You've outgrown basic monthly bookkeeping! You need to know what's happening with your cash flow right now, not 30 days from now. You need someone to help manage your bills and vendors so you can focus on running your business. But you're not sure what that level of support costs or what it really includes.
Maybe you've been handling your own accounts payable and it's eating up hours every week. Or perhaps you're constantly surprised by cash shortages because you don't have a clear view of what's coming due. You know you need more than monthly reports, but you're wondering if that "more" is worth the investment.
At Patrick Accounting, our Advanced package is designed for exactly this situation. It gives you weekly financial visibility and hands-on support managing your cash flow and bills.
In this article, you'll learn:
- What Advanced costs and what drives that price
- Everything included in your monthly Advanced services
- The difference between Advanced and Core (and Ultimate)
- Who thrives with Advanced vs. who needs something different
What is the Average Monthly Cost for the Advanced Package?
At Patrick Accounting, our Advanced package builds on the foundation of our Core Package and adds weekly involvement in your financial operations.
Our typical Advanced package client pays around $1,500 per month per location.
Our starting fees are $1,250 per month, and for more complex needs, clients may see costs ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 per month for one entity.
We provide payroll through our sister company, Whirks, which specializes in payroll, HR, and employee benefits. By combining Patrick Accounting’s financial services with Whirks’ people management solutions, you get a fully integrated, one-stop shop for all your back-office needs. This partnership allows you to simplify financial and people complexities.
In fact, we require clients to move payroll over when they start accounting with us. Why? Because keeping both under one roof simplifies your back office, improves compliance, and saves time. This integration helps keep your accounting fees lower in the long run, while giving you more accurate, real-time reporting you can trust.
Advanced is perfect for growth-minded owners who need weekly cash visibility, hands-on accounts payable management, and industry-specific performance tracking.
What Determines the Cost of Your Advanced Package?
When it comes to pricing accounting services, several factors come into play. We customize our fee based on your specific business needs. The complexity of your books, the volume of transactions, and the technology you use all impact your monthly investment. Here are the three main factors we consider:
Factor #1: Volume of Transactions
The number of bills and vendors you work with each week drives a significant part of the cost. We look at:
- How many bills do you receive per week?
- How many different vendors do you work with?
- What level of detail is needed for bill coding and tracking?
- How many bank accounts and credit cards need weekly reconciliation?
More bills mean more time spent processing, coding, and managing payments.
Factor #2: Complexity of Your Books
Advanced-level complexity often involves multiple locations or detailed tracking requirements. At Patrick Accounting, several complexity factors go into determining our Advanced Pricing:
Business Structure Complexity:
- How many business locations do you have? Multiple locations require more detailed tracking, reporting, and expense allocation. Each location may need its own P&L.
- Do you manage inventory? Inventory tracking adds significant complexity, especially for restaurants with recipe costing or retail businesses tracking product margins.
- How many states are you operating in? Multi-state operations often mean multiple tax jurisdictions, different filing requirements, and more complex compliance.
- Do you have multiple bank accounts? Each account needs weekly reconciliation in Advanced, and more accounts mean more time spent tracking cash flow.
Tax and Compliance Complexity:
- Do you file sales tax across multiple locations or states? Sales tax compliance can get complicated quickly with multiple jurisdictions, each with different rates, rules, and filing frequencies.
- Industry-specific requirements: Restaurants need liquor tax tracking, nonprofits need restricted cash account management, professional services need trust account reconciliation, etc.
Detailed Requirements for Advanced:
- Do you need location-specific P&Ls?
- How detailed does your bill coding need to be (department, location, project)?
- What level of vendor management and communication is needed?
- Do you require detailed cash flow forecasting by location?
Factor #3: Technology Stack
The systems you use and how they integrate affect both setup and ongoing management. We work with clients who use either QuickBooks Online or Restaurant365. You may incur different costs based on integration and management requirements.
If you are a QuickBooks Online client, we consider factors such as:
- Classes and tracking categories
- Consolidations
- Multi-entity management
- Restricted cash accounts (common for nonprofits)
- Profitability tracking across departments or offices
This is common with multi-unit restaurants, physicians, or professional service practices that track multiple offices.
If you are a Restaurant365 client, we consider:
- How the software integrates with your point of sale system
- How many vendors you're directly integrating with
- Whether you need detailed financial reports for multi-unit operations
- What other workflows or technologies are part of your processes
- Time and labor data integration
- Payroll integration
What's the One-Time Investment for Advanced?
