CV Bookkeeping Client Handbook

16–24 minutes

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Table of Contents

Welcome!

Our goal is to provide you with 5-Star Books – accurate, timely, and meaningful financial data that empowers your business decisions and supports growth. This handbook outlines our best practices, procedures, and workflows to ensure we achieve this together.

Your active participation is essential for maintaining exceptional financial records. We can only provide great bookkeeping if you stay engaged in the process by providing us with the information and documents we need, reading and acting upon the reports and feedback we send to you and following some guidelines.

This is how, together, we will keep the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) happy and ensure you have accurate information and reports to make informed business decisions.

Let’s ensure CV Bookkeeping has everything we need to complete your period end in a timely and accurate method, with a minimum of nagging from us!

Our Approach to Communication

We value effective communication and collaboration. We are a part of your business team now, and we will need to communicate information and share documents on a regular basis.

We strive to produce real-time, meaningful financial data and have actionable, strategic conversations with you.

Collaboration & Communication

We “time block”. This is how we stay in the moment & on task to GET STUFF DONE. Including your stuff! We will attempt to get back to you within 48 hours during normal business hours, but keep in mind there is no such thing as an “accounting emergency” that an instant response can solve.

Preferred Channels

  • Day-to-day actions, questions, and requests: Please use the comments feature within Double, your client portal, or send direct messages through Double, your client portal,. This ensures all communications are tracked and actioned efficiently.
  • Email: For specific questions or to send bullet points, email is also an option.
  • Scheduling Meetings: You are welcome to self-schedule meetings with us. You can book either one-hour or fifteen-minute slots in advance to ensure we can reserve dedicated time for you.
  • Phone calls: We welcome phone calls if a situation requires a more in-depth discussion. If we can’t answer immediately, please leave a clear message or email us the key points.

Channels to Avoid

  • Please do not communicate with us via text message or social media, as these channels are not suitable for tracking and actioning requests.

Document Sharing

Effective document sharing is key to maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records. We use a combination of tools and methods to ensure your documents are handled securely and efficiently.

Day-to-Day Bookkeeping Documents – Receipts & Invoices

  • These are the essential documents needed for posting transactions into your books.
  • Please upload, email, or use the mobile app to scan these directly into your client portal.

Non-Sensitive & Secure Documents

  • DO NOT SEND ANY SENSITIVE DATA VIA EMAIL. This practice violates federal and provincial privacy legislation and puts your company, yourself, and your staff at significant risk.
  • For general information or sensitive documents that require secure handling, please utilize your client portal.
  • You can access these documents through your client portal. Please remember to download any documents you need to keep.

Monthly Reports & Budgets

  • Monthly draft period-end reports will be shared with you via your client portal.
  • Documents such as custom reports and budgets are often collaborative and require customization within QuickBooks Online (QBO).

Client Responsibilities & Best Practices

Separate Business and Personal Finances

  • Dedicated Accounts: Use separate bank accounts and credit cards exclusively for your business transactions.
  • No Personal Expenses: Never use business accounts or cards for personal purchases. If an accidental personal expense occurs on a business card, please notify us immediately and do not upload it to Double, your client portal, unless clearly marked as personal. Do not use business accounts for personal expenses.
  • Owner Transactions: When money is moved to/from owners (owner invests or withdraws funds), ensure it’s clearly documented as a capital contribution, owner’s draw, or loan, and keep these separate from regular business expenses to maintain clear financial records and ensure accurate tax reporting.
  • Get a handle on your bills & payments. Plan accordingly. Keep the transfers to & from to a minimum.

Channel All Transactions Through Business Accounts

  • Digital Banking: Ensure you have online banking access and e-Statements set up for all business accounts, as this is essential for us to perform your bookkeeping.
  • Minimize Cash Transactions: Unless you operate a retail business that inherently deals with cash, avoid using cash for business transactions.

Document Everything with your Client Portal

  • Receipts for All Business Expenses: Upload or scan every single business-related receipt and invoice into Double, your client portal.
  • Payment Method: Ensure the payment method is clearly indicated on each document.
  • Meals & Entertainment: For meals and entertainment expenses, clearly write the purpose of the meeting (e.g., “Client meeting with John Doe”) and the names of attendees at the top of the receipt.

