Accounting Assessments: The Smart First Step to Clearer Financials
By Dana Truesdell, CMA, CSCA, MSMSL, Senior Manager
Not confident in your financial reporting? Our accounting assessments identify risks, improve processes, and strengthen your CPA relationship.
For many organizations, an accounting assessment is the first step toward stronger financial reporting and clearer decision-making.
Strong financial reporting isn’t just about compliance. It’s about clarity, confidence, and making better business decisions.
Most organizations don’t struggle because they don’t care about their accounting.
They struggle because processes evolve, people change, and systems don’t always keep up.
That’s where an accounting assessment adds immediate value.
A well-executed assessment helps you:
- Improve accuracy
- Reduce inefficiencies
- Clarify the right level of support
- Shift your CPA relationship from transactional to advisory
Why Start with an Accounting Assessment?
An accounting assessment sets the foundation for a successful relationship with your CPA firm.
Instead of reacting to problems as they surface, you gain:
- A fresh perspective on how your accounting function is actually operating
- Clear insight into risks and inefficiencies
- A scalable approach to financial reporting
- A stronger, more strategic long-term partnership
For businesses navigating growth, leadership transitions, or increased reporting demands, a proactive accounting assessment can provide the clarity needed to move forward confidently.
What Is an Accounting Assessment?
Our accounting assessment services function as a proactive accounting process review, helping organizations strengthen internal controls and reporting accuracy.
An accounting assessment is a holistic review of your accounting environment, focused on four areas:
- Financial Records
Accuracy, completeness, and compliance - Processes
Workflow efficiency and internal controls - People
Roles, responsibilities, and skill sets - Technology
Software systems, automation, and integration
This is not an audit.
It’s not just a cleanup project.
It’s a proactive review designed to give you clarity, direction, and a practical path forward.
Common Challenges We See
These issues are common — especially in growing organizations:
- Paper processes in a paperless world
- Weak reporting or budgeting structure
- Manual entry creating inefficiencies
- Cluttered or misaligned chart of accounts
- Untimely or inaccurate reconciliations
- Unsupported or poorly configured QuickBooks files
Left unaddressed, these create unnecessary risk and limit your ability to make confident decisions.
When do Assessments Add the Most Value?
One of the most common client responses?
“We didn’t even know we needed this!” – common client response
A Transition Leads You to Consider Outsourcing
When a key employee leaves or retires, an assessment helps:
- Reveal the true state of your accounting environment
- Define the right scope of services
- Improve pricing accuracy and onboarding
- Reduce surprises during transitions
The assessment leverages this transition point as an opportunity to look at how manage your accounting with a fresh perspective.
Expanding Beyond Tax-Only Services
For tax-only clients, assessments often uncover:
- Missed deadlines due to unclear responsibilities
- Underused
- Limited insight due to weak reporting
The result: better information, better decisions, and a more strategic CPA relationship.
Evaluating In-House Accounting Teams
When work is getting done, but leadership lacks confidence:
- We assess both people and processes
- Identify training and role clarity needs
- Provide fractional controller or CFO support when appropriate
- Align accounting operations with broader business goals
The goal is not replacement — it’s strengthening your team and systems.
What Are the Outcomes of the Assessment?
- Immediate Clarity
You understand what’s working and what’s not. - A Clear Roadmap
Practical next steps to improve your accounting function. - Value from Day One
Actionable insights you can use right away. - Strategic Partnership
Move from reactive compliance to proactive planning. - Trust from the Start
We take time to understand your business, priorities, and budget — so recommendations align with your reality.
Let’s Start with a Conversation
For businesses navigating growth, leadership transitions, or increased reporting demands, a proactive accounting assessment can provide the clarity needed to move forward confidently.
If any of these situations sound familiar, an accounting assessment may be the right first step.
We’re happy to talk through whether this approach makes sense for your organization and what the process looks like.
Reach out below to start the conversation.
