What to Bring to Your First Meeting with a Bookkeeper
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
If you have never worked with a bookkeeper before, the idea of that first meeting can feel a bit daunting. You might be worried about looking unprepared, or not knowing what is expected of you. The good news is that you do not need to arrive with everything perfectly organised. Here is what actually helps.
You Do Not Need to Have It All Figured Out
Plenty of people come to their first meeting with a shoebox of receipts, a half finished spreadsheet, or simply a feeling that things are not quite right. That is completely fine. Part of my job is figuring out where things currently stand and what needs to happen from there.
What Is Genuinely Useful to Bring
Your business structure, whether you are a sole trader, partnership, or limited company
Access to or information about your current bank accounts used for the business
Any accounting software you are already using, or a note that you are not using any yet
A rough idea of your GST registration status and filing frequency, if you know it
Recent invoices or a sense of how you currently send invoices to customers
A list of questions or worries, even if they feel basic
None of this needs to be polished or complete. Even rough notes or a verbal explanation of how things currently work is enough to get started.
Questions Worth Asking
A first meeting is also your chance to understand how a bookkeeper actually works. Worth asking about:
How often they will be in contact with you, and what that communication looks like
What software they recommend or work with
How they handle deadlines like GST and PAYE
What happens if something looks wrong or unusual in your accounts
How their pricing works and what is included
A good bookkeeping relationship is built on clear communication from the very first conversation, so do not be shy about asking anything that is on your mind.
There Is No Such Thing as a Silly Question
I say this to every new client, and I mean it. If something about your business finances confuses you, the earlier you ask, the easier it is to sort out. Waiting until you feel like you should already know the answer only makes things harder later.
If you are thinking about getting your books sorted and want a no pressure first conversation, get in touch and we can find a time that suits you.
Comments