When to switch

Switching is worth it if:

• your business has become simpler and the monthly fee is no longer worth it
• communication is slow and deadlines get missed
• you want full control over the books and to see everything in real time
• or, conversely, DIY no longer suits you because of growth, employees or complexity

Before you switch

1. Read the contract — notice period, outstanding fees, clauses on handing over documents
2. Settle payments — unpaid invoices are often the reason for a delayed handover
3. Pick a transition date — ideally the 1st of a month after the VAT return has been filed
4. Check the status of your obligations — last year's GFO, the annual tax return, social security contributions; who is responsible for them
5. Ask for written confirmation of the documents handed over

What to request from your accountant

Go through this list — without this data, opening balances and the first period will be painful:

• Trial balance as at the transition date
• General ledger for the current year
• VAT journals and filed returns for all months
• Open sales and purchase invoices (receivables and payables)
• Fixed asset register with accumulated depreciation
• Payroll documentation — payslips, D1/D6, social insurance declarations
• Bank statements and balance confirmations
• Acts, contracts and important correspondence with the NRA

💡 Tip: ask for the data in Excel/CSV, not only on paper or as PDF. If your previous accountant works in accounting software, the export is usually a few files. Accounting information belongs to the company, not to the firm — handing it over is standard practice, even when the contract does not explicitly say so.

Opening balances and setup in Firmify

1. Set up the books — Setup creates a chart of accounts, a period and a VAT period
2. Enter opening balances — from Integrations → Opening balances upload a CSV with account code, debit and credit; the system checks the balance before posting
3. Add counterparties and bank accounts — with EIK/VAT numbers and IBAN
4. Carry over open invoices — the receivables and payables that have not been paid yet
5. Reconciliation — compare the trial balance in Firmify with your previous accountant's as at the same date; differences must be zero or explained
6. Check the VAT period — open the month of the transition and make sure invoices after the date fall into it

The first 90 days

• Month 1: run in parallel — you keep the books in Firmify, but compare against the accountant's last report; file VAT on time
• Month 2: close the VAT period and do your first accounting period close
• Month 3: review the trial balance and the financial reports with "fresh eyes"; fix your processes

During this period keep notes of your questions — if at the end of the quarter you still feel unsure, one paid hour with an accountant will clear them up.

If you decide to go back to an accountant

The reverse transition is easier if you have kept the books in Firmify:

1. Invite the accountant with the "Accountant" role from Settings → Access
2. Give them access to the relevant company only — no emails and files
3. Download the audit export as a backup
4. Agree on the scope: year-end closing only (a hybrid model) or full service

If the firm works with other software, the data package (trial balance, general ledger, VAT journals, fixed assets, payroll) is accepted without any problem — this is standard practice when switching accountants.

Meeting deadlines

The switch does not cancel a single deadline. Check:

If the transition coincides with a deadline, agree explicitly who takes it on — in writing.