Fractional ControllerFractional controller questions owners ask first
You're looking for answers before you add a controller, and these are the questions owners ask us first. Tax CFO Steven Palmieri gives the same answers on a call that you'll read here, and Steven and his team stand behind each one. If yours isn't here, the free Second Look call is the place to ask.
Ask your question
Will my bookkeeper feel replaced or second-guessed?
Usually not, and we work to keep it that way. Your bookkeeper keeps entering, and we check the work afterward. Each month they get a short list of what to fix or do differently. Good bookkeepers like the notes because they make the next month easier. Every set of books needs a second set of eyes. See working with your bookkeeper for the full picture.
How much of the month does a controller spend on my books?
That depends on your volume. A company with one account and a few entries a week needs far less than one with several accounts, a loan and sales tax. We look at your numbers, then write down how much of the month your company needs. The time is sized to the work, so you're not paying for hours your books never needed.
What if my books are behind?
Then we say so, and we start there. A month can't be closed on top of months that were never finished. Catch-up work comes first, with its own date and its own price, named before it starts. After that, the monthly checking begins on solid ground.
Do you need my bank login?
Logins stay in the company's name. You decide who has access to what, and we talk through the details on the call so you can see exactly how it would work. Nobody needs your personal passwords.
What software do you work in?
We work in the company's own QuickBooks Online file. If you use something else, ask us on the call and we'll tell you honestly whether we can work with it or whether a change would help.
Do you prepare my taxes too?
Yes. The return comes from the same closed books, so the two jobs stay in one place. Nothing is entered twice, and the figures on the return are the ones you've been reading all year.
Do you run payroll?
No. A full-service payroll provider runs payday under your control. We help you pick one, set it up correctly, wire it into the books and check what it filed afterward.
Does a signed report come with the statements?
No. We prepare the statements, and they carry a plain note saying no report was issued. If a lender wants a signed outside report, that comes from a licensed firm, and this page explains the line.
Can you work with an outside bookkeeping company?
Yes. Many of our owners use one. The outside company keeps entering, and we check and close. We'll agree on timing so activity is in before the check starts.
What happens on the free call about my month?
It's a video call with the practice. We look at one recent month with you, say what a controller would check and tell you what's still open. There's nothing to sign and nothing to pay.
How is the fee set?
Before any work starts, in writing. Catch-up is priced apart from the monthly work. If something would change the number, we tell you before it does, never after.
What else would you like to know before you decide?
You will be talking to the Steven Palmieri practice.