Know What Happens Before You Start
Whether you need a cleanup, lender-ready financials, audit preparation, monthly accounting, QuickBooks support or Fractional CFO help, the process starts by understanding the financial problem before recommending the engagement.
The process
- Step 1Typical time: 5 to 15 minutes
Tell Us What Is Happening
Start with the Financial Health Check or book a Financial Review. The first objective is to identify the trigger:
- •Financing
- •CPA audit or external review
- •Unreliable books
- •QuickBooks problems
- •Job costing / WIP
- •Ongoing accounting
- •Back office support
- •Cash flow
- •Growth / CFO requirements
- Step 2Typical timing: 1 to 3 business days after receiving the necessary initial information
Initial Scoping Review (before diagnostic kickoff)
This initial scoping step is separate from the paid $997 diagnostic and its findings window of 5 business days after payment and receipt of all required documents. We may review items such as:
- •Recent financial statements
- •QuickBooks / accounting reports
- •Balance sheet
- •Profit and loss
- •Bank reconciliation status
- •AR / AP
- •Job / WIP information where relevant
The immediate objective is to determine what appears reliable, what requires investigation, whether cleanup is required, and what should happen first.
- Step 3
Scope and Kickoff
Before substantive work begins you receive clarity around:
- •Recommended scope
- •Deliverables
- •Responsibilities
- •Information and access required
- •Expected timeline
- •Fees
- •Meeting cadence where applicable
Not every inquiry becomes an engagement. If the work is not a fit, we say so.
- Step 4
Fix, Build or Operate
The engagement then follows the relevant path:
- Step 5
Stay or Transition
Some engagements are one-time projects. Others naturally expand when the company needs ongoing monthly accounting, reporting, back office support, controller-level review or Fractional CFO support. That decision stays with you.
How Long Does It Usually Take?
Select a service to see the typical timeframe, what happens during that period and what can affect timing.
Financial Diagnostic
Typical initial timeframe: Findings delivered within 5 business days after diagnostic payment and receipt of all required documents.
What usually happens
- •Review of recent financial statements and accounting reports
- •Assessment of reconciliation status and balance sheet reliability
- •Review of job or WIP information where relevant
- •Written observations and a recommended next step
What can extend the timeline
- •Delays receiving records or system access
- •Multiple entities or accounting files
- •Significant unreconciled history
What we normally need from you
- •Recent profit and loss and balance sheet
- •Accounting software access or exported reports
- •Job or project reports where relevant
What can affect timing?
Number of entities, transaction volume, condition of historical books and responsiveness to information requests.
Bank / Loan Readiness
Typical initial timeframe: Approximately 1 to 3 weeks where the underlying accounting is already reliable.
What usually happens
- •Confirming what the lender or surety actually requires
- •Tightening the balance sheet, debt schedules and revenue recognition
- •Preparing a consistent statement package with supporting schedules
What can extend the timeline
- •Books that need cleanup before packaging
- •Missing loan, lease or equipment schedules
- •Late changes to lender requirements
What we normally need from you
- •Lender or surety request list
- •Loan and lease schedules
- •AR / AP aging and bank statements
What can affect timing?
Condition of historical books, existing reconciliations, number of bank and credit card accounts and responsiveness to information requests.
Audit Ready Financials
Typical initial timeframe: Approximately 2 to 6 weeks depending on accounting condition and complexity.
What usually happens
- •Reconciling accounts and validating balance sheet support
- •Building schedules and documentation the reviewer will request
- •Resolving revenue, WIP and cut-off issues
What can extend the timeline
- •Backlog of unreconciled periods
- •Missing supporting documentation
- •Complex job, WIP or multi-entity reporting
What we normally need from you
- •Prior period financials and trial balance
- •Bank, credit card and loan statements
- •Contract, change order and WIP detail
What can affect timing?
Job and WIP complexity, availability of supporting records, number of entities and the condition of historical books.
QuickBooks Setup / Integration
Typical initial timeframe: Approximately 1 to 4 weeks depending on systems and data condition.
What usually happens
- •Chart of accounts and item / cost code structure design
- •Connecting banks, payroll and third party systems
- •Testing job costing flow end to end
What can extend the timeline
- •Migrating history from another system
- •Third party integrations that need vendor involvement
- •Payroll or field software mapping decisions
What we normally need from you
- •Admin access to accounting and connected systems
- •Current chart of accounts and cost code list
- •Payroll and field system details
What can affect timing?
