CATCH UP OR CLEAN UP! WHICH BOOKKEEPING SERVICE DO YOU NEED?

Not every bookkeeping challenge looks the same—and neither should the solution. Depending on where your books stand today, you may need a catch up, a clean up, or sometimes both. Here’s how to tell which service is the right fit for your business.

🕓 Catch Up Bookkeeping

If you’ve fallen behind on your bookkeeping, you’re not alone. Catch up bookkeeping focuses on bringing your records up to date so you can see the full financial picture of your business again.

You might need catch up bookkeeping if:

• You haven’t entered transactions for several months

• Bank or credit card accounts haven’t been reconciled

• Payroll hasn’t been properly tracked

• Financial reports haven’t been prepared for management or taxes

Getting caught up ensures your books reflect reality—so you can make informed decisions, stay compliant, and plan confidently for the future.

🧹 Clean Up Bookkeeping

Even if your books are current, they might not be accurate. Clean up bookkeeping focuses on fixing errors, removing duplicates, and organizing your chart of accounts so everything lines up correctly.

You might need a clean up if:

• You have duplicate expense categories like “Meals,” “Dining,” and “Food” used inconsistently

• All income is lumped into one “Sales” account instead of being broken out by service or product

• Clearing accounts or balances don’t match your bank statements

• Your chart of accounts is cluttered with outdated or unused categories

A proper clean up brings order to the chaos—so your reports make sense and reflect your true financial performance.

💡 Sometimes You Need Both

If your books are both behind and messy, you’ll likely need to catch up first and then clean up. This two-step approach ensures that your records are not only current but also accurate moving forward.

Not sure which category your books fall into? Let’s find out together. Schedule a call today and we’ll review your books side by side to pinpoint exactly what you need to get back on track.