When you start working with Patrick Accounting, there is a collaborative onboarding process designed to align our services with your business needs. We call these Initial Strategy Sessions.
Purpose of Initial Strategy Sessions
- Documentation: We document your goals, current financial processes, and any specific requirements you have. This includes understanding your current practices and identifying areas for improvement.
- System Setup: We ensure that all necessary systems and software (like QuickBooks Online or Restaurant 365) are properly set up and integrated.
- Initial Review: We review your last three tax returns to identify any risks or opportunities and ensure your financial records are accurate.
At Patrick Accounting, our onboarding price varies for everyone since it's based on our monthly accounting fee.
For our Advanced services, the one-time investment is typically 1–2x your monthly accounting fee (depending on the time of year and how much back work is required).
Onboarding fee = (Monthly fee x 2)*
For example, if your monthly fee is $1,500, your onboarding investment would be $3,000.
This one-time fee typically ranges from $2,500 to $5,000 for the Advanced package, depending on your specific requirements. The fee can be higher if you're starting mid-year, have significant cleanup work needed, or have unfiled tax returns.
What Does the One-Time Investment Cover?
One-time fees cover initial setup and any back work needed to bring your books up to date. When you become our client, we assess the current state of your books and determine what it will take to get everything current. This includes:
- Initial Strategy Sessions: A series of meetings to establish and document your financial processes, goals, and specific requirements
- System Setup & Integration: We’ll ensure that all necessary systems and software (
- like QuickBooks Online or Restaurant 365) are properly set up and integrated. We’ll also help set up any extra tools your business needs, such as Dext, Bill.com, inventory software, or your POS system. If you use Bill.com, we’ll add your vendors with the right coding and build in approval steps that fit your workflow.
- Chart of Accounts Realignment: Adjusting your chart of accounts to align with your business needs and industry best practices
- Review of Past Tax Returns: We review your last three tax returns to identify any risks or opportunities and ensure your financial records are accurate
- Back Work: Getting your books current if they've fallen behind
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Tax Return Preparation: Your current year’s tax return is included in your one-time onboarding fee. Since we complete and file that return in December, after much of the accounting work has already been done, we collect the full tax prep fee up front as part of your initial investment.
Many factors go into this, such as how up-to-date your current books are and how quickly we can get you caught up. So, don't panic if that feels scary. We can always work with you and break up your investment over time to make sure you're comfortable getting started.
Everything Included in Your Monthly Advanced Package
The Advanced Package builds on everything in the Core Package and shifts your financial visibility from monthly to weekly. While Core handles your books and taxes each month, Advanced adds hands-on weekly cash management, weekly bill processing, industry-specific KPIs (like prime cost or realization rates), and the tools to make it all work seamlessly.
You move from monthly reports to weekly action. Here's exactly what's included in your monthly Advanced investment:
Accounting Services
Monthly Bookkeeping & Reconciliations (or every 4 weeks for restaurants)
- We post, modify, and adjust all transactions in your books
- Monthly close by the 25th, so you have timely financial information
- We update your depreciation information monthly
Weekly Bank Reconciliations
- Bank accounts, loans, and credit cards reconciled weekly (not monthly)
Weekly Cash Management Reporting
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Weekly collaboration to review expenses, obligations, and available cash
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Plan for upcoming commitments with confidence
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Avoid surprises and manage spending proactively
Weekly Accounts Payable Processing & Bill Pay
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Bills processed and categorized weekly
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Vendor payments managed with due dates and communications
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Never miss payment deadlines or early-pay discounts
Customized Financial Reports delivered monthly:
- Profit & Loss with Trends so you can see how revenue and expenses are changing over time
- Balance Sheet showing what you own and what you owe
- General Ledger with detailed transaction records
- Executive Summary giving you the big picture at a glance
- Health Score assessing your overall financial wellness
- Insight Graphs visualizing your financial data for easier understanding
- Industry-Specific KPIs & Targets customized for your business:
- Restaurants: COGS%, labor%, prime cost tracking
- Professional Services: Realization rates, utilization metrics, revenue per employee
- Retail: Inventory turns, margin by product line, same-store sales
- Other Industries: Custom KPIs based on your business model
Monthly Financial Summary with Insight
- Written summary explaining what the numbers mean
- Key changes and concerns highlighted
- Actionable insights for your business
Monthly Action & Goal Tracking
- Set monthly goals with your accounting team
- Track progress and maintain accountability
- Focus on actions that drive results
Depreciation Updates
- Monthly updates to keep asset values accurate
Tax Services
Business Tax Returns:
- Business Federal & State Income Tax Returns
- Sales Tax Return Preparation and Filing
- Liquor Tax (for applicable businesses)
- Annual Report, Gross Receipts Tax, Tangible Property Tax filings
- 1099 Preparation & Filing*
*Note: 1099s are charged outside of the monthly fee at $75 for the first 1099 and $7 for each additional 1099.
