FAQ

“On average, a company’s profits increase 16% after they hire a bookkeeper because their services free up time for the owner to focus on profit-making activities.” -Xero

Your business has started to grow, and the small bookkeeping tasks are not so small anymore. What used to be ten transactions to categorize are now closer to 100. You just hired your first employee(s), sales are coming in, and things are ramping up! This is an exciting time for any small business, but where you decide to place your focus will set the trajectory for your business's future. At Enlightened Order, we want you to focus on why you went into business in the first place. Save your mental equity and let us handle the back-end tasks.

• Ensure your contractors/ employees are paid correctly and on time.

• Avoid the headaches of keeping detailed financial records.

• Relax knowing your books will always be double-checked & reviewed by upper management.

• Firms have higher security measures for protecting your data when compared to a general friend or family member working on your books.

• EO has Cyber Liability insurance AND Errors & Omission insurance to give you extra peace of mind.

• Let someone else focus on the tax deadlines, detailed forms, payroll taxes, and daily in/outs of finances so you can give your energy to your customers.

• You want your back-office items to run smoothly.

• Gain the potential to pay less in taxes because bookkeepers are trained to know what is tax deductible and what is needed to obtain these deductions. (FYI, bookkeeping & accounting services are tax deductible)

• Enter tax season stress-free because working with a bookkeeper means your books should be clean and error-free, making the handoff from accountant to CPA smooth and painless.

• DIY bookkeeping takes up more time than you can afford - once you take the time you spend on your bookkeeping and put it into a dollar amount, you’ll see how helpful it can be to hire a professional.

• When you stay caught up on your bookkeeping, it can make it easier to gauge the actual health of your business.

“When your business is growing, you're spending too much time on non-growth aspects of the business, or your taxes and finances are becoming too complex to manage by yourself, it's time to seek help from a financial professional.” -Business News Daily

Did you know hiring a bookkeeper or accountant is tax-deductible for your business?

Doing the work yourself may seem like a cost-saving option, but it usually costs a business more money in the long run if they don’t have a financial professional.

Here are a few reasons why:

• Employees are often misclassified, and over time they can be paid wrong. Mismanaging employee breaks is not only a common and costly error made by untrained bookkeepers, but they also have the potential to become a lawsuit.

• People assume transactions for review in QB are included in their reports. That’s not accurate, and they need to be accounted for.

• Although QB suggests accounts to be used for items, it doesn’t always align with the best fit.

• Most people do Undeposited Funds to batch their deposits.

• Trained financial professionals can record journal entries to account for year-end adjustments with their CPA. That means less stress for you during tax season.

• EO accountants & bookkeepers stay up to date, knowing precisely what documents are needed to maintain a satisfactory audit trail.

• Hiring help ensures you get the best tax deductions for your business. However, some can cost your business money. Are you confident that you know the right ones for your business?

“Hiring a bookkeeper or accountant is like buying a roadmap to your success.”

There are two very basic differences:

Cost - CPAs are often more expensive than accountants and much more than bookkeepers or data specialists. (Tip-several of our clients use us for most of the nitty gritty data entry, bookkeeping, and tax prep, then pay the CPA to do the final touches and filings. This is a very cost-effective method for many businesses.)

Focus - CPAs tend to focus on taxes. They are often too busy (or too pricey) for most small businesses and entrepreneurs to use them for everyday bookkeeping tasks.

Overall, CPAs have the most certifications and knowledge. They often work along with people’s bookkeepers or accountants. It’s essential for there to be an amicable relationship between a CPA and another financial service provider. Enlightened Order has excellent working relationships with several CPAs, and we are always looking to create more alliances in that realm.

Enlightened Order works strictly with QuickBooks Online. We have ProAdvisor status with them and can offer a 30% discount on their monthly plans to our clients.

Don’t use QuickBooks yet? No worries; our team of accountants are highly trained with QuickBooks software and can help you migrate painlessly from any other software on the market.

