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Laura_Siegel
Level 3

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

Hi again.  I have set up a meeting with my client re: the bakery bookkeeping and I want to be able to give them an idea of how much time it will take me to do the work for them.  Weekly or daily.  I am hoping you can give me idea of what it takes so I can quote them as close to it as I can.  I would love some ideas.  I appreicate any feedback.  I am meeting wih them on Tuesday.  Thanks and happy Sunday.

Solved
Best answer March 10, 2018

Best Answers
Rustler
Level 15

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients


@Laura_Siegelwrote:

Thanks for your reply.    Great questions. I can answer some of what you ask.  Since they are not opened yet, we are working thorugh the details now.  It is a small Cafe with mostly baked goods and drinks. Payroll is being done through Square but I will have to enter manually since I am not using QBO.  Inventory has not been worked out yet and I am not sure if I am going to be using a 3rd party software or Square.  It depends on the level of detail they want but at our meeting we should start to figure that out.

 

As we work through all of this, I need to quote them something and don't know exaclty where to start.  Of course it will evolve but they need to have a starting point.  Thoughts?


Bakery - do not use inventory for products being sold.  You should use inventory for non perishable items, plates, cups forks etc that you buy in bulk. Perishable ingredients should just be posted to COGS when purchased.

 

Use service type items for any sales, the company should be using a POS system and all you do is enter daily summary sales.

 

End of week, have them give you a count of the non perishable things, actual counts need to happen at year end,  and maybe quarterly, but other wise they can just count full packages and approximate the open packages.

 

In QB, create a customer called inhouse, when you get the count, "sell" the items to the inhouse customer for a zero sales price - that reduces inventory and posts the costs of inventory "sold" to COGS

 

With all that in mind, set an hourly rate as suggested and let them know once things settle down, the rate will be adjusted, or moved to a flat monthly rate

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7 Comments 7
Anonymous
Not applicable

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

Hey @Laura_Siegel,

 

Good question, but I will answer with another question. Do you know the current state of their accounting and everything related (i.e. inventory, payroll, etc)?

 

The first few weeks will probably require several more hours than a month out once you have everything organized in a way that makes sense to you and the client. It also depends on the volume and complexity of their operation. Do you have those details?

 

Hope this helps!

Laura_Siegel
Level 3

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

Thanks for your reply.    Great questions. I can answer some of what you ask.  Since they are not opened yet, we are working thorugh the details now.  It is a small Cafe with mostly baked goods and drinks. Payroll is being done through Square but I will have to enter manually since I am not using QBO.  Inventory has not been worked out yet and I am not sure if I am going to be using a 3rd party software or Square.  It depends on the level of detail they want but at our meeting we should start to figure that out.

 

As we work through all of this, I need to quote them something and don't know exaclty where to start.  Of course it will evolve but they need to have a starting point.  Thoughts?

WineGuy
Level 5

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

Hi Laura.  Too many unknowns & variables here to quote a flat rate.  I would suggest you go hourly.  Less stress for you in the long run!

Rustler
Level 15

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients


@Laura_Siegelwrote:

Thanks for your reply.    Great questions. I can answer some of what you ask.  Since they are not opened yet, we are working thorugh the details now.  It is a small Cafe with mostly baked goods and drinks. Payroll is being done through Square but I will have to enter manually since I am not using QBO.  Inventory has not been worked out yet and I am not sure if I am going to be using a 3rd party software or Square.  It depends on the level of detail they want but at our meeting we should start to figure that out.

 

As we work through all of this, I need to quote them something and don't know exaclty where to start.  Of course it will evolve but they need to have a starting point.  Thoughts?


Bakery - do not use inventory for products being sold.  You should use inventory for non perishable items, plates, cups forks etc that you buy in bulk. Perishable ingredients should just be posted to COGS when purchased.

 

Use service type items for any sales, the company should be using a POS system and all you do is enter daily summary sales.

 

End of week, have them give you a count of the non perishable things, actual counts need to happen at year end,  and maybe quarterly, but other wise they can just count full packages and approximate the open packages.

 

In QB, create a customer called inhouse, when you get the count, "sell" the items to the inhouse customer for a zero sales price - that reduces inventory and posts the costs of inventory "sold" to COGS

 

With all that in mind, set an hourly rate as suggested and let them know once things settle down, the rate will be adjusted, or moved to a flat monthly rate

Laura_Siegel
Level 3

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

Thank you for your very informative reply.  This is great stuff.  Houry is definately the way to go.  We are planning to meet this coming week and I hope to get a better idea of it all.  I really like your infomation on set up.  Thanks!!

Laura_Siegel
Level 3

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

Thank you for your reply.  I am having a meeting with the client this coming week and I apprecaite your suggestion of hourly.  It seems to be the best way to go at this point.  

 

Also I realy like your member name - "WineGuy"  :)  

jerold3095
Level 2

Quotes for New Bookkeeping Clients

We are a bookkeeping company that is tied to my ProAdvisor status....i have been billing hourly rates for the last 4 years and it is becoming a pain........it is your every day entering checks posting deposits expenses etc.....some of them have payroll as well.  Instead of billing hourly i would like to move to flat monthly fee......what are the going rates.....I am in Wisconsin so I get the market might be a bit different but just trying to get an idea on how people are doing it 

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