Nonprofits
Welcome to RY CPAs!
We’re excited to be working with you!
We want your experience to be the BEST possible, therefore we have developed this Client Success Guide to outline our goals, roles, responsibilities, expectations, process, and FAQ for everything that we’ll be doing for you.
Our Purpose
RY CPAs has dedicated itself to liberating business leaders and advisors from uncertainty and stress.
As our client, you are an integral part of this mission.
Goals
Our goal is to empower you with accurate and near real-time financials and advice so you can accelerate strategic and informed decisions. This means we will :
- Provide you with accurate and timely financial reporting with the least possible effort from you.
- Try to reach as close to real-time financials as possible
- Ensure you’re completely satisfied with your accounting function and you’re getting the support you need.
- Advise and add value when the opportunities arise
Our Core Values
These are the core values we work and live by every day, we ask that you embrace them and expect nothing less from of us:
- Avoid complacency, strive for excellence
- If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen
- Transparency
- Always challenge the status quo
Roles & Responsibilities
Your Role
- Provide one point of contact
- Respond to questions or open items from our team within 5 days
- Any time spent addressing responses received after 5 days will be subject to billable support hours.
- This ensures that there are no bottlenecks in your accounting and tax cycle, therefore allowing us to constantly deliver on time.
- Do not run personal transactions through the organization’s accounts
- Let us know when you hire employees that will work or live in a new state.
- Request W-9s from any service provider, lender, and landlord for which you are not paying via debit/credit card before paying them (if you pay a vendor).
- Do not pay employees outside of payroll. If they need to get paid in advance, then write a check and write “Employee Advance” on the check.
- Send manual check images, payment confirmations, invoices, and receipts to [email protected], [email protected], or Accounting@ (if applicable). Include a description of the transaction along with the proper functional expense category (G&A, Fundraising, etc.) and program in the email.
- Provide feedback – both negative and positive so we can improve and build upon our strengths.
- Stay engaged with your client advisor, and keep them in the loop about everything. Take advantage of Unlimited Access, this is not a gimmick.
- Trust in our process and procedures
Our Role
- Provide one point of contact after the onboarding stage – the Client Advisor
- Answer your questions via email, text, phone, or Zoom.
- Ensure the scope of work is executed timely and accurately
How We Work
Our team works fully remote. We have team members and clients across the US. We also have a team in Armenia that supports our Client Advisor teams, and an India team that supports our internal operations. Our relationship is virtual, but when possible we try to meet you in person. This strategy allows us to contribute an unparalleled amount of time, resources, and attention to your books and engagement at a reasonable price point.
Our Teams
We have the following positions in our firm :
US Team
- CEO & Director of Tax
- Client Advisor
- Senior Onboarding Specialist
Armenia/India/Philippines Teams
- Accountant I
- Accountant II
- Senior Accountant
- Finance Manager & Administrative Coordinator
Our US team is comprised of CPAs only, and our overseas client-serving accountants have all earned degrees in accounting at the minimum and gone through a rigorous training program. We take excellence and quality control very seriously, and each one of our team members is living proof of that.
When your dedicated client advisor is on vacation, another US-based CPA will serve as your point of contact, however, the work and deliverables will not be affected because the accountant team will continue delivering. This is the value of the Team-Based Approach.
To successfully execute a Team-Based Approach, we document every single task, procedure, and nuance related to you so we can transfer knowledge between team members seamlessly.
Systems Used to Work With You
Intuit Practice Management
Intuit Practice Management (IPM powered by Karbon) is our engine. It houses every single task and email that gets executed in our firm along with start dates and due dates. It’s also used to streamline the open item and document request process with you. IPM allows us to consolidate all tasks and requests so there aren’t information silos and allows our team to collaborate with you as seamlessly as possible.
The first time you receive a request from IPM you will be asked to enter a four-digit PIN. Thereafter, each time you complete a request, you will be asked to enter the PIN. We request open items through IPM very frequently so we recommend getting used to using this tool. It’s very frictionless!
