If you own a small business and use QuickBooks, you know that QuickBooks is a very comprehensive accounting software. But using the software can still be time consuming if you are not a bookkeeper by trade.

While you could hire a CPA to do your bookkeeping, hiring one is not always the most economical solution for running your day to day business operations. Hiring a part-time in house bookkeeper seems like a more cost-effective solution, but quality of bookkeepers can vary significantly. And employee turnover is costly when a new bookkeeper is brought in with a different skill set.

Hiring a ProAdvisor is a great middle ground solution. ProAdvisors receive certified training from Intuit and must complete an annual certification exam to maintain their status. They are well trained in customizing QuickBooks for your specific business to get the most out of the software. ProAdvisors are well versed in maintaining customer, vendor and employee information, entering and paying bills, creating invoices, processing payroll and maintaining a clean and backed up file. This saves time and money long term because they can perform these tasks that would otherwise take you or your bookkeeper much longer to learn and complete.

They also have access to Intuit's ProAdvisor help line. This in itself is a huge time and cost  savings, and there is no pressure for you to upgrade to a more current version of QuickBooks when it may not be necessary.

For you very own QuickBooks ProAdvisor, give me a call.

                                Kim

Have you ever wished for more hours in the day just to help you get through your workload? Most of us have been there. This kind of thinking leads to stress and general unhappiness. To give yourself a little breathing room you might want to hire a company that can provide some virtual assistance (VA).

These four tips can make the hiring process go smoothly:

1. Write Down a List of Qualifications

Before you begin searching for a off site company,you should write down a list of qualifications.

Consider the qualities that you absolutely need your VA company to possess and write them down in one list. Then make a separate list of the qualities that would be nice to have. Your goal is to find a provider that meets as many qualities on both lists as possible.

Be sure to consider things like which time zone your business is in and which software programs they are proficient using.

2. Do a Thorough Evaluation

During your research, vet each company to ensure they meets all of your qualifications and have a strong reputation as being reliable. Ask the candidates to send you references just like you would when hiring a full time employee.

3. Discuss Expectations

During the interview process, discuss what your and the company's expectations are, making sure the two are compatible. Putting your expectations on the table will prevent many headaches down the line.

4. Provide Training

Once you find a suitable provider and the contract is signed, you should be prepared to provide the information necessary on your business and guidelines for completing the work. The type of training and information you provide as the business owner should be suitably comparable to that of which you would give any new employee.

At Off-Site Business Services, we provide a wide range of services to businesses across the country through our Orland Park office. Call us before you hire someone who will get your project out- right after they get the dishes off the dining room table.

Off-Site Business Services- Virtually Every Way to Grow a Successful Business

Chances are good that, at some time in your life, you've taken a time management class, read about it in books, and tried to use an electronic or paper-based day planner to organize, prioritize and schedule your day. "Why, with this knowledge and these gadgets," you may ask, "do I still feel like I can't get everything done I need to?"

The answer is simple. Everything you ever learned about managing time is a complete waste of time because it doesn't work.