A business you run with AI

Start a bookkeeping service business with AI doing the monthly work

Small businesses need clean books but cannot afford a full-time accountant. Actionist categorizes, reconciles and delivers the monthly report. You review and approve before anything reaches the client.

Actionist handles the monthly processing. You review the output and approve the client-facing steps.

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Your AI workforce

$500+per bookkeeping client, you set it

$30,000a year at 5 clients a month

6phases Actionist runs

Actionist operatesActionist App Store

Plenty of small businesses, from cafes and retail shops to tradespeople and consultants, keep poor books because hiring a bookkeeper costs more than they want to spend. Starting a bookkeeping service normally means doing every bank reconciliation and categorization by hand for each client, every month. Actionist changes that: it logs in to a client's Xero or QuickBooks account, pulls the month's transactions, categorizes them, reconciles the bank feed, and generates a clean P&L report while you keep your day job.

You do not need a CPA or a full accounting degree to make money bookkeeping. You need enough numbers comfort to review what Actionist produces and approve the finished report before it reaches the client. You bring the client relationships and the judgment calls on edge cases; the agent does the mechanical processing that fills most bookkeepers' weeks.

start a bookkeeping businessbookkeeping service with AImake money bookkeepingAI bookkeeper for small businessmonthly bookkeeping service clients

Your opportunity

The opportunity

Why this works

Millions of small business owners know their books are a mess but are not ready to pay for a full-time accountant. A monthly bookkeeping retainer at a flat fee is something they understand and will happily pay for when someone makes it frictionless.

Because Actionist does the categorization and reconciliation in the background, you can carry more clients than a solo bookkeeper doing everything by hand, without hiring anyone or working more hours.

What matters to you

A large, under-served market
Most sole traders and small businesses run on spreadsheets or nothing. A clean monthly report at a fixed fee is an easy yes for owners who know they need it.
Recurring revenue every month
Each client pays the same fee every month for the same deliverable: categorized transactions, reconciled accounts, and a readable P&L report.
Low cost to start
You need access to the client's accounting software, a Google Drive folder, and Actionist. There is no office, no team, and no upfront overhead.
Scales without extra hires
Adding a client means Actionist takes on another set of monthly books. Your time stays in review and client contact rather than in data processing.

Your projection

Run your own numbers

Your projection

Set the numbers, see the picture

Price per bookkeeping client

$500

clients a month

Per month

$2,500

Per year

$30,000

Illustrative, based on the numbers you enter. Optional add-ons for VAT returns or payroll each period.

Getting started

What it actually takes to start

Running a bookkeeping service used to mean doing every reconciliation by hand, client by client, every month. Actionist handles the mechanical processing, so the bar to start is far lower than most people assume.

What you don't need

A CPA or accounting degree
Review the output and spot errors. The mechanical work belongs to Actionist.
Accounting software of your own
Work inside the client's existing Xero or QuickBooks account.
A team or employees
Actionist covers categorization, reconciliation, reports and invoice chasing.
An office or dedicated workspace
The whole service runs from your laptop, on the client's cloud-based books.
To quit your day job first
Review sessions fit into evenings, not office hours.

What you bring

Numbers comfort to review a reconciliation
You do not do the processing; you confirm it looks right before it goes to the client.
A few evenings a month per client
Approve categorizations, check the report, confirm invoices. That is the monthly load.
A laptop and Actionist
That is the full setup.

If you can tell when a set of books does not look right, Actionist can do the processing work that takes up most of a bookkeeper's month.

How Actionist works

How it works

How Actionist builds the business

You do not run the monthly processing yourself, Actionist does. Here is how it works on any business idea, applied to a bookkeeping service: you set it up, the agent plans every task, works through them in the background, and brings you only what needs a human.

01
You set your offer and client type
You choose your niche (cafes, trades, consultants), your monthly fee per complexity tier, and how many clients you can carry. You tell Actionist which accounting software your clients use. That is the only heavy thinking you do upfront. Everything after this, the agent plans and runs.
A clear brief Actionist can plan the whole service against.
02
Actionist maps every task and stage
Actionist breaks the service into stages: launch the practice, sign clients, onboard each one, work their books every month, deliver the report, bill, and retain. Every task and subtask is mapped before any work starts, so you see the full scope in one place.
A complete task plan covering every client and every month.
03
It works through the plan each month
Each month, Actionist pulls the transactions from each client's bank feed, applies the categorization rules, reconciles the accounts, and generates the P&L report. It flags anything it cannot resolve and marks the rest ready for your review.
Draft books and reports ready for your check before delivery.
04
It assigns you the tasks only a person can do
Some tasks only you can do: the kickoff call with a new client, the final say on a transaction category that is genuinely ambiguous, opening the business bank account. Actionist puts those on your list with everything you need, then carries on with the rest of the plan.
A short list of the tasks only you need to handle.
05
It asks before sending reports or charging clients
Before Actionist sends a monthly report, issues an invoice, or sends outreach to a prospect, it stops and asks you to approve via Telegram or Slack. You choose how closely you want to review each type of action per client.
You stay in control of every report, every invoice, every message.
06
You keep your day job and check in when you can
You check in on the evenings that suit you, typically a couple per client per month. Approve the categorization batch, read the report, confirm the invoice, and the rest keeps moving. The books are processed between your check-ins.
A bookkeeping service that runs without your constant attention.

