Client Onboarding Checklist

Search the practice management system (Karbon, Canopy, TaxDome) for related parties, prior contacts, and any existing engagements. Document the conflict-check result in the new-client folder. For attest work, confirm no bookkeeping or other non-attest services that would breach AICPA independence.

SSARS reviews and audits require full independence; preparation engagements allow a reduced standard with disclosure. Document the independence assessment and any threats / safeguards in the engagement file before the partner signs the letter.

Use Practice Ignition or TaxDome to send the engagement letter with scope, fee structure (fixed-fee, hourly, value-based), out-of-scope language, and termination terms. Do not begin substantive work until the letter is countersigned — scope creep without a change order is the most common realization-rate killer.

Articles of incorporation / organization, operating agreement or bylaws, EIN letter (CP-575 or 147C), state registrations, and any DBAs. For S-corps, get the 2553 acceptance letter. For partnerships, get the partnership agreement and prior-year K-1s.

Capture TIN/EIN on a current W-9 and identify each beneficial owner with 25%+ ownership for FinCEN BOI awareness. The firm doesn't file BOI on the client's behalf unless engaged to, but flag the obligation in the kickoff call.

Confirms which forms the client files (1040 Sch C, 1065, 1120-S, 1120) and whether PTET elections are in play. The answer drives the tax-software setup, basis-tracking workpapers, and payroll requirements (S-corp owner reasonable comp).

IRS Pub 4557 / 5708 requires paid preparers to maintain a Written Information Security Plan. Confirm the new client's documents will land in the encrypted portal (SmartVault, ShareFile, Liscio, TaxDome) — never personal email. Brief the client on portal-only document exchange.

Create the client in TaxDome / Karbon / Canopy with the firm's standard folder template — Permanent File, Tax, Bookkeeping, Payroll, Correspondence. Invite the client and any authorized contacts; set MFA as required.

Send the QuickBooks Online accountant invite or Xero advisor request. Verify bank feeds are connected for every operating account and credit card. Note any Plaid disconnects or accounts using manual statement upload — these become recurring close-day fire drills.

Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) for representation; Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) for transcript pulls. File via the IRS Tax Pro Account for fastest CAF processing. Repeat for each state where the client has filing obligations.

If in scope: connect Gusto / ADP / Rippling for payroll sync, and Bill.com / Ramp for AP. Confirm GL mapping so payroll posts to the correct wage and tax accounts; misposted FICA / FUTA is a recurring AJE if mapping is wrong.

Three years of federal and state returns, prior-year financial statements, depreciation schedules, basis schedules (S-corp / partnership), and any NOL carryforward detail. These become the permanent file; missing depreciation schedules are the most common gap.

Tie the trial balance in QBO/Xero to the prior CPA's year-end working trial balance. Investigate any variance; common causes are post-close AJEs the prior CPA never pushed back to QBO and depreciation entries booked only on the tax return.

Merge duplicates, retire unused accounts, and convert one-off tracking accounts to classes / locations / customers. A 600-account COA built up over five years of ad-hoc requests turns every month-end review into a guessing game.

Pull the Ask My Accountant register and any Uncategorized Income / Expense balances. Resolve before the first close — leaving them parks the prior bookkeeper's mistakes on your watch.

If cleanup is needed, draft a separate fixed-fee proposal — do not absorb it into the monthly close. Quantify by months affected and transaction volume; send via Practice Ignition as a change order before any cleanup work begins.

Walk through scope, deliverable cadence, portal usage, document-request etiquette, and the close-day timeline. Introduce the engagement partner, manager, and day-to-day contact. Record the call in Karbon / Canopy and post the recap to the portal.

Standard monthly PBC: bank and credit-card statements, payroll registers, loan statements, merchant statements, and any new contracts. Use Suralink or TaxDome to track receipt; chase missing items the first business day after due date.

Block close-day windows in the firm's workflow tool, schedule the standing monthly review call with the client, and set tax-deadline reminders (1040, 1120-S/1065, 941 quarterly, 1099-NEC Jan 31).

P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, and management commentary on top variances and cash position. Lock the period in QBO with a close date and password before delivery. The first deliverable sets client expectations for every month after.