The term "virtual" is used because all client interaction will be done via telephone or the web. I have a Secure File portal as well as secure email to transfer sensitive financial data. If you have your own accounting software, I will be glad to learn / use it. If you want to use my software, I can create either a QuickBooks Desktop file or a Sage 50 file. If you have a QuickBooks Online account, you can add me as an accountant so I have access.
(Additional fees may apply for cutting checks, postage, etc.)
I would be glad to help you create invoices and / or statements for your clients / customers in your accounting software. We can then apply payments when they are received and record deposits. I can also produce aging reports to show you when receipts are due and who is overdue.
When you receive bills from vendors, I would be happy to record them in your accounting software. In order to stay current, this is normally done weekly or bi-weekly. I can then create an aging report showing you exactly what is due and when it is due. I may cut checks, but I don't feel comfortable signing them for clients.
Reconciliations are extremely important for cash and credit card accounts. They not only show what is reconciled and what is still outstanding, but they provide validity for your transactions in case of an audit.
I will review your sales data as well as the sales tax you have collected and create the appropriate report for the state or local government. Sales tax can be tricky depending on the state and locality, so I may refer you to a CPA if I don't believe I can meet your needs.
This is simple way for a small business to make sure the books are up to date. You provide me with your bank statements and credit card statements and give us a description of the transactions. Then, I will record the transactions and reconcile the accounts. I can then produce a monthly P&L and Balance Sheet. The one drawback is that this has no predictive quality. There are no aging reports showing you what is due or what needs to be paid - it's all after-the-fact.
Additional fees may apply for direct deposits, cutting checks, postage, etc.
I use QuickBooks Desktop to do payroll for clients if they don't have another payroll provider. This process is designed for small businesses. I will take either your hourly or salary data and I will produce paystubs and payroll reports for you each pay period. In this case I prefer a client to cut their own checks, but if I do cut checks, I don't feel comfortable signing them, but I can overnight them. I currently don't offer direct deposit.
For larger businesses, sometimes it's best to use a payroll service. However, most of these services have an "Accountant" function. In these situations, I could do all the data entry for the payroll, ensure the checks are correct, and create reports for you before you sign off on the payroll. I have several connections with payroll services, so I would be glad to discuss options with you.
Again, using QuickBooks Desktop, I will produce your payroll tax reports for you - quarterly and yearly. For quarterly reports, I will send you the reports with instructions on where to sign and send in the report. For yearly reports, some are required to be printed using forms specified by the government. These will have to be mailed to you for signature. If you decide to use a payroll service, they may file these reports for you, but again, I am more comfortable with clients signing reports.