Your agent team

Actionist is your whole team

You are one person. Actionist is the whole team. Here is every role it plays to run the bookkeeping service, and the one part of each that stays with you.

~51 hrs/week of work by hand, run by your agents instead

Plan the service

turns your offer into a task plan

Executive Agent

Before any client work begins, your assistant maps every stage of the business: how to launch it, how to sign clients, how to onboard them, and how to run each monthly delivery cycle.

If you did this by hand

Research what to charge per client tierWrite every stage of the service from scratchTrack which clients are in which stageRebuild the plan every time something changesWrite the engagement letter template and scope

~5 hrs/ week

planning the stages, writing the scope, and keeping the service organized.≈ 3 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

One planevery stage, task, and client

Day onescoped before you spend a penny

Map every stage
Breaks the service into launch, sign clients, onboard, deliver monthly, bill, and retain, with tasks and subtasks under each.
Write the engagement letter
Drafts the scope, deliverables, monthly fee, and cancellation terms so you have a proper template from day one.
Keep the plan live
Updates the task board as clients move through stages and flags anything that is falling behind.

Your part

You set the niche, the fee tiers, and the hours you can give each month. That is the one input Actionist cannot fill.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Sign new clients

prospecting and proposals

Sales Agent

Your sales agent finds the small businesses most likely to need a monthly bookkeeper, drafts the outreach that starts the conversation, and prepares the proposal once they are interested.

If you did this by hand

Search for small businesses by type and locationIdentify which ones lack a proper bookkeeperFind the right person to contactWrite every first message and follow-upDraft proposals tailored to their business typeTrack who you contacted and who replied

~7 hrs/ week

researching prospects, writing outreach, and preparing proposals.≈ 4 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

A pipelineof qualified bookkeeping prospects

Draftedproposals ready for your approval

Build the prospect list
Finds local sole traders and small businesses by type: cafes, tradespeople, retail shops, consultants, who are likely running on spreadsheets or nothing.
Draft the outreach
Writes the first-touch message naming the pain (poor books, missed deductions) and the monthly service that fixes it.
Prepare the proposal
Turns the discovery call notes into a proposal with the monthly fee, deliverables, and start date, ready for your sign-off.

Your part

Outreach waits for your yes before it goes. You approve the prospect list and the message before anything sends.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Onboard each client

intake, scheduling and setup

Reception Agent

When a new client signs, your receptionist sends the intake form, books the kickoff call, and handles all the admin so the onboarding runs smoothly without you chasing them.

If you did this by hand

Send the intake form and chase missing answersBook the kickoff call and send the inviteAnswer the same onboarding questions againCollect software access detailsConfirm what the client will receive each month

~4 hrs/ week

collecting intake information and scheduling the kickoff call.≈ 2 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

Collectedclient details, without the chase

Bookedkickoff call in your live calendar

Send and collect the intake form
Delivers the intake form to the new client and chases any missing answers before the kickoff call.
Book the kickoff call
Offers times from your real calendar and sends a confirmed invite with a short prep agenda.
Confirm the monthly schedule
Sends the client a written confirmation of what they will receive each month and when to expect it.

Your part

You take the kickoff call itself to confirm their accounts, access, and expectations. The agent makes sure it is in your calendar with everything you need.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Set up the books

account configuration and bank feeds

Developer Agent

When a client is signed, your developer agent sets up their accounting environment: logging in to their software, verifying the bank feeds, and making sure the chart of accounts matches their business type before the first monthly run.

If you did this by hand

Log in to each client's Xero or QuickBooks accountSet up or verify every bank feed connectionVerify the chart of accounts for the business typeCreate the client's Google Drive folder structureSet up the reconciliation workbook template

~4 hrs/ week

configuring accounting software and bank feeds for each new client.≈ 2 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

Connectedbank feeds verified before the first run

Readyaccounting environment set for each client

Connect the bank feeds
Logs in to the client's Xero or QuickBooks on the desktop, sets up the bank connections, and verifies the feed is pulling correctly.
Verify the chart of accounts
Checks that the category structure matches the client's business type before any monthly categorization runs.
Build the report folder
Creates the dated folder structure in Google Drive and sets up the reconciliation workbook from the template, ready for the first delivery.

