Ever think you asked for a specific invoice or report only to receive something completely different? We’ve all been there—and it seems to happen with increasing frequency throughout many businesses—and in the course of our observations, we have also noticed that business owners are often at a loss as to how to fix the problem. Some assume it is laziness or distraction on the part of the bookkeeper (it could be) but others recognize it is more likely that breaks in communication and interpretation allow for significant variance in even routine tasks. To fix this problem in your accounting workflow, we have put together tips for the best way to communicate with your bookkeeper.
Create dedicated, focused time to review and request bookkeeping information.
All too often, business owners request information on the fly and without much context. Perhaps you’re working on approving the final budget for next year but want to reference your current year T&E to make sure projections are on par before approving an increase to the marketing budget. You pick up the phone and ask your bookkeeper to run the numbers for T&E. Except when you get them, the report is for the past three months, when there was a lull in your event calendar. And, the receipts haven’t been fully collected or processed yet so your T&E look abnormally low.
So what happened here? In all likelihood, your request was delivered without context or explanation. Without it, your bookkeeper couldn’t think about the big picture of the information’s purpose and didn’t make adjustments to give you information that you could actually use intelligently.
So what do you do? Set aside dedicated meeting times to review and request bookkeeping information. Whether it makes sense to schedule regular weekly meetings or simply make the time to sit down and discuss without distraction, making sure to have a full dialogue will help clarify your requests and get you the information you need.
Document all requests in writing and create notes for every exchange.
One of the hallmarks of our company is our note taking workflow for every client exchange. We prefer email-based communication for requests so that everything is documented but we also make sure to take and share extensive notes after meetings.
The notes are kept in the client file but also shared with all parties involved. This gives our clients the opportunity to clarify any notes that may have been miscommunicated or misinterpreted so that risks are further reduced. By creating an ongoing process of documenting meeting notes and sharing them after, you create a well-documented, transparent flow of information for everyone, which helps mitigate expectations and potential problems.
Give specific, detailed feedback and have regular reviews
Like any other employee, bookkeepers benefit from regular performance reviews. Are you not getting what you want or in a timeline you want? Establishing benchmarks and set deadlines for various reporting requirements will help keep employees accountable and on task. If there is currently confusion about expectations and deliverables, this is an excellent way to remedy the situation and set a more productive course.
Of course, if your bookkeeper is consistently missing deadlines or providing inaccurate data, especially after implementing these strategies, it may simply be time to review alternatives for bookkeeping. You may want to consider outsourcing your bookkeeping to a company that will manage bookkeepers for you or simply look at new hiring options.
