Before you hand over the login, five questions separate a practice from a person who is learning on your file.
Hiring books out should raise productivity and cut waste. It does the opposite when the service is sloppy, slow, or allergic to a direct answer. Use this before you sign.
One: will they show you a recent reconciliation, with the bank statement next to it? If the answer is a dashboard screenshot and a shrug, keep looking.
Two: how are payroll taxes paid? “We remind you” is not the same as setting them to pay. Missed payroll tax is one of the most expensive amateur mistakes in small business.
Three: what is out of scope? Merchant-fee fights, construction draws, 1099s, a forensic pass on a prior year — a serious firm names these instead of nodding at everything.
Four: where does the data live, and who can see it? You should be able to revoke access. They should not be the only people who can open the file.
Five: what does the first month cost if the history is dirty? Cleanup is a project. Pretending it is included in a cheap monthly fee is how both sides end up angry. We would rather scope it on a free 15-minute call than discover it in week six.