are processed by the next morning. Agree a daily overlap window for calls, usually early morning US Eastern or late evening India.

Security you should expect

• Access through your own software logins, with user-level permissions.
• No local storage of your documents on personal devices.
• Confidentiality agreements with every team member.
• Multi-factor authentication on every account.

Read how we handle this on our security page.

Questions to ask a provider

1. Who reviews the work, and what are their qualifications?
2. What is the monthly close date?
3. How do you handle questions about unclear transactions?
4. What happens if my bookkeeper leaves?

Get a proposal for your business.

Frequently asked questions