Yes. If you only want help running payroll, we can do that for you. We work with QB, ADP, and Gusto. Working with another platform? That’s no problem - we can use the one you prefer.

Enlightened Order can help you get ready for tax season with our Tax Prep Checklists, customizable to your business. Having a bookkeeper or accountant get your books in order before the handoff to your CPA will ensure you get the most out of your taxes. So rest easy, and let us worry about deadlines.

EO is not a CPA firm, nor do we offer CPA assurance. However, we do work with several highly skilled CPAs should you need a recommendation.

• Small to mid-sized businesses

• Solo-preneuers

• Registered nonprofits

We work across an array of industries including but not limited to - construction, real estate, property management, health & wellness, medical, boutiques, firms, and nonprofit organizations.

That’s no problem at all. We provide data entry, bill pay services, and more. You can choose what service or services you want; should your wants or needs change, we will adapt to that.

Yes, we require our team to maintain certification in at least one accounting platform. We also have a minimum yearly office requirement of continued education credits for our team. This keeps us up to date and in the know.

Billing with Enlightened Order

EO offers three billing options:

Standard Billing

How does it work?

• You will be invoiced on the 1st of each month for hours worked on your account during the previous month.

• Invoices are due on the 16th with a 24-hour grace period.

• Invoices paid after the 16th will accrue a 5% late fee that will increase monthly.

Who is the standard billing option for?

• Clients that are new to Enlightened Order.

• Standard billing is an excellent option for those needing help with special projects.

Retainer Fees

How does it work?

• Enlightened Order will automatically charge your account on the 1st of each month for a pre-determined amount of hours covering the scope of work agreed upon by EO & the client.

Who is the standard billing option for?

• Clients who have been with EO for 2+ months.

• Retainer options are perfect for those looking to eliminate unexpected charges and provide stability in their budgeting process.

EO Processed Payments

How does it work?

• You will receive an invoice on the 1st of each month for hours worked during the previous month.

• You have seven days to review your invoice and reach out with any questions.

• Enlightened Order will process the payment on your behalf from the account listed on your invoicing authorization form.

Who is EO Processed Payments for?

• Clients who are busy and would like us to process payments for them.

“We believe in an enlightened workplace”

In order to maintain a healthy work-life balance, Enlightened Order practices a flex scheduling model with our team members.

Our hours will fluctuate depending on the time of year:

January 1st - April 17th, we are available to work with clients Monday - Friday, 9-5 MST.

April 18th - December 31st, we work directly with clients Monday - Thursday, 9-5 MST.

Since we have a remote staff that is spread across multiple time zones, you may have emails answered by your appointed staff accountant outside our regular business hours; no need to respond to our emails outside of yours. All emails and calls are returned within 24 hours.

Our offices are closed for the following holidays in 2023:

• New Year's Day - Monday, Jan 1st, 2023

• Memorial Day - Monday, May 29th, 2023

• Independence Day - Tuesday, Jul 4th, 2023

• Labor Day - Monday, September 4th, 2023

• Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, Nov, 23rd, 2023

• Christmas Day - Monday, Dec 25th, 2023

Absolutely! We have cyber security protocols in place, and we have cyber security insurance. All employees are thoroughly background checked before they are given access to any business and client information. Additionally, all staff adheres to our company’s privacy policy.

Click here if you would like to view our privacy policy.

For those looking for accounting, consulting, or bookkeeping services: We offer a FREE 1-hour Discovery Call where you can tell us what you’re looking for, get a quick glance at your books, and where we can find out if EO and your company are a good fit.

Schedule your Free Discovery Call with Katie Vogel, President & Founder, here.

For those looking for grant services and grant administration: Check out our FREE 30-minute Discovery Call. We understand that nonprofits are some of the busiest businesses out there, so this call is shorter than our other discovery call option. Please be sure to fill out the Discovery Call Questionarrie issued to your email after booking a time that works best for you.

Schedule your call with Ryann Mickens, Grant Director, here.