When you start working with Patrick Accounting, we want to make one thing really clear: our job isn’t just to keep your books clean. Our job is to help you build a better business.
That means we don’t just work within whatever systems you’re currently using. We help you upgrade those systems so they work smarter, faster, and more in sync with your goals.
And yes, that means making some changes.
Every new client goes through a thoughtful onboarding process. During that time, we outline what we do, how we do it, what we expect from you, and what you can expect from us.
So here it is. These are the six most common changes we’ll ask you to make when you join Patrick Accounting, and exactly why each one matters.
1. Moving Your Accounting to QuickBooks Online (or Restaurant365)
We start with your accounting software, because everything else depends on it. If you’re not on QuickBooks Online or Restaurant365, we’ll ask you to move. We don’t just move your data and leave you to figure it out. We’ll build the right structure around it so that it’s working for you, not just storing transactions.
QuickBooks Online (QBO) is our default system for most businesses. For restaurants and multi-unit food service operations, we recommend Restaurant365.
If you’re currently using:
- QuickBooks Desktop
- Sage 50
- Any other legacy or off-brand system...
We’ll move you. Not because we think those tools are “bad,” but because our team is trained deeply in QBO and R365, and our entire tech stack is built around them because we know how to plug into them, optimize them, and get the most out of the tools that connect to them. That’s how we move faster, stay more accurate, and keep your fees as low as possible.
Restaurant365 is a different animal altogether. It’s not just accounting software. It’s an operational platform built for high-volume, multi-unit restaurants or bars. It’s ideal for businesses that need:
- Menu management
- Commissary-to-retail accounting
- Wholesale and multi-location tracking
- Real-time labor and food cost integration
In these cases, accounting is just one piece of the puzzle. But it’s a critical piece, and it has to be built on the right platform.
2. Adopting a Standardized (and Smarter) Chart of Accounts
Once you’re on the right platform, we’ll help clean up your chart of accounts because for most businesses, it’s either too generic to be helpful or too granular to be useful.
We start with a standardized chart of accounts that we’ve built and refined over time. Then we customize it to your industry and unique needs.
Why? Because the chart of accounts is the foundation of how we map your data and extract real insights from your financials. For example:
- Your payroll system maps into your books based on how your accounts are structured.
- Your point-of-sale system connects to your revenue accounts using those same mappings.
- If we don’t control that foundation, everything else falls apart.
We’ve seen some wild charts of accounts. Some clients had every vendor listed as its own line item. If your profit and loss statement is more than two pages, something’s off. You don’t need that level of detail in your financial reports. The data can still exist behind the scenes (by vendor, class, department, location, etc.) but it shouldn’t clutter your main financial statements.
What's in it for you?
- You get readable, insightful reports you can actually use to make decisions.
- It standardizes how we connect all your systems—payroll, POS, inventory, and more.
- It gives us a reliable foundation for benchmarking and trend analysis across time.
3. We’ll Ask for Direct Access to Your Financial Accounts
This is one of the most critical changes we ask for…
We’ll ask for view-only access to your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, point-of-sale systems, and any third-party platforms where financial activity happens.
Not because we’re nosy, but because relying on you to send us PDFs, logins, or screenshots creates bottlenecks, delays, and errors. If we have to chase down data every month, your books won’t be clean and your insights won’t be current. That’s not good for either of us.
We’re not asking for authority to move money or make transactions. We just need reliable access to the data. And yes, we take security very seriously.
4. We’ll Communicate Differently Than You Might Be Used To
We’re NOT a once-a-year, hand-us-your-box-of-papers firm. If you’re used to driving across town to drop off documents or calling your accountant only when tax season hits, working with us will feel different—in a good way.
We meet primarily through Zoom, email, and phone calls. We’ve built systems that unify communication across our team and yours, so everything is documented and accessible. We record Zoom calls, we keep email threads centralized, and we use a portal that tracks requests and tasks in one place.
Why? Because clear communication prevents mistakes. And when you're working with a distributed team like ours (based in Memphis, but with people across the U.S. and beyond), digital communication just works better.
What we’ll ask of you:
- Be open to Zoom calls and email follow-ups
- Keep communication in the thread. We’ll remind you (nicely!) if something is missing
- If we’re waiting on a document, the fastest way to move forward is to send it.
You’ll always know what we need, when we need it, and what’s happening next. And yes, we’ll send reminders. (Because we want to help…not because we love sending daily emails.)
5. Setting Up ACH for Your Monthly Fees
We bill on a fixed-fee, monthly basis, and we require clients to pay via ACH.
No mailed checks. No invoice-chasing. No manually submitting payments every month.
This is about simplifying our back office AND yours. We don’t have an A/R department on purpose. It keeps our operations lean and allows our team to focus on delivering value, not tracking down payments.
And since your fee is fixed, there are no surprises. You’ll know what to expect and when to expect it.
6. We’ll Ask You to Run Payroll Through Whirks (our sister company)
This is one of the biggest and most impactful changes you'll make.
If you have employees, we’re going to ask that you run your payroll through Whirks, our sister payroll company. It’s not about upselling or trying to do more than we should. It’s about integrating your financial systems so they actually talk to each other.
When payroll is done elsewhere, we’re stuck asking:
- “How are job costs being tracked?”
- “Is labor being split by department?”
- “Are you mapping tip wages correctly?”
And we often find out that the data you thought was flowing correctly... isn’t.
With Whirks, we set the payroll up with accounting in mind. Our accounting team and payroll team work side by side, which means:
- Labor is tracked correctly by job, department, or location
- Payroll data is mapped directly into your books
- Reports are aligned across systems
Bonus: Two More Things You Can Expect
1. We’ll Ask You to Send Your Documents Electronically
If a system doesn’t allow direct access, we’ll ask you to send documents digitally (not in paper form). We’ll give you a specific email or inbox, and we’ll process them from there. Why? Because digital is faster, safer, and more efficient. It keeps everything moving without waiting on mail or misplaced paperwork.
2. We Want You to Ask Questions!!!
We don’t want you to put your reports in a drawer and forget about them. We want you to ask about trends, question your results, and collaborate with us to reach your goals. That’s how real progress happens.
These Changes Are for YOU
We know change isn’t always easy. But every one of these changes has a purpose. Each one reduces friction, improves accuracy, and gives us (and you) better insight into what’s really happening in your business.
When you give us the right tools, access, and systems, we give you better outcomes.
- Cleaner books
- Smarter reporting
- Proactive guidance
- Real clarity around your numbers
So yes, we’ll ask you to adjust a few things. But in return, you’ll get something even more valuable: A system that finally works for you.
Ready for an Accounting Partner that's In YOUR Corner?
If you’re tired of the same old accounting relationship and you’re open to a better way, we’d love to talk.
Check out Who Is a Good Fit for Patrick Accounting,
or schedule a call with our team.
We’ll walk you through what it looks like, answer every question, and help you decide if it’s the right move.
We’re not here to do more of the same. We’re here to help you build something better.
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