Client onboarding is the process of collecting the information, documents, and system access a bookkeeping practice needs to begin servicing a new client. Done poorly, it produces weeks of back-and-forth emails, missing data, and a first BAS prepared under time pressure. Done well, it establishes the data, authorisations, and communication rhythm that the engagement will run on for years.
This guide describes a five-step onboarding framework used by Australian bookkeeping practices managing 10 or more clients. It is designed for practices that bill monthly retainers or fixed fees per quarter — not one-off jobs.
Why onboarding matters more than most practices think
The average Australian bookkeeping practice loses 3–5 billable hours per new client in the first quarter due to avoidable onboarding friction:
- Chasing ATO access authorities
- Discovering mid-period that the client's Chart of Accounts needs restructuring
- Re-importing transactions because the bank feed authorisation failed
- Explaining what the practice needs after it already needed it
These hours are rarely recovered through billing — clients expect the practice to know what it needs. A repeatable onboarding process eliminates most of this friction by front-loading the information collection into a structured intake workflow.
Step 1: Signed engagement letter and scope of work
Before any systems access is granted or any data is collected, the client must sign an engagement letter that defines:
Scope: Exactly which services the practice will provide. Be explicit. "Bookkeeping" is not sufficient — specify whether you'll reconcile bank accounts, prepare BAS, manage payroll, process invoices, or provide management reporting. Scope creep is the most common source of client-practice disputes.
Fees: Monthly retainer amount, BAS lodgement fees (if separate), and how out-of-scope work is billed. If you charge a setup/onboarding fee for complex clients, specify it here.
Turnaround times: How long the practice needs from data receipt to BAS completion. Many practices set a 5-business-day turnaround from the time the bank feed is reconciled.
Client obligations: What the client must provide and when — access credentials, copies of invoices, payroll information, and any manual bank statements for accounts not on CDR.
Engagement letters should be signed via digital document tools (DocuSign, Adobe Sign, or equivalent) so both parties have a timestamped, legally binding record. Do not start work without a signed letter.
Step 2: ATO access authority
For most bookkeeping engagements, the practice will need authorisation to act as the client's agent with the ATO. This requires the client to:
- Complete ATO Form 2710 (Authority to disclose information to a registered tax agent/BAS agent) or authorise via the ATO's online services for agents portal
- If the client has an existing BAS agent, that agent's authorisation must be cancelled and replaced with your practice's agent code
- Confirm the client's ABN, ACN (if applicable), and TFN are on file
The ATO access authority grants the practice access to the client's ATO online services account, including BAS lodgement, payment plans, and ATO correspondence. Without this, the practice cannot lodge on the client's behalf.
For Reconlink users: The ABN is also required to configure the client's inbox email address. A client's ABN becomes the local part of their inbound bank statement email address (<abn>@inbox.reconlink.com.au), simplifying bank statement forwarding from day one.
Step 3: Bank feed connection and historical data import
The highest-value task in the first week is getting the bank feeds connected and clean.
Connect CDR bank feeds
For Australian clients banking with major institutions (CBA, ANZ, Westpac, NAB, Macquarie, and others on the CDR network), connect the bank feed through Reconlink's Basiq CDR integration. The client authorises the connection through the Reconlink client portal — no physical statements required.
Typical CDR feed setup takes 5–10 minutes and provides up to 12 months of historical transaction data on connection.
Manual import for non-CDR banks
For clients banking with smaller institutions, credit unions, or banks not yet on CDR, manual import of CSV or Excel statements covers the gap. Reconlink accepts statement uploads directly and via the per-client email inbox — the client can forward PDF or Excel bank statements to their inbox address and they will be auto-imported.
Establish the opening balance
For ongoing clients being transferred from another bookkeeper, obtain:
- Trial balance as at the date the new engagement begins
- Last reconciled period closing balance for each bank account
- Any unreconciled transactions from the prior bookkeeper's period
Attempting to start without an agreed opening balance is one of the most common causes of a broken reconciliation in the first quarter.
