Bookkeeping Outsourcing Checklist: What to Consider Before You Start

For many Australian businesses and accounting firms, outsourcing bookkeeping is an efficient way to reduce costs, free up time, and access skilled professionals. But before you hand over your financial processes, it’s important to have a clear checklist to ensure everything is properly set up for success.

This guide provides a practical bookkeeping outsourcing checklist to help you manage risk, streamline onboarding, and maximise results.

Step 1: Define Your Goals

Before you outsource, be clear on what you want to achieve.

• Do you want to save time on data entry and reconciliations?
  
  
• Reduce overhead costs?
  
  
• Scale your firm with additional bookkeeping resources?
  
  
• Improve accuracy and reporting for your clients?
  
  

Having defined goals will guide your outsourcing partner in setting up the right processes.

Step 2: Choose the Right Outsourcing Partner

Not all providers are the same. Make sure to assess:

• Experience with Australian bookkeeping – including GST, BAS, payroll, and superannuation.
  
  
• Technology capability – familiarity with Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, or other systems your firm uses.
  
  
• Security standards – secure data handling, and confidentiality agreements.
  
  
• Client support – availability, communication processes, and escalation points.
  
  

Step 3: Map Out Your Processes

Clearly define the bookkeeping tasks you want to outsource:

• Bank reconciliations
  
  
• Accounts payable and receivable
  
  
• Payroll processing and superannuation
  
  
• BAS preparation
  
  
• Management reporting
  
  

Document your workflows and SOPs so your outsourcing team knows exactly how you want work to be completed.

Step 4: Prepare Your Data and Systems

Smooth onboarding depends on well-prepared systems.

• Ensure your accounting software is cloud-based and accessible.
  
  
• Organise existing client records and financial data.
  
  
• Set up user permissions for outsourced staff.
  
  
• Implement secure file sharing and communication tools.
  
  

Step 5: Set Clear Expectations

A successful outsourcing relationship depends on clear agreements.

• Define service level agreements (SLAs) and turnaround times.
  
  
• Establish quality checks and review processes.
  
  
• Clarify roles and responsibilities between your in-house and outsourced teams.
  
  
• Agree on communication methods (email, Teams, Slack, Zoom) and frequency.
  
  

Step 6: Address Risk and Compliance

Bookkeeping involves sensitive financial data, so risk management is critical.

• Ensure compliance with Australian regulations (ATO, Fair Work, Superannuation Guarantee).
  
  
• Sign NDAs and confidentiality agreements.
  
  
• Confirm your outsourcing provider has business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
  
  

Step 7: Monitor and Review Regularly

Outsourcing isn’t a “set and forget” process.

• Review performance against KPIs (accuracy, timeliness, client satisfaction).
  
  
• Schedule regular check-ins with your outsourcing partner.
  
  
• Collect feedback from clients and your internal team.
  
  
• Adjust processes as your business needs evolve.
  
  

Final Thoughts

Bookkeeping outsourcing can save your firm valuable time and resources but only if it’s done with the right planning and controls in place. By following this checklist, you’ll be well positioned to create a secure, efficient, and scalable outsourcing arrangement.

At BASE Global, we specialise in helping Australian businesses and accounting firms outsource bookkeeping to highly skilled professionals in the Philippines. Our structured onboarding process ensures that all the boxes in this checklist are ticked — giving you peace of mind while you focus on growing your business.

 Contact BASE Global today to discuss your bookkeeping outsourcing needs.

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