Provide Supporting Documentation for Key Transactions

  • For significant purchases, financing arrangements, or loans (both given and received), please provide us with copies of all relevant paperwork as soon as possible. This allows us to accurately record these transactions and prevent any year-end surprises.
  • Please alert us as soon as possible if you buy or sell any assets. We need to have these documents to provide to your accountant at year-end.

Track Mileage Diligently

  • Use a mileage tracking app to maintain an accurate log of your business travel. This is crucial for claiming tax-deductible mileage. You can either track your mileage for a deduction or reimburse yourself for gas expenses, but you cannot do both.

Ensure Business and Subcontractor Compliance

  • Professional Invoices: Ensure that any businesses or subcontractors you work with provide professional invoices that include their business number and relevant registration details (e.g., WCB/WorksafeBC/WSIB).
  • No Off-the-Books Payments: Do not hire anyone or conduct business “off the books” for cash payments, as this is illegal and carries significant risks. This applies to both your suppliers and your customers (if you are B2B).

Onboard New Hires and Subcontractors Correctly

  • New Hires: Have all new employees complete the necessary federal and provincial TD1 forms and our new hire form on their first day.
  • Subcontractors: To ensure all necessary tax information is collected for reporting purposes (such as for T4A slips), please ensure that subcontractors complete a subcontractor form. This form should collect essential tax information, including their Business Number (BN) if they are a registered business, or their Social Insurance Number (SIN) if they are an individual operating as a sole proprietor.

Timely Tax and Deduction Filings

  • File On Time: File your GST/HST and payroll source deductions a few days before the deadline.
  • Payment: If you are able to pay the amounts due, do so on time.
  • If Unable to Pay: If you cannot pay the full amount, it is critical to still file the return by the deadline to avoid penalties and interest.

Set Aside Tax Funds

  • The tax you collect (e.g., GST/HST, source deductions) is not your money. Please set these funds aside specifically for paying your taxes on time.
  • The CRA may required you to make installments every quarter for income tax. Please consult with your accountant to see how often/how much you should pay.

Check your CRA My Business Account

To ensure you avoid any potential interest charges and stay on top of your tax obligations, it is essential to regularly log into your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) My Business Account.

Please make it a practice to check your balances for:

  • Sales Tax (GST/HST)
  • Corporate Tax
  • Payroll Deductions
  • And any other relevant accounts.

Communicate Effectively

  • Maintain friendly and timely communication with us. Please do not make us chase you for documents, answers, or responses. We will extend the same courtesy to you.

Review Reports Promptly

  • Review your financial reports (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, etc.) within seven days of receiving them.
  • We are human; make sure we haven’t made a mistake. You are human; make sure you haven’t made a mistake.
  • If you notice any errors or discrepancies, please let us know immediately so we can address them. Remember, we cannot go back and adjust closed accounting periods.

Clarify Roles and Responsibilities

  • If you are too busy to work with us, please designate an alternate contact you trust for us to ask questions, obtain documents, etc.
  • If you don’t have an assignee and aren’t keeping up, we may need to re-evaluate and increase CV Bookkeeping’s role in your bookkeeping.
  • We know these rules seem simple enough, but that does not mean they are always easy to follow.

You are paying CV Bookkeeping your hard-earned money to provide you with top-notch books – accurate, timely data that is key to the financial health of your company – information that can help you grow and prosper.

Operational Procedures & Workflows

To ensure your bookkeeping is managed efficiently and accurately, we’ve outlined clear procedures and workflows. Your engagement with these steps is crucial for maintaining your 5-Star Books.

Receipt Management

We understand that managing receipts is crucial for accurate bookkeeping. Please follow these guidelines to ensure your business records are well-organized and that we can process your information efficiently.

General Guidelines

  • Business Use Only: Please upload only documents related to your business expenses.
  • Personal Purchases: If a personal purchase is made using a business card or account, please make a note for us. Do not upload the invoice to Double, your client portal, unless it is clearly marked as a personal expense. We strongly advise against using business accounts for personal expenses.

