What this service is

Catch-up bookkeeping (“backlog cleanup”) is a structured service that brings your books current by rebuilding missing months, reconciling accounts, and restoring a tax-ready, audit-ready record trail. The goal is not “enter transactions.” The goal is to create financial statements you can rely on and compliance data you can defend.

This service is designed to deliver:

• a clear backlog map (what months are missing and what’s broken)

• reconciled books for the scoped period (bank, cards, merchant accounts)

• corrected categorisation and account mapping (so reports make sense)

• a month-by-month close pack (statements, reconciliations, exception notes)

• a forward maintenance plan so you stay current after cleanup

Who this is for

This service is a fit if you are:

• behind 2–24+ months on bookkeeping

• your QuickBooks Online file is messy, duplicated, or not reconciling

• Stripe/Shopify/Amazon deposits don’t match sales and you can’t explain the variance

• you need books cleaned up for tax returns, financing, due diligence, or banking

• you received an IRS/state notice and must rebuild a specific period

• your business expanded across states and you need reliable sales and expense records

• a foreign-owned US business needing compliance-grade records in English and USD

What “backlog cleanup” means in practice

Backlog cleanup is a controlled sequence. We stabilise the core before touching details:

• confirm the true “source of cash” (bank, cards, payment processors)

• reconcile each month so balances are real

• repair structural issues (chart of accounts, clearing accounts, duplicates)

• rebuild revenue and expense mapping so P&L and balance sheet are reliable

• document decisions and exceptions so the file is defensible later

Key principle: the best outcome is not “closing the backlog fast.” The best outcome is closing the backlog correctly, month by month.

Common backlog problems we fix

• unreconciled banks and credit cards (balances don’t match statements)

• merchant/processor clearing issues (Stripe/PayPal payouts not tying to invoices/sales)

• duplicated imports and mis-posted transfers

• uncategorised transactions and “misc.” expenses hiding real spend

• payroll and sales tax liabilities posted incorrectly

• owner transactions misclassified (loan vs distribution vs expense)

• inventory and COGS posted inconsistently (where applicable)

• multi-currency and cross-border payments creating gaps

Benefits of structured catch-up bookkeeping

• Tax readiness: clean year-end numbers reduce CPA/EA time and cost

• Notice resilience: reconciled months and evidence packs support responses

• Better decisions: reliable P&L, balance sheet, and cashflow visibility

• Cleaner financing posture: banks and investors trust reconciled statements

• Reduced rework: structural fixes prevent the backlog from reappearing

• Scalable process: the same close routine works going forward

What you typically receive

Depending on scope and complexity, deliverables usually include:

• backlog scope map (months, accounts, platforms, missing data)

• reconciled monthly close packs for each period:

  • bank and card reconciliations

  • merchant clearing reconciliations (if applicable)

  • updated P&L and balance sheet

  • exceptions log (unresolved items and decisions needed)

• chart of accounts cleanup notes (if structural changes were required)

• revenue mapping by channel summary (DTC vs marketplace vs invoices)

• liability posture summary (payroll, sales tax, loans) where applicable

• year-end roll-up pack for tax preparation coordination

• forward workflow:

  • monthly close checklist

  • calendar and responsibilities

  • data hygiene rules (how to avoid duplicates and mis-postings)

Service workflow

1) Intake and scope locking

We collect the minimum needed:

• how many months are behind

• bank accounts, credit cards, and merchant accounts involved

• platforms used (Shopify, Stripe, Amazon, PayPal, bill pay tools)

• payroll provider status (if any)

• whether sales tax is involved (states registered)

• QBO access and current file condition (new file vs repair existing)

Outcome: a fixed scope, timeline sequence, and priority list.

2) Structural stabilisation (if needed)

Before month-by-month work, we stabilise:

• chart of accounts and posting rules

• clearing accounts structure (Stripe/PayPal/Amazon)

• duplicate and import cleanup

• opening balance posture and cutoff date alignment

3) Month-by-month reconciliation (the core)

For each month in scope:

• reconcile bank and card accounts to statements

• reconcile merchant clearing to payout reports

• categorise and map transactions consistently

• verify transfers and eliminate duplicates

• produce monthly financial statements and a close note

4) Exception handling and decisions

Where facts are missing or unclear:

• build an exceptions list (what we need from you)

• propose conservative classification options

• document the final decision trail

5) Closeout and prevention plan

We deliver:

• a year-end roll-up and final reconciled statements

• a clean archive set (statements + support reports)

• a monthly close system to keep you current going forward

Typical premium pricing

Pricing depends on backlog length, transaction volume, number of accounts, and platform complexity.

• Backlog cleanup (single bank + card, low volume): $850–$2,500+ per month of backlog

• Standard e-commerce backlog (Shopify/Stripe + 1–2 marketplaces): $2,500–$7,500+ per month

• Higher complexity (multi-platform, heavy refunds/chargebacks, multi-state, messy file): $7,500–$15,000+ per month

• Structural repair of QBO file (one-time, if required): $1,500–$12,500+

• Year-end tax-ready pack (add-on): $950–$4,500+

Payroll, sales tax returns, and tax filing coordination are separate scopes unless agreed.

Frequently asked questions

1. How far back can you clean up?
   We commonly handle 2–24+ months. The key is scoping and sequencing the highest-impact months first (often the current tax year).

2. What is the biggest reason cleanup fails?
   No reconciliations. If balances don’t match statements, everything downstream becomes unreliable. We reconcile first.

3. Do you need receipts for every transaction?
   Not always for bookkeeping cleanup, but documentation improves defensibility. We focus on getting the accounts accurate and identifying what truly needs support.

4. What if I have multiple sales channels and payouts don’t match revenue?
   That is normal. We use clearing accounts and payout reconciliation to tie sales to deposits and explain variances.

5. Will this help with taxes?
   Yes. Clean books reduce CPA/EA time and lower amendment risk. We can also prepare a tax-ready pack for your return preparer.

6. Can you fix my QuickBooks file without starting over?
   Often yes. If the file is too compromised, we can propose a controlled rebuild approach. The decision is made based on risk and efficiency.

7. What if I’m behind and also received a notice?
   We prioritise the notice period first, rebuild it with reconciliations, and prepare a response-ready workpaper pack.

8. What do you need from us to start?
   QBO access, bank/card statements for the backlog period, and access or exports from merchant platforms (Stripe/PayPal/Shopify/Amazon) if used.

Why businesses choose Yudey

• Reconciliation-first cleanup: month-by-month accuracy, not guesswork

• Platform competence: Stripe/Shopify/marketplace payouts handled correctly

• Structured close packs: statements + support + exception notes

• Defensible documentation: clean record trail for taxes and notices

• Scalable operating system: monthly close routine to stay current

• Premium delivery: clear scope, controlled process, predictable outputs

Request catch-up bookkeeping support

Send: how many months you are behind, the list of bank/card accounts, the platforms you use (Stripe/Shopify/marketplaces), and whether you need a tax-year priority. We will confirm scope and deliver a month-by-month backlog cleanup plan with reconciled close packs.