{"id":9138,"date":"2023-02-22T11:53:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T16:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/?p=9138"},"modified":"2025-04-04T04:29:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T08:29:39","slug":"free-onboarding-checklist-for-accountants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/free-onboarding-checklist-for-accountants\/","title":{"rendered":"Free onboarding checklist for accountants"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/category\/accountants\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Accountants<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFree onboarding checklist for accountants\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-02-22T11:53:19-05:00\">February 22, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Free onboarding checklist for accountants\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/free-onboarding-checklist-for-accountants\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/author\/ryangrundy\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/02\/Ryan-Grundy.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Ryan Grundy<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When you first decided to set up an accounting business, you probably had a vision. You imagined delivering an outstanding service to loads of great clients that recognized your value and rewarded you with money and enjoyable professional relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You probably didn\u2019t picture being called at 11pm the night before a major deadline to fix their mistakes. Or having to ask your team to put up with rudely worded emails. Or spending hours trying to fill gaps in someone\u2019s barely existent financial records.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In reality, it\u2019s rare not to have some clients you\u2019d secretly like to drop.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But here\u2019s the truth: You are (at least partially) responsible for these situations.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, some clients will always be difficult. But it\u2019s on you to manage their expectations and make it clear what your standards are.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This starts right at the beginning. On day 1. When you onboard them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll cover<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#how\" data-level=\"2\">How an onboarding process can create &ldquo;bad&rdquo; clients<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#why\" data-level=\"2\">Why you need an onboarding checklist (plus free template)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#to\" data-level=\"2\">How to evolve your onboarding process<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#final\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how\">How an onboarding process can create \u201cbad\u201d clients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t get us wrong\u2014your clients have no right to treat you badly. But if you don\u2019t have a solid onboarding process, it\u2019s simply more likely to happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because in many cases, the client won\u2019t even realize that what they\u2019re doing isn\u2019t acceptable. They can\u2019t see things from your perspective, and if you don\u2019t call them out (especially in the early days), they\u2019ll just assume this is the way it works.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If, when they first signed up with you, there was no clarity around\u2026&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What would be delivered&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How strict deadlines must be treated&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What flexibility there is around working hours&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who\u2019s responsible for what&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How and when they should pay you&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What counts as additional work&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026then you\u2019ve not set them on a path to success.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When an issue arises, there will be no understanding or structure to determine how to resolve it. You\u2019ll either get into conflict, or worse, you\u2019ll stay quiet and take losses by over-working and under-charging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why\">Why you need an onboarding checklist (plus free template)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you have a smooth onboarding process, you see a different story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only do fewer issues arise, when they do, everyone understands what needs to be done. It\u2019s clear where responsibility and accountability lies, and if someone isn\u2019t holding up their end of the deal, you have the steps taken in onboarding to refer back to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will be bumps in the road with any client, but if you\u2019ve built a solid foundation from the start, you\u2019ll manage them better and maintain a more positive relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, how do you make sure your onboarding process is smooth?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You only need 1 simple tool: a tried and tested onboarding checklist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a series of steps that you take every time you bring on a new client. And we mean <em>every <\/em>time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only does this help your practice be more consistent and deliver a better experience (and first impression), it also offers a tangible way to continually improve.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get you started, we\u2019ve created a free onboarding checklist template, which you can download below. It has the most essential steps in, but you\u2019ll want to customize it for your practice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have this in place, you can use it to give every new sign-up the potential to become a dream client.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"to\">How to evolve your onboarding process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even a smooth onboarding process will need to change over time. Both your client base and your practice will change, and what works now might not be as good in a few years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you offer a range of services, or you serve many different types of clients, you might want to create more than 1 onboarding checklist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You could have 1 for new bookkeeping clients, and another for new tax clients. Or maybe 1 for sole traders, and another for large companies. Whichever way you categorize clients, develop checklists that are easy to stick to, and continually test them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you run into issues with a client, reflect and ask, \u201cwhat could we have done differently in onboarding to prevent this?\u201d if there\u2019s a clear answer, update your checklists and see if it makes a difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing to remember is when to evolve your checklist collaboratively. Ask your team (especially those on the front line) to share their thoughts on how it could be improved. It\u2019s also a good idea to involve them when reviewing the performance of the process, so they can each share their perspectives and experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you take anything away from this article, it should be to prioritize your onboarding process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will help you deliver a consistent and streamlined experience to new clients, while minimizing the chance of conflict later.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than anything, it\u2019ll serve as the foundation for better relationships, which means less late nights working, and more evenings relaxing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cta-content__title\">Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-8949a954-88b2-43bb-8b8a-77c53eb34350\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting dream clients starts right at the beginning: onboarding. Here, you can download a free onboarding checklist to ensure the working relationship begins in the best way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1398,"featured_media":9274,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[146,124],"tags":[162,165],"business_type":[6],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[34],"coauthors":[313],"class_list":["post-9138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accountants","category-free-guides-templates","tag-accounting-101","tag-bookkeeping","business_type-accountants"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ca","author_name":"Ryan Grundy","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/02\/BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_Colleague_1546-JPG-Sage-Advice.jpeg","imagine_tags":{"34":"Accountants"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Canada English","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1398"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9138"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9138\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=9138"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}