A new bookkeeping client arrives with a business, a bank account and a folder of records in whatever order they were kept. This checklist groups what to collect before the first close: the engagement details, access to the books and accounts, the records behind the opening balances, and the prior-year information that explains them. Collect it once, at the start, instead of asking for the same records every month.
Who sends itSent by the firm to a new bookkeeping client after the engagement letter is signed and before the first month-end close. The firm sets one due date for the onboarding items, then moves the client to the recurring monthly checklist.
Reviewed November 3, 2026 · 33 items
0 of 33 ticked
01Engagement and entity details
02Books and accounts
03Sales, payroll and vendors
04Prior returns and compliance
05Access and handoff
What firms get wrong
Starting the first close before the opening balances are agreed, which makes every later reconciliation a guess.
Asking for software access without asking who owns the file, which can leave the client unable to remove the firm later.
Collecting the prior-year return but not the prior trial balance, so the bookkeeper cannot explain the difference between the two.
Missing the states where the business has employees or sales, which leaves payroll and sales tax registrations off the onboarding list.
Sending the monthly checklist before the onboarding items are complete, so the client receives two lists at once.
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Questions about this checklist
What should a bookkeeping client send before the first close?
Start with the engagement letter, the entity details, access to the accounting file, a list of bank and card accounts, and the statements for the current year. Add the prior bookkeeper's close package and the prior-year return so the opening balances can be checked.
How many months of bank statements should a new client provide?
At minimum, every month from January 1 of the current year through the month the firm starts. If the prior year has not been closed, ask for the prior year too, so the opening balances and the year-end return agree.
Do clients have to give the firm access to QuickBooks or Xero?
An accountant user invitation is the cleanest handoff because it keeps the client as the file owner and gives the firm the access it needs. If the client will not share access, ask for a full export and agree who will enter the monthly transactions.
What if the prior books are messy or incomplete?
Ask for the prior trial balance and the prior bookkeeper's close package first. If the books need cleanup, scope that as a separate project before the first monthly close, so the recurring work starts from a known opening balance.
How long does bookkeeping onboarding usually take?
The records usually arrive over one to two weeks, depending on how quickly the client can get bank statements and software access. Set a single due date for the onboarding list, then move the client to the recurring monthly checklist.