Email template
Bookkeeping cleanup request email
A cleanup starts with the records the client already has and the access the firm needs to see the rest. This email asks for the prior reconciliations, the backup file, the statements and the accountant invitations, and it explains why each one matters.
When to use it
Send this at the start of a cleanup or catch-up engagement, after the scope and the periods have been agreed.
Records and access for the bookkeeping cleanup
Hi {{client_name}},
We are ready to start the cleanup for {{period}}. To see what is already in the books and what is missing, we need the records below.
Please upload the documents here: {{checklist_link}}
The list includes the prior reconciliations, the accounting backup file, the bank and credit card statements, the payroll reports and the sales reports for the period. If you have a prior bookkeeper, ask them for the backup file and the reconciliations before their access ends.
For the online accounts, please send an accountant invitation from the bank, payroll, processor and accounting system. Do not send your password in an email.
Please send the records by {{due_date}}. If something on the list does not exist, say so in the note and we will work around it.
Thank you, {{firm_name}}
Replace the placeholders in braces with the client's details. Keep the client's tax ID or account number out of the email.
Notes before you send
- Ask for an accountant invitation, not a password or a shared login.
- Ask for the backup file before the prior bookkeeper's access is removed.
- Name the periods covered by the cleanup so the client does not send the wrong years.
- Ask for the prior reconciliations. They show what was already checked and what was plugged.
- Set a due date for the records and a separate date for the access invitations.
Questions about this template
What records does a cleanup need first?
The prior reconciliations, the accounting backup file, the bank and credit card statements, the payroll reports, the sales reports and the access invitations. The backup and the reconciliations show what the prior bookkeeper did.
Can the client send a password?
No. Ask for an accountant or read-only invitation from each account. A password in an email is a security risk and may violate the account's terms.
What if the prior bookkeeper will not send the backup?
The client usually owns the accounting file and can request it. If the prior bookkeeper does not respond, the firm can rebuild from the statements and the source documents, which takes longer.