You do not need to have every record perfectly organised before starting a conversation. The aim is to understand what exists, what is outstanding and who is responsible for the next step.
1. Agree the scope and transition date
Start by defining which services are changing: bookkeeping, financial reporting, tax work, VAT-related support, payroll, or a combination. Confirm the intended handover date and who will handle work already in progress. A simple written list prevents assumptions on both sides.
- List the services you expect the new practice to manage.
- Confirm the final period handled by the previous provider and the first period handled by the new one.
- Ask for a list of work in progress, known issues and upcoming deadlines.
- Identify any reconciliations, submissions or reports that still need attention.
2. Gather the core accounting records
The exact records depend on your business and the services involved. Useful starting points include an accounting-system export or backup, trial balance, general ledger, bank statements, reconciliation reports, sales and purchase records, asset and loan schedules, and copies of relevant submissions or correspondence.
- Accounting system access or a complete data export.
- Bank and payment-provider statements with reconciliation status.
- Sales invoices, supplier invoices, receipts and expense records.
- Asset, loan, financing and other schedules used to support the accounts.
- Copies of prior financial statements, management reports and relevant tax/VAT records, where applicable.
4. Manage access and responsibilities securely
Use secure, individually assigned access wherever available rather than sending shared passwords in ordinary email. Confirm who can authorise payments, approve reports, access payroll information and make changes to accounting records. Keep a record of access that should be removed from the former provider.
- Confirm the business owner or authorised contact for decisions.
- Set up access for the new practice using the system’s supported process.
- Review permissions after the transition.
- Agree how confidential documents will be transferred.
5. Establish a repeatable routine
Once the handover is complete, agree a simple cadence for providing records, reviewing queries and issuing reports. Clear cut-off dates and named contacts can help reduce last-minute work and make it easier to spot missing information.
- Agree how records will be shared each month.
- Set a regular point for queries and approvals.
- Decide which management reports are useful and how often they are needed.
- Review the process after the first full reporting cycle.
Important: This checklist is general organisational guidance. The specific documents, authorisations and filing responsibilities that apply will depend on your business, engagement and current obligations.
Want help putting this into practice?
Accurixx can discuss the accounting or payroll support that fits your business and the work you need completed. The right scope should be agreed around your circumstances.