Prior years (closed)
A folder per closed fiscal year with recorded invoices, categorized expenses, and statements.
Accountant handoff · Switching
Organizing your records to switch accountants
Changing accountants mid-relationship is awkward when your records are split between what the old accountant held and what you've recorded since. The new accountant needs both the closed prior years and the in-progress current year in one clean set. Cash Workspace lets you assemble prior-year fiscal folders, your current-year invoice and expense records, and your contracts into a single organized export so the new accountant inherits structure, not a mess.
The problem
Why switching creates gaps
When you switch, ownership of your records is split in time. The handoff fails when the prior years and the current in-progress year don't arrive as one coherent set.
- Closed prior years sit with the old accountant while current-year records sit with you.
- Current-year invoices and expenses are half-recorded and not yet reconciled.
- Contracts the old accountant relied on were never copied to you.
- The new accountant asks "where did the last accountant leave off?" and nobody knows.
- Documents arrive in scattered emails, so the new accountant rebuilds from scratch.
The workflow
Assemble a clean switch package
Pull the prior years into folders, finish recording the current year, and export the whole set together.
- 1
Recover prior-year folders
Gather the closed years — recorded invoices, expense records, and statements — into one fiscal-year folder each.
- 2
Bring the current year up to date
Record any current-year invoices and expenses that aren't logged yet, with documents attached, so nothing is mid-air at the switch.
- 3
Mark where things stand
Note which invoices are still open and which expenses still need receipts so the new accountant sees the current state.
- 4
Add contracts and agreements
File client and vendor contracts so the new accountant understands recurring relationships from day one.
- 5
Export the package
Review the folders, then export prior years and the current year together as one inheritance set.
Record structure
What to assemble for the new accountant
A switch goes smoothly when both the history and the live current year are organized in one place.
- Prior-year fiscal folders
- One folder per closed year with recorded invoices, expenses, and statements.
- Current-year invoices
- Invoices issued and received this year with amounts, dates, and statuses.
- Current-year expenses
- Expenses by category, date, vendor, and amount, with receipts attached.
- Open-item notes
- A note flagging which invoices are unpaid and which expenses still need receipts.
- Statements
- Uploaded monthly bank and card statement documents for each period.
- Contracts
- Active client and vendor agreements the new accountant should know about.
- Fiscal-year end
- A note confirming your year-end so periods line up correctly.
Example setup
An example switch package
One way to lay out records so a new accountant can inherit them cleanly.
Current year — in progress
This year's invoice and expense records, with a note on open items and missing receipts.
Contracts
Active client and vendor agreements for context.
Statements
Monthly bank and card statement documents, named by account and month.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending only the closed years and leaving the current year half-recorded.
- Assuming the old accountant already passed everything along.
- Forgetting to flag which invoices are still open at the switch.
- Leaving contracts behind because they feel like old paperwork.
- Exporting before the current year is actually caught up.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
Prior and current together
Keep closed-year folders and the in-progress current year in one workspace so nothing falls between the old and new accountant.
Status you can see
Mark invoice statuses and flag missing receipts so the new accountant inherits a clear current state.
One inheritance export
Export the whole organized set so the new accountant starts from structure instead of scattered files.
Related
Related switching workflows
New accountant onboarding
Records to gather when bringing on an accountant.
Export-readiness checklist
Confirm records are ready before you export the handoff.
Clean books before handoff
Tidy records before they change hands.
Fiscal-year folder structure
A folder layout that keeps each year separate and inheritable.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Switching accountants FAQ
- What should I give a new accountant when I switch?
- Both the closed prior years and the in-progress current year — recorded invoices and expenses, statements, and contracts — assembled in fiscal-year folders so they inherit a complete picture.
- How do I show where the old accountant left off?
- Keep a short note flagging open invoices and expenses that still need receipts, filed with the current-year folder, so the new accountant sees the live state at the moment of the switch.
- Can Cash Workspace move records between accountants for me?
- No. It organizes your invoices, expenses, statements, and contracts into folders and lets you export them; you choose what to share with each accountant.
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 clean set to your new accountant
Start a free workspace and assemble your prior-year folders, current-year records, and contracts into one organized export so the new accountant inherits structure on day one.