acca -謀定而后動：開辦會計師事務所清單

Checklistsforaspiring

Usefulquestionstoask

ifyou’reconsideringrunninganaccountingpractice

practitioners

TM

02

Completingthechecklistsinthisguidecanhelpyoudecidewhetherrunninganaccountingpracticeisforyouornot.Alongtheway,you’llgetasenseofsomeofthestepsthathelpnascentaccountingbusinessestosucceedintheshort,mediumandlongterm.Andyou’llhaveabetterideaoftherequirements,risks

andrewardsofrunninganaccountingpracticetoo.

Thesechecklistshavebeeninformedbyaseriesofinterviewsconductedwithaccountantswhohavesetupthrivingaccountingpracticesand/orwhoadviseaccountantsonhowtodoso.

Checklistsforaspiringpractitioners

Aboutthesechecklists

Accessdetailedguidance

Formoreinformation,werecommendreading

ourplaybooktitledLookbeforeyouleap:Helpingyoudecidewhetherrunninganaccounting

practiceisforyouwhichisavailablefromthe

ACCAandCAANZwebsites.Bothwebsitesalsoprovideaonestopshopforeverythingmembersneedtopromoteandelevatetheirservices,

manageapractice,recruitandsupportstaff,

complywithobligations,andaccessprofessionalandpeersupport.Fordetails,visitthe

CAANZ

website

or

ACCAwebsite

(focusedonSMPsintheUK)and

Practiceconnecthub

.

03

Checklistsforaspiringpractitioners

Work-lifebalance

Yes

No

Question

IfIrananaccountingpractice,doIhavestrategiestobalancemyphysicalandmentalwellbeing?

AmIclearonwhatlifestyleIwantinthefuture?(Includingfactorslikefamily,geographiclocation,residentialproperty,car,travel,etc.)

IfIrananaccountingpractice,howcouldItakeextended/annualleaveorreducemyhours,ifrequired?

DoIknowwheretofindotheraccountantsifIneedsupportoradvice?

HaveIworkedbackwards,tounderstandmyendgoalsandhowIwouldreachthem?Forexample:HowmuchnetworthwouldIneedtosupportmyretirement?Andhowmuch

wouldmypracticeneedtobevaluedatwhenIretireand/orsell,togivemesufficientpassiveincome?

IfIrananaccountingpractice,doIhavestrategiestobalancemyphysicalandmentalwellbeing?

AmIclearonwhatlifestyleIwantinthefuture?(Includingfactorslikefamily,geographiclocation,residentialproperty,car,travel,etc.)

IfIrananaccountingpractice,howcouldItakeextended/annualleaveorreducemyhours,ifrequired?

DoIknowwheretofindotheraccountantsifIneedsupportoradvice?

HaveIworkedbackwards,tounderstandmyendgoalsandhowIwouldreachthem?Forexample:HowmuchnetworthwouldIneedtosupportmyretirement?Andhowmuch

wouldmypracticeneedtobevaluedatwhenIretireand/orsell,togivemesufficientpassiveincome?

Businessstructurealternatives

YesNoQuestion

HaveIdecidedwhetherIwantsolecontrolorifIwanttosharecontrolwithotheraccountants?

HaveIspokenwithsomeonewhohasbeendownthispathbefore?

HaveIaccessedmentorandnetworkingopportunitiesofferedbyCAANZorACCA?

DoIhaveanetworkofpeerstoleanonforsupportifIbecomeasoletrader?

CanImanageinperiodsofhighdemand?

04

Checklistsforaspiringpractitioners

Startinganewaccountingbusiness(clientsandmarketing)

YesNo

Question

DoIhaveacleartargetmarketinmind?HaveIdecidedwhethermypracticewillserveasmallcommunityofhighpayingclients,orservemanyclientsforhighvolumeservices?

CanIdifferentiatemybusinessfromcompetitorswithasinglestatementthatcaptureshowIservemyclients?

HaveIconsideredhowmuchtimeIwillneedtoallocateawayfromclientstorunningmybusinessoperations?

DoIknowhowIwouldrespondtoclientswhorequestservicesIwon’toffer?

WillIneedmarketingcollateralformybusiness?(Branding,website,signage,advertising,etc.)

WillIbeabletofindtimetodevotetobusinessdevelopment,newclientsandnetworking?

Peopleandskills

YesNo

Question

AmIgoingtoemploystaff?Ifso,doIknowwhatkindofflexibilityIcanofferthem?

HaveIbudgetedfortheassociatedcostsofemployingstaff?(Salaries,bonuses,

contracts,professionaldevelopment,insurance,technology,payrolltax,superannuation,leaveaccrual,WHSobligations,etc.)

WillIusedigitalplatformsand/orartificialintelligencetocompleterepeatabletasks?

Willmystaffrequireanyspeciallicenses?(eg.taxagentlicense.)

WouldIconsideremployingsomeoneelsetomanagethebusinesssoIcanfocusonservingclients?

AmIfullyawareofallthetasksandstatutoryobligationsinvolvedinrunninganaccountingpractice?

05

Checklistsforaspiringpractitioners

Technology

Yes

No

Question

DoIunderstandthefullrangeoftechnologyIwouldneedtorunmybusiness?

AmIawareofthebusinesstechnologymyprospectiveclientsuse,andhowIcanensuremypracticeintegratesseamlessly?

CanIidentifytheessentialfeaturesIwouldrequirefromaccountingsoftware?

HaveIfullyscopedoutthehardwareIwouldneedtoensurebusinesscontinuity?(eg.Desktopcomputers,mobilephones,printers,monitors,etc.)

WillIneedmydatabackedup?DoIknowwherewillIstorethis?

DoIknowhowallmysoftware/appswork?Howtheyintegrate?WouldIbeabletoteachmyclientshowtouseit,ordoIneedanindependentexperttoguideme?

HaveIreviewedandcompletedthecomplimentaryCAANZandACCAresourcesforpublicpractices,includingthecybersecurityself-assessment,cybersecuritymeasureschecklist,andcyberincidentresponseplanblueprint?

DoIhaveaplanforensuringalltechnologyrunscontinuously,evenwhenIamawayortakeaholiday?

Complianceandlegal

Yes

No

Question

HaveIsoughttheadviceofalawyertodrawupmylegaldocuments?

DoIneedapracticingcertificate?

BeforeIdecidetobecomeapartnerordirector,doIhaveaclearideaofwhat

certificationsandregistrationsarerequiredbythelawandmyprofessionalbody?

Beforepurchasinganexistingpractice,haveIdonemyduediligenceandlegaldiligencetominimiserisks,including(butnotlimitedto)retainingkeypeopleandtechnologyrights?

AmIclearaboutwhatmyconfidentialityrequirementsare,including(butnotlimitedto)takingonnewclients?

HaveIcheckedtherearenotrademarkorcopyrightissueswiththebusinessname/brandIwanttouse?AndhaveIreadmyprofessionalbody’srulesforaccountingpracticenames?

Whenplanningthebudgetformybusiness,haveIfactoredinthecostsofcompliance,licensing,qualityreviews,insurance,legaladvice,etc?

HaveIspokenwithabrokerregardingrelevantinsurancerequirements,suchaspublicliability,professionalindemnity,workerscompensation,etc?

HaveIconsideredwhowouldmanagemyclientsifIwasnotableto?HaveIreadmyprofessionalbody’sguidanceaboutPowersofAttorney?

06

Checklistsforaspiringpractitioners

Financialadministration

Yes

No

Question

DoIknowwhereIwouldsecurefinancialreserv