Tax Planning & Strategy:
- Mid-Year & Year-End Business & Tax Strategy Meetings to review your financial progress and discuss tax planning opportunities
- Our aim is to help you make informed decisions throughout the year and avoid any surprises come tax season
Technology & Tools
QuickBooks Online or Restaurant365
We provide hands-on support with your accounting software, help with integrations, and troubleshoot issues as they arise.
- Your QuickBooks Online subscription is separate (approximately $70/month).
Receipt and Expense Management (Dext)
- Mobile app for instant receipt capture
- Automatic categorization
- Seamless integration with your books
- No more shoeboxes or lost receipts
Bill.com Integration
- Streamlined bill approval workflows
- Automated payment scheduling
- Vendor portal access (vendors can upload invoices directly)
- Approve bills from anywhere
Advisory & Support
Dedicated Onboarding Team
When you start with Patrick Accounting, you'll work with a dedicated team that helps you get set up properly from day one.
Team Access (Regular Phone, Email, Zoom, and Meetings)
We include regular communication as needed to discuss your financial statements, tax questions, and other concerns. You are not just getting a report. You are getting a team in your corner.
Patrick Academy + Learning Center Access
As part of our monthly service, we offer exclusive access to our Patrick Academy. Think of it as office hours with your accounting team, whenever you need it. We hold regular sessions where you can ask anything on your mind about running your business, understanding your numbers, or improving profitability.
Common topics our clients bring to office hours:
- How to read and actually use your financial statements
- Tax strategies and planning throughout the year
- Cash flow management and forecasting
- Pricing strategies and profit improvement
- Industry-specific best practices
- QuickBooks tips and troubleshooting
But you're not limited to these topics. Bring whatever questions or challenges you're facing, and we'll work through them together.
What Advanced Doesn't Include (But Available as Add-Ons or in Ultimate)
Advanced gives you weekly visibility and hands-on AP management, but some services require add-ons or our Ultimate package.
Available as Add-Ons for Advanced:
Weekly Flash Reports: Detailed weekly financial snapshot with key metrics
13-Week Cash Flow Forecasting: Rolling forecast of your cash position
13-Week Cash Flow Forecasting: Rolling forecast of your cash positionAnnual Customized KPI & Target Refresh: Yearly goal-setting session
Inventory-Based AP Management: For restaurants with detailed recipe costing needs
Restaurant365 Subscription & Support: For restaurants ready for advanced systems
Individual Tax Return Preparation: Personal tax returns for business owners
IRS/State Notice Response & Audit Representation: Handle tax issues if they arise
Only Available in Ultimate:
Premium Financial Reporting Suite (advanced dashboards and custom reporting)- Quarterly Business Strategy Sessions
- Strategic budgeting with quarterly updates
- IRS/State notice response and audit representation (included in base package)
If you need these strategic-level services, check out our Ultimate Package.
Advanced Package for Restaurant Owners
If you own a restaurant or a multi-location food service business, the Advanced Package is designed specifically to meet your unique operational and financial needs.
It’s a great fit for multi-unit restaurant operators with two to five locations, franchise owners who need strong cost control, restaurant groups preparing for growth, bars and pubs managing complex inventory, and food service businesses with annual revenue between $1 million and $5 million.
