What Should a Bookkeeper Review When Assessing a Business’s Books?
When you hire a bookkeeper, you want more than someone just “categorizing transactions” in QuickBooks Online. A professional bookkeeper knows that your books are more than just numbers—they’re the roadmap to your business’s financial health.
If your bookkeeper isn’t reviewing the whole picture before working with you, it’s a red flag. A real professional will take time to evaluate all the moving parts of your accounting system, not just the Profit & Loss.
Key Areas a Bookkeeper Should Review
Here’s what a thorough bookkeeping assessment should include:
Balance Sheet – Are assets, liabilities, and equity accounts accurate? Many problems hide here, not in the P&L.
Chart of Accounts – Is it clean, streamlined, and easy to read? Overloaded or duplicate accounts create reporting chaos.
Products and Services List – Do they match actual business offerings? Are they connected properly to accounts?
Accounts Receivable (A/R) – Are there unpaid invoices lingering from years ago? Are payments properly applied?
Accounts Payable (A/P) – Do bills show as overdue even after they’ve been paid? This can distort liabilities.
Reconciliation History – Are bank and credit card accounts reconciled monthly? Missing reconciliations = inaccurate reports.
QuickBooks Online Settings – Are tax rates, users, classes, and automations set up correctly? Wrong settings can create costly errors.
Payroll & Sales Tax – Are filings aligned with what’s in QBO? Misalignment here often leads to IRS or state notices.
A professional bookkeeper won’t just look at one report—they’ll dig into all of these areas to make sure your books are accurate, reliable, and tax-ready.
Why This Matters
Accurate books are the foundation for smarter business decisions. Without a thorough review, you risk:
Overstating or understating income
Misreporting taxes
Making decisions based on inaccurate numbers
Struggling with cash flow planning
When you’re trusting someone with your finances, you want to be confident they’re looking at the whole story.
FAQ: Bookkeeper Reviews
Q: How often should my books be reviewed thoroughly?
At least annually, but ideally every quarter for growing businesses.
Q: Can I do this review myself?
You can check the basics, but a trained QuickBooks ProAdvisor will spot issues most owners miss.
Q: Why does a clean Chart of Accounts matter?
Because messy accounts = messy reports. It’s harder to see where your money is really going.
👉 Ready for a professional review of your books?
Book a free consultation with Dr. Bryan Raya, QuickBooks ProAdvisor here:
https://calendly.com/dbr_bookkeeping/30-minute-zoom-consultation-call
Let’s start Doing Business Right!