Questions Small Business Owners Ask Before Outsourcing Bookkeeping

Choosing bookkeeping support is a big decision, especially when you’re trying to balance cost, accuracy, and the time it takes to keep your business organized. Below are answers to common questions about working with Tidal Solutions, what’s included, and how outsourced bookkeeping compares to hiring in-house.

What does monthly bookkeeping include?
Monthly bookkeeping includes transaction categorization, bank and credit card reconciliations, receipt tracking and document organization, monthly financial reports, and review of uncategorized or unclear transactions.

Our goal is to help keep your books organized, accurate, and up to date so you have a clearer picture of where your business stands.

How is pricing determined?
Pricing is based mainly on your monthly transaction volume, along with the number of accounts, receipt volume, merchant activity, and overall bookkeeping complexity.

Our monthly bookkeeping packages are divided by transaction range so your pricing better reflects the level of work needed for your business.

What counts as a transaction?
A transaction is generally any activity that shows up in your bank, credit card, loan, or merchant account. This may include deposits, payments, transfers, expenses, fees, loan payments, and other account activity that needs to be reviewed, categorized, or reconciled.

Is receipt tracking included?
Yes. Receipt tracking and document organization are included in monthly bookkeeping packages.

Clients are responsible for providing receipts, statements, and supporting documents when needed so transactions can be properly reviewed and documented.

Do you offer payroll support?
Yes. Payroll support is available as an add-on to monthly bookkeeping services.

Because payroll needs vary based on the number of employees, pay schedule, payroll platform, and level of support needed, payroll pricing is provided by estimate after reviewing your business details.

Is payroll included in monthly bookkeeping packages?
No. Payroll support is not automatically included in monthly bookkeeping packages unless added separately.

This helps keep bookkeeping pricing fair for businesses that do not need payroll support.

Do you prepare taxes?
No. Tidal Solutions is a bookkeeping service and is not a CPA firm. We do not prepare tax returns, provide tax advice, or offer legal or financial advisory services.

We can work alongside your CPA or tax professional by helping provide organized records, reports, and bookkeeping information needed for tax preparation.

What is the difference between a bookkeeper and a CPA?
A bookkeeper helps keep your financial records organized by categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, tracking receipts, and preparing reports.

A CPA or tax professional may provide tax preparation, tax planning, tax filing, advisory services, audits, and other higher-level accounting or tax services.

Tidal Solutions focuses on bookkeeping and record organization, not CPA or tax advisory services.

How does outsourcing bookkeeping compare to hiring in-house?
Hiring an in-house bookkeeper may come with more than just hourly pay. Employers may also need to consider payroll taxes, benefits, software, training, management time, office needs, and the cost of paying an employee even when the workload is lighter.

Outsourced bookkeeping allows small businesses to pay for the support they need without adding another employee to payroll.

Is outsourced bookkeeping cheaper than hiring an employee?
In many cases, yes. Outsourced bookkeeping can be more cost-effective for small businesses that do not need a full-time or part-time employee on staff.

For example, if a business hires an in-house bookkeeper, the total cost may include hourly wages, employer payroll taxes, benefits, paid time off, training, and software. With outsourced bookkeeping, you are paying for a specific service package based on the work needed.

When does it make sense to outsource bookkeeping?
Outsourced bookkeeping may be a good fit if:

• Your books are falling behind

• You do not have time to keep up with transactions and reconciliations

• You want cleaner records before tax time

• You need monthly reports to better understand your business

• You are not ready to hire an employee

• You want bookkeeping support without managing another person on payroll
  
  

When does it make sense to hire in-house instead?
Hiring in-house may make sense if your business has daily bookkeeping needs, high transaction volume, inventory tracking, internal accounting departments, or complex financial operations that require someone available throughout the workday.

For many small businesses, however, outsourced bookkeeping provides the right level of support without the added cost of an employee.

Can you help clean up past months?
Yes. Cleanup or catch-up bookkeeping is available for businesses that are behind or need prior months reviewed and organized.

Cleanup work is quoted separately based on the number of months, transaction volume, number of accounts, and condition of the books.

Do you work with QuickBooks?
Yes. Tidal Solutions can support bookkeeping workflows in QuickBooks, including transaction categorization, reconciliations, receipt organization, and monthly reporting.

Do I have to give you bank login access?
Not necessarily. Some clients choose to provide accountant or limited access where available, while others provide monthly statements and supporting documents.

The best option depends on your comfort level, your bank, and the workflow that works best for your business.

What reports will I receive?
Monthly reports may include a Profit & Loss report, Balance Sheet, and other bookkeeping reports depending on your package and business needs.

Reports are designed to help you better understand your income, expenses, and overall business activity.

How do I know which package I need?
If you are unsure, start with an estimate request. We’ll review your approximate monthly transaction volume, number of accounts, receipt needs, and overall bookkeeping setup to recommend the package that fits your business best.

Ready to simplify your bookkeeping?
Send us a few details about your business and we’ll help you find the right level of bookkeeping support.

In-House vs. Outsourced Bookkeeping Example

Part-time bookkeeper: 20 hours/week at $24/hour

Monthly wages: $2,078
Employer payroll taxes: $160
Workers’ comp / unemployment costs: $50
Paid time off / holiday allowance: $100
Payroll processing costs: $50
Software / user access: $75
Office supplies / equipment: $50
Training, oversight, and admin time: $150

Estimated monthly cost: $2,713

Outsourced Bookkeeping

Starter Bookkeeping: starting at $250/month
Standard Bookkeeping: starting at $400/month
Growth Bookkeeping: starting at $650/month

Potential monthly savings: $2,063–$2,463

This example is for general comparison only. Actual costs may vary based on location, experience level, benefits, software, number of accounts, transaction volume, and overall bookkeeping needs.