Call

Behind on your books

Catch-Up Bookkeeping

Behind on your books? That is fixable.

Catch-up bookkeeping is quoted per project after we review your books, separately from any monthly package. Every catch-up is different (how far behind, how many transactions, what needs reconciling), so there is no fixed price, package price or minimum.

Being behind is more common than you think

Most businesses that come to us for catch-up work — whether right here in Port Alberni or elsewhere in Canada — have had a busy year, a software change, or a bookkeeper who moved on. It is a normal problem with a defined process, not a judgment on how you run your business.

What determines the scope

These are the things we look at before quoting catch-up work. They vary too much from one business to the next for a fixed price, a package price or a flat fee, so every catch-up is quoted on its own.

  • How many months or years are outstanding
  • How many accounts need reconciling over that period
  • Transaction volume across the outstanding period
  • Whether prior records exist and are usable, or need rebuilding from statements
  • Whether GST/HST or payroll filings were missed during that time
  • Whether there are outstanding CRA notices or a fixed deadline to work back from

How catch-up work runs

  1. Records review

    You give us read-only access or recent statements, and we assess what is actually outstanding — not what you think might be.

  2. Your quote

    The expected hours, cost and timeline for the catch-up period, set out before anything starts.

  3. Catch-up and clean-up

    We work through the outstanding period, reconcile it properly, and flag anything that needs your input.

  4. Onto a monthly schedule

    Once you are current, ongoing bookkeeping keeps you there — most catch-up clients move straight onto a monthly package.

Timelines depend on the size of the backlog and how quickly records come through. If you have a hard CRA deadline, tell us in the estimate and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.

Catch-up bookkeeping is quoted per project after we review your books. Your quote sets out the expected hours and cost before anything starts.

What catch-up bookkeeping covers

Catch-up bookkeeping brings every account up to date for a period that was left behind: bank and credit card accounts, payment processors, loans, and any payroll and GST/HST accounts. Each one is reconciled to its statements, so the profit and loss and balance sheet at the end are figures you can file from and plan with.

Clean-up is the other half. A file that was kept, but kept wrongly, often needs as much work as one that was not kept at all: transfers recorded as income, owner draws coded as expenses, duplicated deposits, or a GST/HST balance that has never agreed with what was filed. We correct those as we go and tell you what we changed.

Missed GST/HST returns and payroll filings

If returns or remittances were missed during the period, we reconcile first and prepare the overdue GST/HST returns from the corrected numbers, rather than estimating to hit a deadline. If payroll was run, we check that remittances and year-end slips agree with the books. Tell us about any CRA notices in the estimate so the scope accounts for them.

Doing it yourself first?

Our guide to catching up on your bookkeeping walks through the order we work in, from gathering statements to reconciling the oldest month first. Once you are current, monthly bookkeeping keeps you there.

Common questions

How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost?

Catch-up bookkeeping is quoted per project after we review your books. Every catch-up is different (how far behind, how many transactions, what needs reconciling), so there is no fixed price, package price or minimum. Your quote sets out the expected hours, cost and timeline before anything starts.

How far back can you go?

As far as your records need. We usually start from the last period that was reconciled and properly closed, or from the start of the oldest year with an outstanding filing.

I have lost some receipts. Is that a problem?

It is common, and it is workable. Bank and credit card statements let us rebuild the transactions; we then flag the expenses that need a supporting document, such as purchases you want to claim GST/HST input tax credits on.

Do I have to sign up for monthly bookkeeping afterwards?

No. Many owners move onto a monthly package once they are current, because it stops the backlog from building again, but catch-up work on its own is just as welcome.

Can you deal with the CRA for me?

Yes. We can prepare overdue GST/HST returns from the corrected books and act as your authorized CRA representative, including through a CRA audit or review. Catch-up work is quoted on its own, and where specialized tax expertise is needed we coordinate with your accountant or tax professional.

Related services and guides

Tell us how far behind you are

The estimate asks how many months are outstanding and whether there are filings or CRA deadlines in play, so the first conversation starts from real information.

Get an Estimate