Starting with a new accounting firm can feel overwhelming. At Kaizen, our structured accounting onboarding process guides you through the first 90 days and focuses on helping you understand your numbers and build a solid foundation for your business.
Too often, business owners get stuck with “SALY” — Same As Last Year. Numbers are processed the same way they always have been, and no one stops to ask what’s changed in your business. Onboarding is where we break that pattern and start fresh—giving you clear financial insights that align with your goals.
We’ll begin with a kickoff call where we introduce you to your dedicated team and walk through what to expect in the coming months. This includes key timelines, responsibilities, and how we’ll stay connected to make sure everyone’s on the same page from day one.
During this call, we:
Walk through the secure client portal, demo how it works, and show you how to communicate with your team.
Introduce the core technology stack you’ll be using with Kaizen — QuickBooks Online and Dext.
By the end of the call, you’ll know your team, understand how to reach us, and feel comfortable using the tools that will support you going forward.
As part of onboarding, we’ll connect QuickBooks Online and Dext. We’ll walk you through how to log in, send documents, and see how these tools work together to keep your financial information organized.
These tools streamline the way data flows into your reports. No more chasing receipts or manually entering transactions — everything moves into the right place automatically. This setup ensures your financial information is consistent, accurate, and ready for use ready for reporting.
After the tools are set up, we securely connect your bank accounts, payroll systems, credit cards, and any other accounts that affect your reporting. We verify each connection to make sure transactions feed in properly and consistently.
This step might not seem exciting, but it’s critical. Accurate reporting depends on clean, reliable data, and that starts with getting these connections right from the start.
Once the foundation is in place, we move into your Initial Strategy Session. This is where we focus on your business as a whole and start connecting the dots between your goals and your numbers.
We’ll talk through:
How your business operates day to day
What’s working well and where challenges exist — cash flow, tax planning, profitability, or growth
Your priorities for the coming months and beyond
We’ll also review the reports that help guide these conversations, which may include historical financial statements, key performance indicators (KPIs), budgets, and cash flow projections. Looking at these together gives us a clearer picture of your business and helps us identify where to focus next.
This session ensures the work we do lines up with your goals and creates a roadmap for the months ahead.
While you’re focused on running your business, our team is working behind the scenes to get everything cleaned up and accurate. Depending on your starting point, this may include:
Your participation is essential here. To get your books cleaned up and accurate, we’ll need your timely responses and complete financial records. The faster we receive what we need, the faster we can deliver accurate statements and insights you can rely on.
If your books are already in great shape, this step moves quickly. If more cleanup is needed, we’ll work closely with you to make sure nothing gets overlooked.
Onboarding wraps up with your first Financial Statement Review. In this session, we walk through your reports together, including your:
We’ll explain what each report shows, highlight areas of strength, and point out opportunities or concerns. Your financial statements will help guide decisions for your business — connecting the numbers to strategy and next steps.
Once onboarding is complete and we’ve reviewed your first set of financials, we’ll discuss what the rest of the year will look like and how often we’ll meet going forward — whether that’s annually, three times a year, or monthly based on the package you selected.
From here, you’ll have a clear picture of where your business stands and the insight you need to make smarter decisions moving forward. Our goal is to make sure you feel supported, confident, and equipped with financials that actually help you run your business better.
Onboarding is more than setup — it’s an important phase that builds the foundation for everything that follows. Over these first 90 days, you’ll:
At Kaizen, our goal is to make sure you feel supported every step of the way and confident that you have the insights and information you need to make better decisions.
Ready to see how your numbers can start working for you? Let us show you what’s possible during your first 90 days with Kaizen.
For a more in-depth look at what you should expect from your accountant long-term, check out our article → What Your Accounting Firm Does Each Month (and Why It Matters)
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