Process (SOP) Writer
Turn how you actually do something into a clear, step-by-step process document someone else could follow.
What it produces
Real output from this tool, not a mock-up.
What went in
- What the process is
- Onboarding a new bookkeeping client
- How it actually works
- Set them up in Xero or connect theirs. Get the engagement letter signed from the Dropbox template. Request last 12 months bank statements, previous year accounts, VAT number, payroll details. Set up the shared folder. Run the intro call checklist about how they send receipts. Set recurring tasks in Karbon, monthly or quarterly depending on VAT period. Common mistake is setting the VAT period wrong which throws everything off later. If they're transferring from another accountant we must send a professional clearance letter first and wait for a response before doing anything else.
- Who this is for
- A new junior bookkeeper who has done the training but never onboarded a client alone
Overview
This is a walkthrough for onboarding a new bookkeeping client once they have signed up with the firm. It's meant for a junior bookkeeper who has been through training but hasn't run an onboarding on their own yet, so it spells out the order things need to happen in and what to check at each stage. Use it end to end for every new client. If the client is moving over from another accountant, there's a mandatory pause near the start of the process while you wait for professional clearance, so don't skip ahead on those cases even if the client is pushing for speed.
Steps
- Check whether the client is transferring from another accountant. If they are, send the professional clearance letter to the previous accountant first and wait for their response before doing anything else in this list. Do not set up Xero, request documents, or take any other onboarding action until clearance comes back.
- Set the client up in Xero: create a new organisation for them, or connect their existing Xero organisation if they already have one set up.
- Send the engagement letter for signature, using the template stored in Dropbox under Templates/Engagement. Do not move on to requesting documents until this is signed and returned.
- Request the following from the client: the last 12 months of bank statements, their previous year's accounts, their VAT registration number if they have one, and payroll details if the firm will be handling payroll for them.
- Set up the shared folder for the client where documents, statements, and other files will be exchanged and stored going forward.
- Book and run the intro call with the client. Work through the standard checklist on this call, which mainly covers how the client wants to send receipts on an ongoing basis.
- Set up the recurring tasks in Karbon for the client, choosing a monthly or quarterly schedule based on their VAT period. Double check the VAT period is entered correctly at this stage, since getting it wrong is the most common mistake and it causes problems with all the recurring tasks and filings later on.
When to use it
Use this when a process lives in your head and needs to live in a document. Describe how it actually works, including the exceptions and the bit everyone gets wrong, and you get a numbered procedure someone else could follow without asking you.