Handling Digital Receipts & Invoices

  • Forward Directly: Please send all digital invoices and receipts directly to Double, your client portal using the upload function, mobile app, or forwarding email address.
  • Add Details: If the nature or category of an expense isn’t immediately clear from the document, please add any necessary details (e.g., category, location, purpose) into the email to help us process it correctly.

Handling Paper Receipts

  • Capture Clearly: Take a clear, well-lit photo of all paper invoices and receipts. Ensure the receipt is as flat and wrinkle-free as possible.
  • Upload your client portal: Upload the photos to Double, your client portal.
  • Lighting & Stability: Take photos in a well-lit area, using your phone’s flash if necessary. Keep your phone steady to avoid blurry images.
  • Long Receipts: For very long receipts, focus on photographing the essential information (company name, date, items, and sales tax). You can omit store marketing or promotional material at the bottom.
  • Add Details: As with digital receipts, if any details are not obvious, please add notes to clarify the expense.

Cash Drawer Payouts (retail clients)

  • Petty cash – Must be considered a bank account, a rarely used one.
  • When money is withdrawn as petty cash, upload bank withdrawal receipts to your client portal.
  • Expenses from petty cash, upload all receipts and mark as petty cash.
  • Email us the petty cash balance at month-end, and we will reconcile it.

Specific Guidance for Meals and Gifts

Meals

  • Meals and Entertainment & gift cards are only meals & entertainment to conduct, maintain or obtain business.
  • They are not for grabbing lunch or a coffee because you are on business hours or for “writing off” a vacation.
  • The claim value of M&E is 50%
  • You don’t get to claim GST/HST on a gift card.
  • If you give a client a gift card to a restaurant or a pair of tickets to a hockey game, those gifts are considered to be meals and entertainment expenses; as a result, you may write off half of their value.
  • If you have both a till receipt and a credit card payment receipt, photograph them side-by-side, ensuring they do not overlap.
  • At the top of the receipt, clearly write the purpose of the meal (e.g., “Client meeting with John Doe,” “Staff lunch,” “Networking event”) and list who you were with.

Client Gifts

  • On the receipt or in a note, please indicate who the gift was intended for (e.g., customer name). This is important as different tax implications apply based on the recipient.
  • You cannot double dip (purchase with a gift card – for you or your client) and then deduct the expense.

Client Workflow & Checklists

To ensure your bookkeeping is managed efficiently and accurately, we’ve outlined a clear workflow with specific tasks and timelines. Your engagement with these steps is crucial for maintaining your 5-Star Books.

We strive to complete your prior period by the 15th day of the next month. This gives you a few days to review your reports for accuracy so we can supply your GST/HST filing information by the end of the next month. To accomplish this, CV Bookkeeping needs all your documentation & receipts and requested information uploaded to Double, your client portal, by the 5th day of the month, at the latest.

We will supply relevant reports: Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cashflow, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable as needed.

We will also supply a report of transactions questions we do not recognize what they are for, do not have a receipt, or did not clear the bank or credit card. You need to review that report and have the transactions identified for us again within ten days of receiving the report. You can access these questions in your client portal.

If you file GST/HST, please do so by the 25th of the month following the past filing period and email us that the confirmation and payment receipt have been uploaded to your client portal. If you cannot pay your GST/HST, you still must file to avoid penalties in addition to the interest you will be assessed.

If we file on your behalf, we will do so by the 25th and send you a confirmation.

Weekly Tasks

  • When: On the same day each week.
  • What:
  • Log in to QuickBooks Online (QBO) to verify that your account connections are running smoothly.
  • Check your client portal for any new questions or requests.

Tip: Use Chrome as your browser and open new tasks in a fresh tab or bookmark.

