A bookkeeping handover needs a defined cutoff and a clear starting position for the next team. Preserve the existing records, confirm the last completed period and document unresolved items. Switching providers should not mean silently replacing historical numbers or losing access to the authoritative accounting file.
Practical records guidance · Updated October 17, 2026 · Fictional examples
Make the records make sense.
Agree who completes the final period
Decide which provider finishes the current month, which records are missing and who approves any adjustments. Request the agreed reports and reconciliations before assuming the work is complete. An invoice for service is not proof of a reviewed close.
Transfer access deliberately
Keep the business’s administrator access. Invite the new team with appropriate named-user permissions; do not share personal passwords. Remove former access at the agreed handover point, preserving documents and any contractually required records first.
Check before you close.
Record the last completed month, accounting basis and accepted balances.
Obtain financial reports, reconciliations and source-document coverage.
List open invoices, bills, disputed entries and pending adviser adjustments.
Agree the new scope, access, record deadlines and responsibility for the first close.
Illustrative example · Fictional data
Follow the business event.
Illustrative issue: the old provider completed June, but July contains partial entries and no statement reconciliation. The new team needs June’s accepted opening position and a defined July scope. Treating July as already closed would carry uncertainty into August.
Questions before you get started.
Must we migrate to different software?
No default migration is required. Assess the current system and records before deciding whether a change provides a practical benefit.
What if the previous reports are wrong?
Identify the affected periods and evidence. Corrections are scoped as cleanup rather than quietly replacing historical results.