Finding QuickBooks ProAdvisor for your Business Bookkeeping. When it comes to accounting for a small business, initially, it can be taken care of with spreadsheets without much hassle. But as the business grows, it can become a major impediment to your time, productivity, and getting things done. This is when you need professional help with your bookkeeping and accounting practices for a better grip on the finances. Fortunately, there are QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor who can make your life easier.
This blog is an attempt to interest business owners who are essentially looking for professional help to manage their finances but are seeking additional information to get ahead with the process. Before we go into the details, let’s understand the profession better.
Who is a QuickBooks Online Proadvisor?
For the uninitiated, a QuickBooks Pro Advisor is a bookkeeper, accountant, or QuickBooks expert who has a paid membership for the QuickBooks Pro Advisor program. This is a service launched by QuickBooks which allows small business owners access to qualified and vetted professionals who can provide assistance in managing and operating QuickBooks software.
Professionals who become eligible are required to pass a test that certifies them to be having in-depth knowledge about QuickBooks and basic accounting practices. Besides this, they are required to work publicly as an accountant, bookkeeper, or QuickBooks consultant to join the program. However, there is no need for a CPA license to join the program.
Finding a QuickBooks Proadvisor for your Small Business
Now that we have clarity on QuickBooks Pro Advisor, we can turn our attention to finding a QuickBooks Online Proadvisor in a step-by-step manner. Here it is:
Step 1: Elaborate on the Accountant you Need
Make a list of what you are looking for in an accountant, it could be experienced in a specific niche, familiarity with software, or just a specific personality type.
Specify whether you are looking for someone locally based or you can go along with someone remotely located. There are pros and cons associated with both kinds, select someone that suits your business style.
Define the scope of work beforehand, it could be limited to training you on QuickBooks and occasional follow-ups to clarify doubts. Or, it could be about setting things up and consulting with you on a regular basis.
Step 2: Conduct a local search on the QuickBooks website:
The best place to look for a QuickBooks advisor is on their website. You can conduct a local search which would provide you sorted results based on – distance from your business/ address, number of certifications, reviews, and some other factors. Further, professionals with advanced certification tend to show up first on the search results.
Step 3: Expand your Search
If you are not convinced about results on the QuickBooks site, you can expand your search into accounting blogs, Linked In, and Facebook Groups. Another approach for finding QuickBooks ProAdvisor for your business bookkeeping is to ask for referrals, you could ask your lawyer, banker, or tap into your industry network to get a recommendation for a good accountant.
Step 4: Deepen your Research
Once you have found someone, it is necessary that you check for their credentials and what they say about themselves, and the kind of client reviews they have been receiving. Also, it can be a good idea to check on social media presence, read their published articles online, and do they come with any kind of specialized service for accounting and bookkeeping.
Step 5: Reach Out with an Email
Reach out to this professional with an email and articulate your needs clearly and the kind of business that you operate. In addition, check with them for an introductory phone call on a chargeable basis, giving due respect to their schedule. Some questioning during the call about their credential will help you evaluate your option on whether to go ahead or look someplace else.
Before making up your mind, check with them about their working style, how they bill, Apps they are familiar with, how they would rectify a mistake, and the frequency & medium of communication. Once you have clarity on all such details, you are all set for hiring a QBO Pro Advisor.
Conclusion:
While the process may be straightforward, finding QuickBooks ProAdvisor for your Business Bookkeeping and hiring accounting and bookkeeping professionals is an essential & requisite component of your business. As a responsible and committed business owner, you have to spend enough time and effort in making that choice. After all, it is a responsible position and you need to ensure that matters related to finance are handled by someone with enough experience and knowledge. You really do not want to hire someone and regret it later. Above all, financial health is integral to the survival of your business.