Elepass
Elepass is our password management tool. It’s the secure web-based login credential application that we use to seamlessly request login credentials from you.
Zoom
Given our virtual work environment, we love to have all our meetings through Zoom. You will be provided with a Hubspot meeting link that allows you to book Zoom meetings with your Client Advisor at any time.
Quickbooks Online
Quickbooks Online (QBO) serves as the single source of truth for accounting data. This is where we will perform your accounting and house documentation for transactions. When in doubt, you can refer to QBO!
The Process
So you’re probably wondering what to expect and what the next steps are for each service item in your proposal. Here is the process:
Onboarding
Your relationship with us starts with onboarding. You will be introduced to your Senior Onboarding Specialist via email as soon as your proposal is signed and payment information is provided.
Our Senior Onboarding Specialist will guide you through the onboarding process. Within the first week, they will review your accounting system and discovery call notes and send you a client task checklist through IPM requesting access to the necessary systems. They will also provide a timeline for the onboarding and next steps.
The onboarding process can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on :
- Your response rate
- Condition of your books
- Our ability to get the appropriate access
Weekly Snapshot
If you have the Essentials or Thrive plan, then every Thursday you will receive an email from our team with your cash balance, A/P balance, and bill payments for that week.
Month-End Financial Statements
You will receive an email from your Client Advisor to view your monthly reports. You can print these reports in PDF if you prefer, but we recommend viewing them in QBO so you can easily click into the detail if needed.
Payroll Processing & Management w/ Gusto
If your monthly plan includes the Payroll Processing & Management w/ Gusto service item, then we will do the following :
- We will send you client tasks three days before the payroll submission date requesting if there are any changes that have not been added to Gusto.
- Review any changes to ensure they’re updated accurately in Gusto (benefits, state registrations, tax withholdings, etc.).
- Process and submit the payroll.
You are responsible for the following :
- Responding to our payroll requests within 24 hours
- Ensuring there are adequate funds in any bank accounts from which you authorize us to process payroll.
- Onboarding and adding new employees* in Gusto
- Choosing your benefits plan
- Removing terminated employees from other systems besides payroll (QBO, Bill.com, Expensify, etc.)
*When you hire employees through Gusto, then the employee will receive an email to set up their profile and update their tax information. You will be responsible for making sure employees follow this protocol. Here is the employee help center for more information.
Bill Pay & Processing w/Bill.com
If you have the Thrive plan, then your monthly plan includes Bill Pay & Processing w/ Bill.com. We will do the following:
- Monday-Wednesday
- Address emails in Accounting@*
- Download and save bills and receipts sent to Accounting@
- Add these bills into Bill.com and QBO, then route them for payment approval
- Request W-9s from vendors who have upcoming bills due
- Thursday
- Send payment or payment request details to vendors after calculating the reconciled cash balance.
- Include the bill payments on the weekly snapshot report
*Please be aware that we only check the Accounting@ inbox on the days listed above, we do not check it every day in order to stay efficient. Therefore, urgent requests should be emailed directly to your Client Advisor.
You are responsible for the following :
- Ensuring all bills are sent to Accounting@ with the appropriate account and class (General/Admin, Fundraising, Program A, Program B, etc.) coding.
- Sending all bills that need to be paid on Thursday to Accounting@ by Wednesday 12 AM EST. All bills sent to Accounting@ after this deadline will be paid in the following week’s bill pay cycle.
- Ensuring there are adequate funds in any bank accounts from which you authorize us to disburse funds to vendors.
- Approving bills for payment in Bill.com only if they are coded correctly and addressed to the correct vendor.
1099 Preparation & Filing
Payments by the vendor are tracked in QBO for 1099 filing purposes throughout the year. At the end of December and/or the beginning of January, we will reach out to request missing vendor information needed to file the 1099s. The 1099s will be filed by January 31.