Third party system integrations, transaction volume, number of bank and credit card accounts and responsiveness to information requests.
Financial Cleanup
Typical initial timeframe: Approximately 2 to 8+ weeks depending on backlog, transaction volume and complexity.
What usually happens
- •Rebuilding reconciliations period by period
- •Correcting misposted costs, transfers and job allocations
- •Restating reports so prior periods can be trusted
What can extend the timeline
- •Long backlogs or multiple open years
- •Missing statements and receipts
- •Multiple entities or inter-company activity
What we normally need from you
- •Bank, credit card and loan statements for the cleanup period
- •Payroll reports
- •Job cost detail and open AR / AP
What can affect timing?
Condition of historical books, existing reconciliations, transaction volume, availability of supporting records and number of entities.
Monthly Accounting
Typical initial timeframe: Onboarding is approximately 1 to 2 weeks.
What usually happens
- •Access setup and close calendar agreement
- •Baseline review of opening balances
- •First monthly close and reporting package
What can extend the timeline
- •Prior period cleanup required before the first close
- •Delayed system access
- •Multiple entities on different systems
What we normally need from you
- •Accounting software access
- •Bank and payroll access or statements
- •Current job list and reporting preferences
What can affect timing?
Transaction volume, number of entities, existing reconciliations and responsiveness to information requests.
Outsourced Back Office Accounting
Typical initial timeframe: Onboarding is approximately 1 to 3 weeks depending on processes, entities and transaction volume.
What usually happens
- •Documenting AP, AR, payroll and approval workflows
- •Setting up systems, permissions and handoffs
- •Running the first cycles alongside your team
What can extend the timeline
- •Undocumented or inconsistent processes
- •Several entities or divisions
- •Integrations with field and payroll systems
What we normally need from you
- •Vendor and customer lists
- •Approval rules and payment authority
- •System access for AP / AR and payroll tools
What can affect timing?
Number of entities, transaction volume, third party system integrations and responsiveness to information requests.
Fractional CFO
Typical initial timeframe: Onboarding is approximately 1 to 2 weeks once reliable financial information is available.
What usually happens
- •Reviewing current reporting, margins and cash position
- •Agreeing the reporting pack and meeting cadence
- •Establishing forecasting and decision level metrics
What can extend the timeline
- •Financials that are not yet reliable
- •Missing job level or WIP data
- •Multiple entities requiring consolidation
What we normally need from you
- •Current financial statements
- •Job / WIP and backlog information
- •Debt, bonding and growth plans
What can affect timing?
Condition of historical books, job and WIP complexity, number of entities and availability of supporting records.
The standard diagnostic findings window starts after diagnostic payment and receipt of all required documents. Other service ranges are indicative, not guaranteed delivery dates. Actual timing depends on transaction volume, number of entities, accounting condition, responsiveness, system access and engagement scope. Where historical cleanup is required, financing, audit readiness and recurring reporting timelines may extend.
What We Usually Need to Get Started
Not every engagement requires every item. We request only what the agreed review or engagement needs.
- •Recent financial statements
- •Access to accounting software where necessary
- •Bank and credit card statements where relevant
- •Loan / lease schedules
- •AR / AP aging
- •Job or project reports
- •Payroll summaries where relevant
- •Specific lender, CPA or external reporting requests if applicable
Common questions
Do I need to replace my existing bookkeeper or CPA?
No. Contractor Plus Books can work alongside an existing bookkeeper, CPA or internal finance team where appropriate.
Do you need access to QuickBooks immediately?
Not always. Initial conversations can begin with reports and context. System access is requested when required for the agreed review or engagement.
Do you perform CPA audits?
No. Contractor Plus Books is not a CPA firm and does not perform audits, reviews, compilations or other attestation engagements.
Can a one-time project become ongoing support?
Yes, where both sides determine that recurring accounting, back office or Fractional CFO support is appropriate. It is not required.
Your financial reports should answer questions.
Not create more of them.
Talk through your cash flow, job margins and reporting in a free 20-minute review. Agree the next step before any paid work — or model a contract's cash impact first with the free analyzer.
Not ready to talk? Take the 3-minute Financial Health Check.