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Several months behind
Bring overdue bookkeeping periods into an organized workflow, based on the records available and the agreed scope.
Catch-up & cleanup bookkeeping
Get your books back to a place you can trust.
Behind on bookkeeping? Unsure whether old balances are right? Accountrise helps organize historical records, work through reconciliations, and give you a clearer starting point for decisions and tax-preparer review.
Clear scope, agreed priorities, and a documented handoff.
The cleanup planStructured workflow
From scattered records
to a clearer picture.
A practical sequence for reviewing and organizing past periods.
Review the starting point
Periods, access, records, and known issues
Organize transactions
Categorization and exception review
Reconcile key accounts
Compare books with available statements
Prepare a handoff
Reports, open questions, and next steps
Exact scope and timing are set after reviewing the records and the periods involved.
Historical periodsWork through overdue months
Account reconciliationInvestigate discrepancies
Useful reportingClearer view of the records
Start where you are
Messy books rarely fix themselves.
When bookkeeping falls behind, it can become harder to understand cash flow, answer questions, or prepare for a tax professional. The first step is to identify what is missing, what can be reconciled, and what needs clarification.
Talk through your situation02
Accounts that do not reconcile
Compare accounting balances with bank, credit-card, and other source statements to locate discrepancies and document items that need follow-up.
03
Unclear categories or old balances
Review transaction coding, unusual balances, and available supporting information before making appropriate corrections.
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A deadline or handoff approaching
Prioritize the periods and accounts that matter most, then provide a clear view of completed work and any remaining open questions.
What the engagement can cover
Cleanup work with a clear purpose.
Each project is scoped to the condition of the books, the periods involved, and the information available. Depending on your needs, support can include:
Historical transaction review
Review and categorize past transactions using the accounting records and supporting documents available.
Bank and credit-card reconciliations
Reconcile agreed accounts against statements and flag differences that require additional evidence or decisions.
Balance-sheet account review
Review selected balances and investigate items such as uncleared transactions or unexplained balances within scope.
Financial reports
Prepare relevant reports from the records after the agreed bookkeeping and reconciliation work is completed.
Open-items summary
Document missing information, unresolved differences, and questions that need owner, management, or tax-professional input.
Organized handoff
Share the agreed reports and a practical next-step list so you or your CPA can continue with a clearer record.
A measured process
Understand the books before rushing to fix them.
The goal is to work from evidence, make the scope visible, and keep you informed as issues are resolved.
No two cleanups are identical. Work begins after scope, access, and responsibilities are agreed.
01
Review & scope
Confirm periods, software, account list, source records, immediate deadlines, and known pain points.
02
Organize & reconcile
Work through transactions and agreed account reconciliations, recording exceptions that need clarification.
03
Resolve & review
Address supported corrections and share questions when records are missing or an accounting decision is needed.
04
Report & hand off
Deliver the agreed outputs, summarize open items, and discuss ongoing bookkeeping if useful.
Timeline depends on the records. We propose a realistic schedule after understanding the backlog, statement availability, transaction volume, and review requirements.
Ways to work together
Start with the size of the problem.
Choose a focused cleanup, include a CPA-firm handoff, or plan for ongoing bookkeeping once historical periods are in better shape.
Catch-up bookkeeping
For books that are behind and need agreed historical periods brought up to date.
$15/ hour starting rate
- Transaction review and categorization
- Historical periods scoped up front
- Progress and open-items updates
Focused cleanup project
For records that need a closer look at unreconciled accounts, old balances, or transaction coding.
Scopedto your records
- Prioritized review based on needs
- Agreed reconciliation work
- Report and open-items handoff
Ongoing bookkeeping
For businesses that want to establish a consistent monthly routine after the historical work.
From $249/ month
- Monthly bookkeeping cadence
- Reconciliations and reporting in scope
- Scope agreed to transaction volume
Rates are indicative starting points, not a fixed quote. Final pricing depends on the periods involved, transaction volume, accounting platform, record quality, reconciliations, and reporting requirements. Tax preparation or filing is separate unless included in a written scope.
Practical support
Good cleanup is more than making entries.
Accountrise is a Chartered Accountant-led remote accounting firm supporting businesses and CPA firms. The work is organized around the records, the agreed deliverables, and a handoff that makes the next steps easier to understand.
Agreed scope firstKnow which periods and tasks are included.
Records-led reviewWork is grounded in statements and source data available.
Visible open itemsMissing information and decisions are surfaced, not hidden.
Useful final handoffReports and next steps aligned to the engagement.
Common questions
Know what to expect before you start.
Every cleanup depends on the state of the records. The initial conversation helps determine what is needed and whether the engagement is a fit.
Ask a questionWhat is the difference between catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping?
Catch-up bookkeeping brings missing periods up to date. Cleanup bookkeeping reviews existing entries and account balances to identify and resolve issues where supporting records and access are available. A project can involve one or both.
What information do you need to begin?
We typically start with accounting-system access, bank and credit-card statements for the relevant periods, existing bookkeeping files, and any available prior financial reports. The exact document list depends on the project.
Which accounting systems do you support?
Accountrise supports QuickBooks Online, Odoo, Zoho Books, and other cloud accounting workflows, depending on the project's requirements.
How is a cleanup project priced?
The indicative starting rate is $15 per hour. The final estimate depends on the number of periods, transaction volume, accounting system, reconciliation needs, and condition of the records. We can discuss the scope before work begins.
How long will the cleanup take?
Timing depends on how far behind the books are, the quality and completeness of source records, transaction volume, and the number of accounts that need reconciliation. A timeline can be proposed after an initial review.
Do you work with CPA firms as well as business owners?
Yes. Accountrise can provide catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping support to business owners and CPA firms. For CPA firms, the workflow and handoff can be aligned with the firm's review process and client-service needs.
Will the books be ready for tax filing after cleanup?
The goal is to provide better-organized bookkeeping records and reporting for review by the business owner or tax professional. Tax readiness depends on the records available and the requirements of the tax preparer; tax filing is a separate scope unless agreed otherwise.
A clearer next step
Let's make your books easier to work with.
Tell us which periods are behind, which system you use, and what needs attention first. We'll discuss the records, practical priorities, and a suitable scope for the work.