GUIDE · CHANGING BOOKKEEPER
How to switch bookkeepers
without losing a month or the history.
To switch bookkeepers, pick the last month your current bookkeeper closed, get the books file, a trial balance and every bank reconciliation for that month, then hand the new bookkeeper those balances and the statements since. ZeraBooks bookkeeping services start from that month and will quote against what you pay now.
Free call · from $150 a month (USD) · tell us your current fee and we’ll quote against it
BEFORE YOU GIVE NOTICE
What should you get from your old bookkeeper?
Ask for all of it in writing, with a date, before the last invoice is paid. Most of it is yours already; the bookkeeper is just holding it.
The books file or a full export
Admin access to your QuickBooks, Xero or other company file if it is in your name, or a full export if the bookkeeper owns the subscription. Without it, every past transaction lives only in their system.
Closing reports for the last finished month
A trial balance, a balance sheet and a profit and loss as of that date, plus the unpaid invoices and unpaid bills lists. These become the new opening balances.
Every bank and card reconciliation
The report for each account for that month, showing the statement balance, the book balance and any checks or deposits that hadn’t cleared. This is how the new bookkeeper knows the starting point is real.
Payroll and sales tax records
Payroll registers and filings from your payroll provider, and the sales tax, GST or PST returns already filed. Note which periods are still open.
Logins and access to remove
A list of every bank, payroll, tax and software login the bookkeeper used. Change the passwords or remove their user once the handover is done.
Notes on how things were booked
How they treated owner draws, loans, the vehicle and recurring vendors. A one-page note saves the new bookkeeper guessing.
Tell us about your books. We’ll scope the work and quote it before anything starts.
TIMING
When is the best time to switch bookkeepers?
Any time works if the handover month is closed. Some months make it easier.
| Switch after | Why it helps | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| A month that is fully reconciled | The new books start from a balance everyone has checked | A month that “just needs a few fixes” is not closed |
| A quarter-end | Sales tax and payroll quarters start fresh with the new bookkeeper | The old bookkeeper may still owe you that quarter’s filing figures |
| The year-end close | One bookkeeper owns the whole tax year | The year-end package must be finished before they leave |
| Months behind already | The new bookkeeper does catch-up from the last good month | Price the catch-up before you agree the monthly fee |
If the old bookkeeper stopped mid-month or the last months never tied, start from the last month that did and treat the rest as catch-up. Our guides to catch-up bookkeeping and bookkeeping cleanup show how each is done.
WORKED EXAMPLE
How does the new bookkeeper check the starting balance?
A fictional design studio switches in July 2026. The old bookkeeper’s last closed month is June. Before anything else is built, checking is compared with the June bank statement:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bank statement balance, June 30 | 22,105.00 |
| Less check 2041, written June 27, not cleared | (410.00) |
| Less check 2043, written June 29, not cleared | (215.00) |
| Book balance on the old trial balance, June 30 | 21,480.00 |
22,105.00 less 625.00 of uncleared checks is 21,480.00, the balance on the old bookkeeper’s trial balance, so the starting point holds. The two checks are listed as uncleared and should appear on the July statement. If the numbers didn’t meet, June would need another look before July is touched.
STEP BY STEP
How do you change bookkeepers, in order?
- 1
Find the new bookkeeper first
Get a written quote for the monthly fee and any catch-up. Our comparison of the best bookkeeping services for small business lists prices from each provider’s own page.
- 2
Agree the handover month
The last month the old bookkeeper finishes and reconciles. Put the date in your notice.
- 3
Collect the files above
Books file or export, closing reports, reconciliations, payroll and tax records, and the login list.
- 4
Set up the opening books
The new bookkeeper starts from the trial balance and checks every bank and card balance against its statement, as in the example.
- 5
Close the first month together
When the first new month ties to every statement, the switch is done. Then remove the old bookkeeper’s access.
COST
What should you ask about cost when you switch?
What exactly does my current fee cover?
Number of accounts, payroll, sales tax, reports, catch-up. Compare like with like, or a cheaper quote may cover less.
Is there a setup or onboarding fee?
Some services charge to take over the books. Ask before you sign; at ZeraBooks, anything beyond the monthly fee is quoted on the free call.
Is catch-up quoted separately?
At ZeraBooks it is, once, on top of the monthly fee from $150. The monthly price is agreed after a free call.
Do I owe the old bookkeeper notice?
Check your agreement for a notice period, and pay for the last month only once its reconciliations are in your hands.
How long does it take to switch bookkeepers?
If the last month is closed and the old bookkeeper sends the files, the opening books can be set up within days and the first new month closes on your normal schedule. Missing reconciliations or months behind add catch-up time.
What if my old bookkeeper won’t hand over the files?
Your bank and card statements come straight from the bank, and those are what each month is proven against. A new bookkeeper can rebuild from the last tax return and the statements since, which is quoted as catch-up.
My bookkeeping service shut down. Is it the same process?
Yes, with less help from the other side. Bench customers went through this in December 2024; our Bench alternative page covers what to download and how to set opening balances from Bench’s last month.
Will ZeraBooks quote against what I pay now?
Yes. Tell us your current fee and what it covers on a free call and we quote against it, from $150 a month in U.S. dollars. You get a read-only dashboard and an upload portal.
Do I have to move off QuickBooks or Xero?
With ZeraBooks, the books move to ZeraBooks’ own ledger, starting from your closing balances. Keep the old file read-only for the history.
WE DO YOUR BOOKS
Ready to change bookkeepers?
Tell us the last month that was closed.
We’ll quote the monthly fee and any catch-up against what you pay now, before anything starts. Book the free call.
Last updated October 20, 2026 · Written by Damin Mutti, founder of ZeraBooks