There’s an awful lot to be said for “in person” kinds of folks. These are people who’d just as soon go out of their way to speak to you face to face instead of sending you an email, or who’d much rather pick up the phone to discuss matters than shoot you an instant message. But when it comes to accounting practices and working with a remote accountant, it may be in your best interest to become more of an "e-communicator."
The reason this is a good idea has nothing to do with a lack of desire to foster a good working relationship with your outsourced accounting department. What it does have to do with, however, is the proper and legal documentation of communications.
For example, at AccountingDepartment.com we accomplish keep an entire accounting department on track through email and Skype messages that serve to leave a “paper trail” of instructions and unambiguous requests. Needless to say it’s not all accounting software entry and e-discussions; our clients can still pick up the phone and speak directly to their AccountingDepartment.com specialist if necessary--but the paper trails create the kind of documentation and supporting notes that directly translate to better bookkeeping (and record keeping).
Why Does Better Financial Record Keeping Matter To You?
You might have a thousand minute details that need attention at any given moment. After all, you're a business owner responsible for growth and performance. Keeping all this information at the forefront of your mind is hard--even for the most organized of company leaders. But it gets even trickier when you factor in accounting details, especially those with scheduled deadlines and turnaround times. Your bookkeeper is going to work with you to ensure that these dates are adhered to--but it is in your best interest if every conversation is well documented. Do you need a financial report addressed? Sending an email will allow everyone involved the opportunity to flag it as a task and queue it for response in the appropriate time frame.
