xxxxx CONSULTING LIMITED
ACCOUNTING SERVICES SCOPING QUESTIONS
Area
1. What are you asking us to do?
a) Main organisation, any subsidiaries, branches.
b) Any branches/ units in other countries included
in this assignment?
c) Is any part of the routine transaction processing
to be handled by your in-house accountants? If
so, what part?
d) Do you expect us to prepare the final accounts
for the auditors (includes notes and similar
disclosures)?
e) What is your core operations software (if any,
other than financial accounting software)? What
about the other enterprise applications e.g.
mail, intranet, etc? Have you any expectations
about how it will work with our financial
accounting processes? In what way?
f) What are the key meetings you expect us to
attend with you? Who should the accounting
person that we provide liaise with on routine
matters?
g) Please tell us who in your team is authorised to
direct our staff during the course of our work.
h) How will you provide the information that we
are to process? (We have a secure platform for
submission of data for processing but you may
have a different plan.)
i) Do you have specific controls in relation to fraud
risk that you would like us to apply?
j) Do you have any preferred accounting software
or will you be ok with what we recommend?
2. Why are you considering changing service providers? (If
relevant)
3. In what areas of your operations/ business can our input
support you more?
4. Which of the ones listed below would you say are the
top value proposition factors to consider when
preparing this proposal?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Transition process
Price
Simplicity
Convenience
Depth and breadth of technical expertise
Risk Management
Response
Area
Response
g)
h)
i)
j)
Speed of delivery of service
Meeting deadlines
Industry specialisation
Accounting process and working relationship
In which ones will you be specifically looking for track
record and references?
Is there a factor that should be on that list that we
haven’t mentioned?
5. How critical is our role to the overall strategy of the
organisation? (Can you summarise the vision and broad
strategy for us – if necessary)
6. What particular value added services/ features of your
accounting are you currently receiving that you would
specifically expect to receive from a new online
accounting service? (E.g. ad hoc consultations on various
technical matters, access to technical information,
access to some training or firm seminars, materials and
publications)
7. Transition and hand over:
 When would you like our service to start from?
 Would you be prepared to set up a dedicated
team/ person to work with us during the
transition?
8. What things must we specifically NOT do:
a) In preparing this proposal
b) In a relationship with you as your accounting
resource
9. Can you explain how this proposal will be processed
internally?
Whose views will be considered in this proposal? Is
there a scoring mechanism?
10. Is there anyone else we can/ should speak to, to discuss
the scope of this proposal?
11. What haven’t we asked about that you think would add
value to our proposal?