Prior-year return
A copy of last year's return, flagged ready.
Accountant handoff · Onboarding
A handoff template for onboarding a new accountant
A new accountant starts by asking for things your old one already had: last year's return, a list of invoices, expenses categorized with receipts behind them, your bank and loan statements, and an asset list. Sending those piecemeal over a fortnight of emails wastes everyone's time. This template gives you a handoff folder structure that lists what a new accountant typically asks for first, with a status flag per item, so you can hand over one organized export instead of a trickle.
The problem
Why onboarding a new accountant drags
A first-time handoff has no shared history, so the accountant asks for everything at once and you supply it slowly. Without a checklist and a single folder, items get missed.
- You don't have last year's return to hand because it's buried in old email.
- Expenses exist but aren't categorized, so the accountant can't use them as-is.
- Receipts are separate from the expenses they back, so the accountant requests them again.
- Bank and loan statements arrive months apart instead of together.
- There's no asset list, so equipment and its purchase records are missing.
The workflow
Assemble the first-time handoff
Build the standard ask-list as a folder, fill each item, and track its status so nothing ships incomplete.
- 1
Create the handoff folder
Make a folder named for the handoff — e.g. 'New Accountant — 2025 Records' — with a sub-area per requested item.
- 2
Gather the prior-year return
File a copy of last year's return so the new accountant has your starting point.
- 3
Build the invoice list
Record every invoice with client, amount, dates, and paid status, and attach the PDFs.
- 4
Categorize expenses with receipts
Record expenses by category, date, vendor, and amount, with each receipt attached.
- 5
Collect statements and assets
File your bank and loan statements and build an asset list of equipment with purchase records.
- 6
Flag status and export
Mark each item ready, pending, or not applicable, then export the folder as one organized handoff.
Record structure
What to track for each handoff item
A status flag per item turns a long ask-list into a visible, finishable checklist.
- Item
- What the accountant asked for — prior-year return, invoice list, expenses, statements, asset list.
- Status
- Ready, pending, or not applicable, so you can see what's left.
- Owner
- Who is gathering it — you, a bookkeeper, or a previous provider.
- Source
- Where it comes from — old portal, bank, prior accountant.
- Document
- The return copy, invoice PDF, receipt, or statement attached to the item.
- Period
- Which fiscal year or range the item covers.
- Note
- Anything the accountant should know — a gap, a one-off, or a pending request.
Example setup
An example handoff folder setup
One way to structure a first-time handoff inside your workspace.
Invoices
The invoice list with client, amount, dates, status, and attached PDFs.
Expenses & receipts
Categorized expenses with each receipt attached.
Statements & assets
Bank and loan statements plus an asset list with purchase records.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending records one email at a time instead of as one package.
- Handing over expenses that aren't categorized.
- Detaching receipts from the expenses they support.
- Forgetting the asset list, so equipment purchases are missing.
- Leaving item statuses untracked, so you can't tell what's still outstanding.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
A standard ask-list
Lay out the items a new accountant typically requests as a folder so you fill a checklist instead of guessing.
A status per item
Flag each item ready, pending, or not applicable so the handoff is visibly complete before you send it.
One organized export
Export the whole folder as a single handoff so the accountant gets everything together.
Related
Related handoff workflows
Document checklist
See what a typical records package should contain.
Send documents to accountant
Get a clean export ready to hand over.
Quarterly handoff
Run a consistent handoff package every quarter.
Year-end handoff
Organize the full year for an end-of-year handover.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
New accountant handoff FAQ
- What does a new accountant usually ask for first?
- Commonly the prior-year return, a list of invoices, categorized expenses with receipts, bank and loan statements, and an asset list. This template lays those out as items so you can gather and flag each one.
- What if I don't have an item, like an asset list?
- Flag it not applicable or pending and add a note. The status view shows exactly what's outstanding, so you and the accountant both know what's still coming.
- How is the handoff delivered?
- Once items are flagged ready, export the handoff folder as one organized package. The exact format and any filings remain your accountant's call.
Organizing help — not tax, accounting, or legal guidance
Cash Workspace is a free workspace for organizing invoices, expenses, receipts, clients, and documents. This page is organizing guidance only — not tax, accounting, legal, or bookkeeping guidance. Cash Workspace does not connect to your bank, does not scan or read your receipts for you, and does not move or collect payments. Whether an expense is deductible depends on your situation, so confirm it with a qualified accountant or tax professional.
Hand a new accountant one clean package
Start a free workspace and assemble the prior-year return, invoices, categorized expenses, statements, and asset list in one folder, ready to export.