Part of our guide: Offshore bookkeeping for US small businesses
An offshore bookkeeper can be as safe as a local one when the controls are designed in, not bolted on. This checklist is part of our offshore bookkeeping guide.
Who should have access to what?
- Accounting software: a named user for the bookkeeper with role-appropriate permissions in QuickBooks Online or Xero. Not the company admin account.
- Banking: no online-banking logins. The bookkeeper works from bank feeds and statements you share.
- Bill pay: the bookkeeper can enter and prepare bills; you (or another owner) approve and release payments.
- Payroll: view or preparer access only, if any.
What approval rules should you set?
Separate preparing from approving. The bookkeeper prepares; an owner approves. Set a dollar threshold above which a second approver is required, and turn on approval workflows in your bill-pay tool.
How do you handle vendor bank-detail changes?
This is where most payment fraud happens. Any request to change a vendor's bank details must be verified by phone using a number already on file, never one in the request email. The bookkeeper flags; the owner verifies. See payment fraud controls.
Which reconciliations should be routine?
- Bank and credit card accounts monthly (weekly for busy accounts).
- Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify) against deposits.
- Loan and payroll liability accounts at month-end.
Our bank reconciliation guide walks through each.
What should the monthly close produce?
A short pack: reconciliations, a list of uncategorized items, accruals or adjustments proposed, and questions for you. Your CPA keeps tax and advisory work. See preparing books for your CPA.
Checklist
- [ ] Named user, least privilege, MFA
- [ ] No banking passwords shared
- [ ] Prepare/approve separated; thresholds set
- [ ] Vendor bank changes verified by phone
- [ ] Monthly reconciliations scheduled
- [ ] Close pack template agreed
- [ ] Offboarding: access removed the same day
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