Outsourcing your accounting, bookkeeping, or SMSF tasks is straightforward with the right preparation. By setting up your systems and processes early, and refining them over the first 2–3 months, you’ll ensure a smooth and successful experience for your firm.
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IT
Working Online
To support outsourcing, your office network needs to be reliable and well-equipped. Several configurations work effectively, but you’ll need to ensure you have sufficient licences for accounting software, Outlook (if used), and server or workstation access.
For Terminal Server or Citrix Server setups, confirm you have enough licences to accommodate your offshore staff.
If you use a Small Business Server (SBS), you’ll need a dedicated computer connected to the SBS for each outsourced accountant to access.
Without these configurations, we recommend avoiding online work for your outsourcing provider to ensure stability.
Your connection to BOSS’ staff requires testing for speed, lag, and quality, with a final check directly on your software. Occasionally, you may need to upgrade hardware (server, workstation, or router) or switch to a faster internet provider. If your office is far from the Telstra Exchange, consider colocating your server to a data centre with fibre-optic connections for better performance.
Depending on your current IT setup, you can choose whether BOSS staff work online on your server (or standalone computer), in the cloud, or offline—whichever suits your firm best.
“ BOSS has a full-time I T specialist who is available to address any technical requirements for BOSS clients ”
Staff
For outsourcing to succeed, your in-house staff need to understand its benefits.
Ensure they’re informed about:
An open conversation is key. We suggest involving a trusted staff member—someone with influence—in initial discussions to help shape the implementation. For more guidance, read: How to Get Staff to Embrace Outsourced Accounting
Internal Processes
Clear communication and careful organisation are the cornerstones of effective outsourcing. While the overall process mirrors in-house work, paying attention to the details early ensures everything runs smoothly.
Preparing a Job
Think about what you need to start a job in-house—that’s exactly what BOSS needs to work efficiently.
We simplify this with a tailored checklist for each job type, ensuring all necessary data is ready upfront.
“ Cost efficiency is achieved by getting ALL data ready before sending the job ”
Incomplete data can complicate outsourcing, as it involves an extra layer of communication with your offshore staff. Aim to handle each job as few times as possible to keep things efficient.
Depending on your firm’s size, a Client Services Administrator (CSA)—such as an undergraduate or receptionist—can gather data, including chasing clients for documents. This allows your accountants to focus on high-value tasks like client interviews, queries, and final reviews. BOSS provides checklists and guidance to make this process straightforward.
If you’re a sole practitioner or small firm without a CSA, you may need to prepare data yourself. Even spending 15 minutes per job (at your $300/hour rate) is worthwhile, as outsourcing leverages cost-effective resources, freeing you from time-intensive processing.
For more on the CSA role and firm hierarchy, read: How to Make Accounting Outsourcing Work with BOSS
Customisation
With BOSS’ Freedom Solution™ or Dedicated Solution™, our accountants can follow your firm’s procedures. Before your first job, we’ll ask you to complete a form with details like: What do you consider a material difference when reconciling GST? This ensures work is done your way while maintaining your quality standards.
Queries
Queries from your BOSS accountant are typically emailed to your in-house staff member responsible for the job. Timely and clear responses are essential to keep work on track. Ensure your team understands their role in addressing queries promptly and thoroughly.
Would you expect a new in-house accountant to deliver perfect results without guidance?
The same applies to outsourcing. Feedback is crucial to align your BOSS accountant with your expectations.
Effective communication—alongside organisation—is key to making outsourcing work for your firm.
Provide timely feedback to your offshore accountant to ensure they meet your standards and deliver consistent results.
“ We want to give you the best outsourcing experience, but in the beginning we need your feedback for that ”
No matter how skilled an accountant is, feedback helps refine their work.
With BOSS, where we adapt to your procedures, feedback is especially important—it helps us understand the nuances of how your firm operates.
Your Clients
Australian privacy laws require you to inform clients if a third party, like BOSS, is handling their work. This needs careful wording to maintain trust.
Banks and credit card companies have outsourced for years without issue, often without clients noticing. Similarly, you can keep this low-key.
“ In over twenty years of operation not one of our clients has had a problem with their end-clients on the topic of offshoring & outsourcing work ”
We recommend meeting your disclosure obligations simply by including a brief mention in your client engagement letter.
