You have decided to try outsourcing, but you do not want to hand over half your client list on trust. A short, planned outsourcing pilot lets you test the work, the handover and the review load before you commit. Thirty days is long enough to cover one month of bookkeeping or the preparation stage of one VAT quarter.
This guide sets out a week-by-week plan for that first month. It covers what to agree before day one, what to measure and how to decide at the end. We provide outsourcing for UK accountants, and our team is led by an ACCA member, so we have a commercial interest in this topic. The plan works with any provider.
The short answer
- Pick one workstream and a small group of clients before the pilot starts.
- Agree scope, checklists and how queries are raised in writing before any work moves.
- Review every pilot file, track four numbers each week and decide on day 30.
Before day one: agree the outsourcing pilot basics
A pilot fails most often because nobody wrote down what “done” means. Settle these points first:
- One workstream. Choose the task that scored highest in our guide to what to outsource first.
- A small client group. A handful of clients, or 10 to 20 files, is enough to learn from without risking your busiest weeks.
- Your checklist. Write down the steps and the review points for that task, as your own team does them now.
- How queries work. Agree who raises a query, who answers it and how quickly.
- Software and access. Confirm which software the work happens in. We usually work in the practice’s own software, such as Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent and KashFlow.
- Your own position. Check your engagement letters, your anti-money laundering duties and whether your professional indemnity insurer needs to know. The ICAEW helpsheet on using a subcontractor explains that your firm normally keeps responsibility for the client service.
Week 1: hand over and walk through
Send the first few files with your checklist and any client notes. Hold a short call to walk through one file together. Expect more questions this week than later. Each question shows a gap in the checklist, so add the answer to the checklist as you go.
Week 2: run the work alongside your team
Let the provider prepare the pilot files while your team still knows how they would have done them. Compare the results. Look at what was missed, what was done differently and why. Small differences in method are fine if the result is right.
Week 3: review every file and log the rework
Review every pilot file, not a sample. Log each correction you send back and what caused it. Was the checklist unclear, were client records missing, or was it a preparation error? The cause matters more than the count, because each cause needs a different fix.
Week 4: measure, then decide
Track four numbers from week one, and look at them together at the end:
- backlog, meaning jobs waiting at each stage
- turnaround from records received to ready for review
- rework, meaning files sent back with corrections
- review time per file
These are your own figures, so they show what the pilot did in your practice. If review time per file is not falling by week four, fix the checklist before you widen anything.
On day 30: three possible outcomes
- Widen it. Rework is low and review time is falling. Add more clients in the same workstream, then consider a second one, such as VAT return preparation.
- Run another month. The work is right but the handover is still rough. Fix the checklist and repeat with the same clients.
- Stop. The bottleneck turned out to be review capacity, or client records, and outsourcing preparation did not help. That is a useful answer too.
Timing a pilot around deadlines
Do not start a pilot two weeks before a filing deadline. The process needs time to settle. If you want help with Self Assessment this January, a pilot in November or early December gives you that time. Our Self Assessment busy season workload plan shows how to plan the weeks before 31 January.
Plan your first month
Want a pilot running before the January peak? Book a short call with our team. Bring the workstream you have in mind and your busiest weeks, and we’ll help you shape a first month that fits. Your practice keeps the client relationship and sign-off. No obligation. Book a call about your first pilot.
Where to go next
See all our outsourcing services, or start with bookkeeping outsourcing, which often suits a first pilot.
FAQ
How long should an outsourcing pilot last?
Long enough to cover one full cycle of the task. For monthly bookkeeping, 30 days is usually enough. For VAT, run it across one quarter’s preparation.
How many clients should be in a pilot?
A small group, such as a handful of clients or 10 to 20 files, in one workstream.
Should I review every file in a pilot?
Yes. Review every file during the pilot, then move to sampling once rework stays low.
Who is responsible for work done in a pilot?
Your firm normally keeps responsibility for the client service, including review and sign-off.
If you’d like to talk through a first pilot, the booking link is in the section above.
This article is general information for accounting practices, not professional advice.
