Working remotely has become increasingly popular. If you’ve jumped on the bandwagon, you’ll need to make sure you can work effectively with a remote accountant.
Here are our tips for working remotely with your accountant:
Use the cloud
One of the best ways to help you work effectively with a remote accountant is to move everything related to your accounts onto the cloud.
Having to send vital documents back and forth via email just isn’t effective. You’ll be creating multiple copies of each one, and it isn’t practical for your accountant to receive a new message about every individual payment or transaction.
Instead, use the cloud. You can transfer the files on your computer to a service such as Dropbox, then provide your accountant with the password to allow access. All changes and additions will be recorded for all users.
Record everything online
Once all your files are stored on the cloud, make sure every transaction is noted straight away.
If payments or costs aren’t uploaded, your accountant won’t be working with a full deck, and that can lead to problems.
To make things easier, try downloading an app to your smartphone that lets you upload documents and receipts straight to the cloud.
Make notes
When you’re working remotely, you’ll probably only speak to your accountant once or twice every month – so make the most of that time.
Forgetting to mention something can be tiresome if you aren’t going to speak again for another couple of weeks.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, note things down as you think of them. Dedicate a Word document or spreadsheet to questions and concerns you need to raise, and bookmark anything you think would be useful to discuss.
While you’re online together for a call, bring up your notes to make sure everything is taken care of.
Make the first meeting face-to-face
These tips should help you work effectively with a remote accountant, but you should still have an initial face-to-face meeting before you begin working together.
Working effectively will be impossible if your accountant doesn’t meet your needs. Gauging whether you’ll be able to work well together for years to come is much easier when you meet in person.
How to work effectively with a remote accountant: a summary
Using the cloud, keeping on top of your accounts and making regular notes should help you work effectively with a remote accountant.
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