Step 4: Chart of Accounts review and coding rule setup
Before the first reconciliation period is processed, review the client's Chart of Accounts to confirm:
- Account codes are appropriate for the client's industry and business structure
- No duplicate accounts exist (especially common for clients transferred from Xero where multiple bookkeepers have created ad-hoc accounts)
- BAS worksheet mappings are correct (the accounts linked to G1-G19 must reflect the client's taxable and non-taxable income split)
For Reconlink users, the next step is coding rule setup:
Rule library audit: Import any existing coding rules from the client's prior system, or build a baseline rule library from the first two to four weeks of manual coding. Reconlink's AI will begin suggesting rules after seeing the same vendor coded identically three or more times.
Vendor normalisation: Reconlink automatically normalises bank transaction descriptions to extract stable vendor identifiers. This means "EFTPOS WOOLWORTHS CROWS NEST 2026040012345" and "EFTPOS WOOLWORTHS CROWS NEST 2026052709876" are recognised as the same vendor and coded consistently.
The goal after the first quarter of coding is a rule library that auto-codes 60–70% of transactions deterministically, with AI handling the remainder at high confidence.
Step 5: Communication framework setup
The final onboarding step is establishing how the practice and client will communicate throughout the engagement.
Quarterly calendar
Set calendar reminders for each BAS period:
- Reminder to client (2 weeks before period end): "Your Q2 BAS is due soon — please ensure all invoices are in your inbox and any unusual transactions are explained by [date]."
- Statement cut-off (period end + 5 days): Final date by which the client must supply any missing statements or explanations.
- Review-ready notification: "Your BAS draft is ready for review — please confirm any queries within 2 business days."
- Lodgement date: The ATO lodgement deadline.
Query workflow
Define how queries will be handled:
- Are queries sent via email, a client portal, or a dedicated platform?
- What is the expected response time from the client?
- What happens if the client doesn't respond before lodgement — does the practice lodge with a best estimate or request a deferral?
Reconlink's client portal allows bookkeepers to flag specific transactions for client clarification without sending email threads. The client sees the flagged transactions in their portal view and can respond with a note or upload a source document.
Escalation path
Define who at the client organisation is authorised to approve the BAS before lodgement. For small clients this is typically the director or owner. For larger clients it may be the CFO or finance manager. Establish this in writing during onboarding — last-minute approval chases on BAS day are avoidable.
Onboarding checklist
| Task | Owner | Done |
|---|---|---|
| Signed engagement letter | Practice | ☐ |
| ATO authority form submitted | Client | ☐ |
| ABN/ACN/TFN confirmed | Practice | ☐ |
| Bank feed connected (CDR) | Practice | ☐ |
| Manual statements imported | Practice | ☐ |
| Opening balance agreed | Practice + Client | ☐ |
| Chart of Accounts reviewed | Practice | ☐ |
| Coding rule baseline created | Practice | ☐ |
| BAS calendar set | Practice | ☐ |
| Query and approval workflow documented | Practice | ☐ |
For practices managing multiple new clients per month, this checklist should live in your practice management system with a task per client, assigned to the responsible bookkeeper.
How long should onboarding take?
For a straightforward sole trader or small company client with CDR-connected bank accounts: 2–3 business days from engagement letter signing to first reconciliation started.
For a more complex client — multiple entities, manual bank statement imports, historical data migration from a prior bookkeeper — budget 1–2 weeks for onboarding before the first active period can be processed.
The most common cause of blown onboarding timelines is waiting on the client. Set explicit deadlines and chase proactively. A practice that routinely chases clients on day 5 of a 5-day window will consistently meet lodgement dates. A practice that waits and hopes will consistently miss them.
This article is general guidance for bookkeeping practice management. Confirm specific ATO authorisation requirements and BAS lodgement obligations at ato.gov.au. This is not specific legal or tax advice.