Welcome · Alder Row Bookkeeping
Marcus and Jo: this page is everything we'd otherwise send you in five emails. What happens each week, what we need from you and when, who to ask, and the dates to put in your calendar. We'll keep it current, so one bookmark is enough.
We look before we touch. For the first two weeks nothing about how you run the shop changes.
Week 1 Jan 11–15
Kickoff call on Monday at 10:00. You invite us into the bank, the books, the till and payroll. We read everything and change nothing.
Week 2 Jan 18–22
We check last year's books against the bank up to December 31, then send one list of questions. Expect 15 to 25, most of them a one-line answer.
Week 3 Jan 25–29
Bills start coming to us instead of Jo's tray. We prepare Friday's payroll, Marcus approves it on Wednesday, and Tomás runs it.
Week 4 Feb 1–9
We close the month, Dee reviews it, and the report reaches you on Monday the 8th. On day 30 we walk through it together.
Until Monday, January 25, keep paying bills and running payroll exactly as you do now.
Seven things, each with one name and one date. Items 1 to 5 are what the whole plan waits on.
1. Bank and card access. Invite us as a read-only user on the business checking, savings and credit card.
MarcusTue, Jan 122. Your accounting file. Add Imogen as an accountant user. It takes about two minutes from the settings page.
JoTue, Jan 123. The till and the online store. Reports access to both, so sales arrive without anyone exporting a spreadsheet.
JoWed, Jan 134. Payroll. An admin seat with your payroll provider for Tomás.
MarcusFri, Jan 155. Paperwork. The 2024 and 2025 tax returns, and December statements for every account, the equipment loan included.
MarcusFri, Jan 156. Regular bills. A list of what you pay every month: rent, your six main suppliers, insurance, subscriptions. Rough is fine.
JoWed, Jan 207. One decision. The amount above which a bill needs Marcus's yes before we pay it. Most shops your size choose $500.
MarcusWed, Jan 20We never need your own logins. Every item above is an invitation you send from inside the account. If a site only offers to share your sign-in details, stop and tell Imogen, and we'll find another way in.
Five people. Start with Imogen for anything; she'll pull in whoever is needed.
Your day-to-day contact. Sends the Friday list and writes the monthly report. 555 0142
You'll hear from him the week of each payday, and when a filing is due.
Reviews every month-end before you see it. If something is wrong and Imogen can't fix it, call Dee. 555 0107
Approves payroll and any bill over the limit. Signs off the monthly report.
Sends us bills and receipts, and answers the Friday list. If Jo is away, questions wait for her unless they're about payroll.
The same few moments every week, so you always know when to expect us.
The filled dots are the three that can't happen without you.
Kickoff call. 45 minutes on video with Marcus, Jo, Imogen and Dee.
Items 1 to 5 are in. It's also payday: payroll runs the way it always has, and Tomás only watches.
Items 6 and 7 are in.
Our clean-up questions reach you. Answers by Tuesday the 26th, please.
Bills come to us from today.
Marcus approves two things: the first batch of bills, and the first payroll we've prepared.
Payday. The first payroll run by us.
January is closed. The report is in your inbox.
Day 30 review. 30 minutes: the report, what worked, and what we should change.