Tax Return Preparation & Filing
Your books are tax-ready throughout the year. Once we close out month-end financials, your books will generally be ready for tax preparation. You will receive a year-end checklist from us asking about organizational changes that we may not be aware of. Once we receive the responses to these items, we will begin preparing the returns. As long as all responses are received in five days, we should have the tax returns completed by their due date, unless the IRS delays the issuance of tax forms. Your client advisor will keep you in the loop about this.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where do you draw the line with unlimited access? What are support hours?
If a team member leaves a meeting with additional work as a result of the meeting, then this additional work is considered out of scope and subject to billable support hours. The exception is if the additional work is related directly to the scope of work. Your client advisor will let you know if a service is subject to support hours. Support hours are billed at a blended rate of $225/hour.
- Who is responsible for tax notices?
Please send all tax notices to [email protected]. If the tax notice is related to work performed by our team, then addressing the notice is considered in-scope no matter how long it takes. If the tax notice is related to work performed by you or your previous accountant, then the time attributable to resolving the notices is considered billable support hours.
- What do you do to protect my data and information?
We manage our client data using Microsoft 365 and V2 Cloud. Microsoft 365 provides us with the tools to assess current and historical security postures and to mitigate future risks. Each of these tools, including dashboards, reports, and MS Secure Score, are designed to provide the visibility, control, and guidance to drive maximum security improvements. Microsoft 365 also provides means to protect and govern data with sensitivity and retention labels, and provides access to compliance and privacy solutions. V2 Cloud provides the latest security in their data centers, servers, and private networks, with firewalls, encrypted connections, multi-factor authentications, and of course the latest antivirus.
We also have a Cybersecurity insurance policy to protect us in a worst-case scenario. Our insurance policy is through the Coalition Cybersecurity Insurance, who provides state-of-the-art cybersecurity and best-in-class cyber insurance. The Coalition Cybersecurity platform provides 24/7 security monitoring, automated alerts, employee training, and access to experts who help prevent cyber incidents before they occur.
- Who owns my accounting data?
We prepare and manage your accounting data, but you own it. This includes your QBO and all source documents that we store to prepare your financials. If you ever want to leave us or move your accounting in-house, we’re happy to transfer admin access for your QBO and all documents upon request.
- What do you mean by Accounting@?
For Thrive plan clients, we set up and manage an Accounting@ inbox under your domain name. For example, if your organization is Philanthropy X, and the domain name PhilanthropyX.com, then we will ask you to set up [email protected] for our team. This email will be used to interact with your vendors to deal with Accounts Payable issues such as requesting W-9s and dealing with untracked payments. It’s meant to replicate an in-house accounting team for a nonprofit of any size.
- When do I email Accounting@ versus my client advisor?
Accounting@ is meant for Accounts Payable-related issues. You shouldn’t send vendor introductions, invoices, receipts, or any other vendor-related issues to your client advisor. These will go to Accounting@.
- Should I use invoices@, receipts@, or Accounting@ for providing documentation? Also, what documentation should I send?
They all end up in the same place, but we recommend using Accounting@ if you’re on the Thrive plan. The more documentation you send supporting your transactions, the better. For example, if you pay a vendor, send the payment confirmation and bill for that vendor to the appropriate inbox with a description.
- How do you account for fixed assets and depreciation?
Our default policy is to record fixed assets and depreciation on a GAAP basis. When you purchase a fixed asset, we will determine whether it needs to be capitalized or expensed based on GAAP. If the purchase is a fixed asset, then it is added to a fixed asset schedule and depreciated over its useful life. We will make these entries on a monthly basis.
- How do I know my vendor balance aka Accounts Payable?
Your vendor balance is updated on a weekly basis in QBO if you’re a Essentials or Thrive client. You can access this information by going to QBO > Reports > Unpaid Bills. Alternatively, you can run an aging report by going to QBO > Reports > Accounts Payable Aging.
- Will you make sure we have documentation for all transactions?
We will save and organize documentation (such as receipts, invoices, bills) and attach them to transactions in QBO for all documentation that you send to Invoices@, Receipts@, or Accounting@. If you requested that we don’t add any transactions that don’t have documentation during your onboarding, then there could be delays in your accounting process if you don’t upload documentation.