Beginning of the Month Tasks (By the 5th)

  • When: By the 5th of each month.
  • What: Ensure all the following are completed and uploaded to your client portal:
  • All Documents: Upload all bank statements, credit card statements, and receipts.
  • Meals & Entertainment: For meals, ensure both the restaurant receipt and the payment receipt are uploaded side-by-side, with the purpose (“who & why”) clearly written on them.
  • Personal Expenses: No personal receipts should be uploaded to Hubdoc.
  • Petty Cash: Include the Petty Cash balance and mark any receipts paid from Petty Cash as such in Hubdoc.
  • Sales & Invoicing: Ensure all sales and invoicing for the previous period are complete.
  • Payments & Deposits: Record all payments and deposits in QBO or upload them to Keeper/Hubdoc.
  • Bills Paid: Mark all bills as “paid” in QBO. Confirm whether CV Bookkeeping or you are responsible for posting payments and ensure they are correctly accounted for (double-checking the source account).

Mid-Month Tasks

  • When: Approximately 15 days after the previous month-end.
  • What:
  • You will receive an “Unknown, Uncleared, or Questionable Transaction Report” via Keeper.
  • Mark up this report to identify any unclear transactions.
  • Complete any other outstanding tasks assigned via Keeper.

Management Report Review

  • When: Between the 15th and 20th of the month.
  • What: Review the management reports provided:
  • Profit & Loss
  • Statement of Cashflow
  • Balance Sheet
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Accounts Payable

Action: If you notice any concerns or require discussion, please send us an email detailing what needs review, discussion, or change.

Final End-of-Cycle Tasks

  • When: Immediately after all previous items are complete (depending on your engagement, either by you or CV Bookkeeping).
  • What:
  • GST/HST Filing: Ensure GST/HST is filed by the 25th of the month.
  • GST/HST Payment: Ensure GST/HST is paid by the 26th of the month (post-dating to the end of the month is acceptable).
  • Confirmation Upload: Upload the GST/HST filing confirmation and payment receipt to Double, your client portal.

Completion: Confirm that all GST/HST filings and payments are complete.

Payroll Procedures

To ensure smooth and compliant payroll processing, please follow these guidelines for new hires and employee terminations.

New Hires

When onboarding a new employee, please ensure the following steps are taken:

Employee Gifts

For staff, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) generally considers employee gifts and awards as taxable employment income. However, there are specific conditions under which gifts can be given tax-free.

Here are the key points regarding CRA rules for employee gifts to staff (AS OF DECEMBER 2025)

Non-Cash Gifts and Awards:
  • Non-cash gifts and awards with a combined fair market value of up to $500 per employee per year are generally not taxable
  • This includes items like merchandise, plaques, or certain non-cash gift cards that meet specific criteria
  • These can be given for special occasions or as recognition for employment-related accomplishments
Cash or Near-Cash Gifts:
  • Cash gifts, most gift cards (considered near-cash), and any amount exceeding the $500 non-cash limit are considered taxable benefits
  • These taxable benefits must be reported on the employee’s T4 slip
  • There’s a narrow exception for certain restricted gift cards that meet all conditions to be classified as non-cash gifts
Long-Service Awards:
  • These have a separate tax-free limit of $500.
  • To qualify as non-taxable, long-service awards must be given at least every five years
  • Any amount exceeding $500 for a long-service award is taxable
Nominal Value Items:
  • Items of very small value, such as coffee mugs or T-shirts with company logos, are typically considered immaterial and not taxable. The CRA does not set a fixed dollar threshold for these, but considers factors like frequency and administrative practicality.
Reporting Taxable Benefits:
  • If the total value of non-cash gifts and awards given to an employee exceeds $500 in a year, only the amount above $500 is taxable. For instance, if an employee receives $650 in non-cash gifts, $150 would be considered taxable income.
  • Employers are required to include all taxable benefits from gifts on employees’ T4 slips, which impacts income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and Employment Insurance (EI) calculations.

In essence, employers can provide non-cash gifts and awards up to $500 annually per employee without tax consequences. However, cash gifts, most gift cards, and any amounts exceeding the specified limits are taxable benefits that must be reported.

It’s crucial for you to provide as much information as possible about gifts given to employees because the tax implications can vary significantly based on the type of gift and the recipient.