What Makes Advanced Perfect for Restaurants:
1. Weekly Financial Visibility
- Weekly cash management so you always know what's available
- Weekly AP management keeps vendor relationships strong and payments on time
- Choose monthly or every-4-weeks bookkeeping to match your rhythm
2. Restaurant-Specific KPIs
The metrics that actually matter for restaurant profitability:
- COGS% tracking: Know your food and bar costs by period, not just at year-end
- Labor monitoring: Keep labor costs in check with weekly visibility
- Prime Cost reporting: Your number one restaurant profitability metric, tracked consistently
3. Restaurant Tax Compliance
- Sales tax preparation and filing
- Liquor tax return preparation and filing
- Business federal and state income tax returns
- All annual filings (1099s, annual reports, gross receipts, tangible property)
- Mid-year and year-end tax strategy meetings
4. Technology Integration
- Works with QuickBooks Online or Restaurant365
- POS system integration for automated sales data
- Dext for receipt management
- Bill.com for vendor payments and invoice management
Add-Ons for Growing Restaurant Groups:
- Inventory-Based AP Management: Detailed recipe costing and variance analysis
- Restaurant365 Subscription & Support: Advanced restaurant management platform
- Weekly Flash Reports: Key metrics delivered every week
- 13-Week Cash Flow Forecasting: Plan for seasonal fluctuations
When Restaurants Need Ultimate:
If you're running 5+ locations, need quarterly strategy sessions, or want CFO-level guidance on expansion decisions, check out our Ultimate Package.
Is Advanced the Right Fit for Your Business?
Advanced is built for growth-minded owners who need weekly financial visibility to make fast decisions. It works best for multi-location businesses (2-5 locations) that need expense tracking across sites and businesses with $1M-$5M in revenue that have outgrown basic bookkeeping.
Who Thrives with The Advanced Package:
- Professional service firms like dental practices with 2-3 locations, medical offices, architecture firms, and consultants where managing cash flow and AP is crucial.
- Restaurants and food service (2-5 locations) that need weekly prime cost visibility. Think restaurant groups with 3-4 locations or franchise owners with multiple units across different markets.
- Growing retail and other businesses with inventory across multiple stores, complex project tracking, or owners who want hands-on bill management without hiring in-house AP staff.
You should also be tech-savvy and ready to use modern tools like Dext and Bill.com. Advanced requires weekly collaboration with your accounting team.
If This Sounds Like You, Advanced Might Not Be What You Need
Advanced is not right for businesses that prefer traditional accounting methods over modern tools, aren't ready to collaborate weekly with an accounting team, have inconsistent and unstructured finances, are struggling financially and need to stabilize first, or aren't willing to use tools like Dext and Bill.com.
When Advanced Might Be Too Much:
Consider our Core Package instead if:
- You have a single-location business with straightforward finances
- Monthly bookkeeping gives you enough visibility
- You don't need weekly cash management, your AP volume is low (fewer than 20 bills per month), or you prefer handling your own bill payments
When Advanced Might Not Be Enough:
Consider our Ultimate Package instead if:
- You need quarterly business strategy sessions with CFO-level guidance
- Want advanced forecasting and budgeting support
- Are planning major expansion and need strategic financial modeling
- Want premium reporting suites and custom dashboards
- Need included audit representation and tax notice response
Smart Ways to Manage Your Accounting Investment
While we do not offer any discounts, we guarantee that our work is at the level you would expect. Your fee is based on volume and complexity. By creating simple processes and reducing unnecessary complications, you can help keep your fees lower:
- Consolidate vendors where possible to reduce bill volume
- Use consistent bill coding so we spend less time categorizing
- Stay organized with Dext by snapping photos of receipts immediately
- Respond quickly to bill approval requests in Bill.com
- Keep vendor information updated to avoid payment delays
- Use Bill.com's vendor portal so vendors can upload invoices directly
- Batch similar purchases to reduce the number of transactions
- Communicate changes early if your business changes significantly
The more efficient your AP process, the more smoothly we can work together, which helps manage your investment.
Ready to Get Weekly Financial Clarity?
Investing in Advanced gives you weekly visibility into your cash, hands-on AP management, and the financial clarity to make faster, smarter decisions. You don't have to wonder where your cash is going or scramble to figure out what bills are due. Advanced takes that stress off your plate.
At Patrick Accounting, we specialize in helping growing businesses get control of their finances with weekly support and industry-specific insights.
If you're ready to see if Advanced is the right fit for your business, schedule a discovery call with our team. We'll review your specific needs and give you a customized quote.
Not quite ready to meet? That’s totally ok! Check out our guide on Who’s a Good Fit for Patrick Accounting to see if our services align with what you need.
