Most problems with an outsourced bookkeeper trace back to the agreement. Scope was vague, the fee had no limits, or nobody said who owns the Xero file when the relationship ends. Twenty minutes with this checklist before you sign can save months of friction later. It applies whether you choose Scale Suite's outsourced finance team or any other provider.
Published: October 2026
It is the engagement letter or service agreement between your business and the bookkeeping provider. It sets out what they will do, what you will do, what it costs and how it ends. A good one is short and specific. A bad one is either a single paragraph or a long contract full of terms that only protect the provider.
The agreement should list each task and how often it happens: bank reconciliations weekly, payroll fortnightly, BAS quarterly, management reports monthly. Vague words like "bookkeeping services" leave room for disputes. Our guide to what a bookkeeper actually does each month helps you check nothing is missing.
Check whether the fee is fixed monthly or hourly, and whether it is quoted ex GST or inc GST. A fixed fee makes budgeting easy. An hourly fee needs an estimate and a cap.
Fixed fees usually rest on volume assumptions, such as number of transactions, employees or entities. The agreement should say what happens when volume grows, how much notice you get of a change, and whether there is an annual price review.
Catch-up work, year-end support for your accountant, new system set-ups and one-off projects are often outside the monthly fee. Agree the rate or a fixed price before the work starts, not after.
Look for the minimum term, the notice period and any exit fees. Long lock-ins shift the risk to you. Rolling monthly terms let you leave if the service is not working.
The accounting subscription should be in your business's name, with you as the subscriber. If the provider owns the subscription, ask how and when it transfers to you. Our article who owns your ledger explains why this matters.
The agreement should commit the provider to a clean handover when you leave: reconciled accounts to the exit date, a list of open items, process notes and the removal of their access. Our checklist for switching bookkeepers covers the steps.
If the provider prepares or lodges your BAS for a fee, they must generally be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board, or the work must be supervised by a registered agent. The agreement should name the registered agent responsible. You can check any registration on the TPB public register.
Ask whether any of the work happens outside Australia, and how personal information such as payroll data is protected. If data goes offshore, the Privacy Act's rules on cross-border disclosure may apply. Our guide to APP 8 and offshore bookkeeping explains what to ask.
The agreement, or a schedule to it, should set out what access the provider has: Xero role, payroll access, bank access. Whatever the arrangement, a payment should never be loaded and approved by the same person. Our guide to internal controls for small business shows how to split duties.
Good agreements set dates for both parties. The provider closes the month by a set business day and sends reports by a set date. You provide receipts, approvals and payroll changes by agreed cut-offs. Without your side, the provider's dates mean little.
Ask what happens if the provider makes a mistake that leads to an ATO penalty or interest. Check what professional indemnity insurance they hold. Registered BAS agents must meet the TPB's insurance requirements.
Scale Suite engagements have no lock-in and no notice period, and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Fees are fixed monthly and quoted ex GST. Packages start from $1,500 per month, and most clients invest $2,500 to $6,000 per month for a complete finance function. Scale Suite Pty Ltd is a registered BAS agent, registration number 26298194. See our pricing page to request a fixed-fee proposal.
If you are still weighing up whether to outsource at all, try the hire vs outsource decision wizard.
What should be in an outsourced bookkeeping agreement?
A task-by-task scope, a clear fee and what changes it, the term and exit process, data ownership, a handover commitment, the registered agent responsible for BAS, data location, access controls, deadlines and how errors are handled.
Who owns the Xero file when I outsource bookkeeping?
You should. The subscription should be in your business's name. If the provider holds it, the agreement should say how it transfers to you.
Is a lock-in contract normal for bookkeeping?
Some providers use minimum terms. Rolling monthly agreements are also common and give you more flexibility if the service does not suit.
Does an outsourced bookkeeper need to be a registered BAS agent?
If they provide BAS services to your business for a fee, they must generally be registered with the TPB or work under a registered agent's supervision.
What happens to my data if I end the agreement?
Your data should stay in your accounting system, and the provider should hand over working papers and remove their access. Make sure the agreement says so.
Can my bookkeeping be done offshore?
Yes, if the provider manages privacy obligations for cross-border data and BAS work is supervised by a registered agent. Ask how both are handled before you sign.
Who pays if my bookkeeper's mistake causes an ATO penalty?
It depends on the agreement. Ask the provider directly, and check their professional indemnity insurance.
Book a 30-minute call at calendly.com/scalesuite/30min. We will scope your bookkeeping task by task and send a fixed monthly fee you can compare.
Scale Suite is a Sydney-based provider of outsourced finance teams and fractional CFO services for Australian SMEs. We deliver weekly bookkeeping, payroll, BAS/IAS lodgement, cashflow reporting, management accounts, and strategic fractional CFO oversight, all as a fully embedded team that works inside your business.
CA-qualified, Xero Certified, and registered BAS Agents, we replace fragmented bookkeepers and once-a-year accountants with one responsive finance function at a fraction of the cost of full-time hires. We serve growing businesses across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, with packages starting from $1,500 per month and no lock-in contracts.
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We review and check this guide periodically. At the time of writing (October 2026), all information was current. Scale Suite is a registered BAS Agent, not a licensed tax advisor or financial advisor. This content is general information only and does not constitute professional tax, financial, or legal advice. Some details may change over time.
All information as at October 2026. Scale Suite fees are ex GST.
Scale Suite is a Sydney-based provider of outsourced finance and HR services for Australian SMEs. We deliver bookkeeping, financial reporting, payroll processing, fractional CFO support, recruitment, employee onboarding, people and culture support, and fractional HR oversight, all as a fully embedded team that works inside your business.
Employment Hero Gold Partner, CA-qualified, and Xero Certified, we replace fragmented finance and HR processes with one responsive, senior-level function at a fraction of the cost of full-time hires. We serve growing businesses across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, with packages starting from $1,500 per month and no lock-in contracts.
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We will review your current finance setup, compare the full cost of an internal hire against our embedded team, and show you exactly what your finance function should cost at your stage of growth.
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