Employee Terminations

When an employee’s employment ends, please provide us with the following information promptly:

  1. Record of Employment (ROE): The ROE must be completed within 5 days of the employee’s first day of interruption of earnings.
  2. Final Day Worked: Please confirm the employee’s last day of employment.
  3. Reason for Leaving: Kindly specify the reason for the employee’s departure (e.g., quit, return to school, end of contract, health reasons, maternity/paternity leave, termination). This information is crucial for accurately completing block 16 on the ROE.

Technology

At CV Bookkeeping, we leverage a suite of powerful tools to ensure efficient, secure, and accurate service delivery for our clients. This document provides a brief overview of the key applications we use in our daily operations.

Core Applications

  • Double: A secure client portal that helps us manage and protect sensitive documents, ensuring robust security for both our systems and client data.
  • Double Receipts: This tool helps capture, organize, and manage client receipts, streamlining expense tracking and documentation.
  • Moxie: Our scheduling and onboarding platform. Moxie helps us manage client onboarding, questionnaires, engagement letters, schedule appointments, and ensure a smooth client experience.
  • QuickBooks Online Canada (QBO): The primary accounting software we utilize. QBO enables us to manage your financial records, generate reports, and ensure compliance with Canadian accounting standards.
  • Xero: An alternative to QBO – Xero is a cloud-based accounting software to manage your financial records, generate reports, and ensure compliance with Canadian accounting standards. Xero also integrates with numerous third-party applications.
  • Plooto: A payment platform designed to simplify and automate accounts payable and receivable processes. It streamlines bill payments, invoice management, and supports online check payments, credit card processing, and international transactions. Plooto integrates with accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero for seamless reconciliation.
  • Microsoft 365: A suite of productivity tools including email (Outlook), document creation (Word), spreadsheets (Excel), and cloud storage (OneDrive/SharePoint), which we use for general business operations, communication, and document management.
  • LastPass: A secure password manager that helps us manage and protect sensitive login credentials for various applications, ensuring robust security for both our systems and client data.

Payroll Solutions

  • PayWorks: A payroll service provider that assists with managing payroll processing, ensuring accurate calculations, tax remittances, and compliance for your employees.
  • Wagepoint: Another robust payroll solution we use to handle payroll processing efficiently, offering features for direct deposit, tax filings, and employee self-service.
  • QuickBooks Payroll: An integrated payroll solution within the QuickBooks ecosystem, allowing for seamless payroll management directly within your accounting software. Only recommended for businesses with a small number of staff.

By integrating these technologies, CV Bookkeeping aims to provide a seamless, secure, and highly efficient bookkeeping experience for all our clients.

Cloud Accounting Technology used by CV Bookkeeping

CV Bookkeeping Security Policies

This document outlines key security policies and procedures for CV Bookkeeping.

Client Work Location

  • CV Bookkeeping does not conduct client work from public places such as coffee shops or libraries.

Document Sharing and Accessibility

  • We do not email documents. Instead, we will make them easily, but securely, accessible and notify you when your books are ready for review.
    • Sensitive documents such as tax returns and Articles of Incorporation are stored in Double, your client portal.
    • All other non-sensitive documents & reports are accessible through Double, your client portal, and QBO custom reports.
    • Receipts, bills, and invoices are all shared through the client portal.

Banking Access and Security

  • CV Bookkeeping does not know or store your banking access details. You may grant us a read-only user account, if your bank offers this as an option so we can reconnect bank feeds and download statements.
  • When onboarding you virtually to cloud financial technology that requires bank connections, we’ll screen share for you to input details. You are then educated on how to maintain the connections.

Security Measures

  • We use 2-factor authorization for all accounting applications where it is an option.
  • We use 2-factor authorization for CV Bookkeeping’ Microsoft, website, domain host company, any internal cloud tech that has it available (and on the notification list for when it can be implemented) as well as financial technology applications.
    • We strongly suggest you do, as well.
  • We use LastPass to store, secure, and manage our passwords.

Insurance Coverage

  • CV Bookkeeping has Industry E&O insurance as well as cybersecurity coverage.

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