Your part

You provide the login credentials or set up a shared access method. The agent does the configuration from there.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Work the books

monthly categorization and reconciliation

Operations Agent

The core of the service. Each month, your operations agent pulls all transactions from the client's bank feeds, categorizes every line, reconciles the accounts, and marks the books ready for report generation.

If you did this by hand

Log in to each client's accounting softwareImport bank and card transactions for the periodCategorize transactions by chart of accountsMatch each bank line to a ledger entry by handNote and chase any missing receipts from the clientReconcile the accounts and flag discrepancies

~12 hrs/ week

pulling transactions, categorizing, and reconciling for every client each month.≈ 6 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

Every monthfor each client, without fail

Flaggedanything unusual before it reaches you

Pull and import transactions
Connects to each client's bank feed in Xero or QuickBooks and imports all transactions for the period, including cards and external accounts.
Categorize every line
Applies the client's category rules to each transaction, flags anything that cannot be matched automatically, and queues those for your review.
Reconcile the accounts
Matches each bank statement entry to a transaction in the ledger, flags any discrepancies, and completes the reconciliation ready for reporting.

Your part

You review the flagged transactions and confirm the categories for anything the agent cannot resolve on its own. The rest is done.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Deliver the reports

report generation and client delivery

Technical Agent

Once the books are reconciled, your technical agent pulls the P&L and balance sheet, formats a clean report, writes the plain-language summary, and queues everything for your review before it goes to the client.

If you did this by hand

Pull the P&L and balance sheet from the softwareFormat the numbers into a readable report layoutWrite the month's summary in plain languageSave and share the report with the clientCheck the figures are consistent across the report

~8 hrs/ week

generating reports, writing summaries, and preparing the monthly deliverable.≈ 4 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

Per clienta clean P&L and balance sheet every month

Queuedfor your approval before it goes out

Generate the financial statements
Pulls the P&L and balance sheet from the accounting software for the period and exports them into the client's Drive folder.
Write the plain-language summary
Translates the key figures into a two-paragraph summary the client can actually understand without an accounting background.
Queue for your review
Marks the report ready and alerts you via Telegram or Slack so you can read it before it goes to the client.

Your part

You read the finished report, confirm the figures look right, and give the send. Nothing reaches the client without your approval.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Handle client questions

inbound queries and statement explanations

Support Agent

After each report goes out, clients often have questions. Your support agent handles the routine ones, explains figures in plain terms, and routes anything that needs your judgment straight to you.

If you did this by hand

Reply to every client question about their booksExplain individual transactions and categoriesHandle the same questions from different clientsPass on the questions that need a professional callSend updates when something changes in their books

~6 hrs/ week

answering client questions about monthly statements and figures.≈ 3 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

Answeredclient questions, with context from the books

Routedanything complex to you via Telegram

Answer the routine questions
Explains individual categories, why a transaction appears as it does, and what a line in the P&L means, using the client's actual numbers.
Send updates
Tells clients when something notable changed in their books that month, so they are never surprised by the report.
Route the complex ones
Flags questions that need your professional judgment and sends you the full thread via Telegram or Slack so you can reply directly.

Your part

You handle the judgment calls and the relationship-level conversations. The agent handles everything that has a clear, factual answer.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Keep clients and grow

billing, retention, and referrals

CRM Agent

Your CRM agent makes sure every invoice goes out on time, chases anything overdue, checks in with clients to keep the relationship warm, and spots the right moment to ask for a referral.

If you did this by hand

Raise and send every monthly invoiceChase unpaid invoices by handRemember when to check in with each clientWrite the follow-up when a client goes quietAsk happy clients for referrals at the right moment

~5 hrs/ week

invoicing, chasing payments, and keeping every client relationship active.≈ 3 days a month you do not have, handled for you.

What your agent does

Invoicedon time, every month, per client

Trackedevery client's relationship and payment status

Chase overdue invoices
Identifies invoices past the due date and drafts a polite payment reminder in your voice, escalating to you if unpaid after ten days.
Send the monthly check-in
Drafts a short message asking if the report looked right and if anything changed in the business this month, ready for your approval.
Ask for referrals
Spots clients who have received three or more clean deliveries and drafts the referral request at the right moment, waiting for your go-ahead before it sends.

Your part

Invoices, check-ins, and referral requests all wait for your yes. You keep full visibility over every message that leaves on your behalf.

Apps your agent could useSee full Actionist App Store →

Your task plan

The task centre

Every task it takes, and who does it

This is the plan Actionist builds to launch and run the bookkeeping service: every stage, task, and subtask, from setting up the practice to delivering clean books every month. The processing is split across your agents. A handful of approvals and one or two personal tasks stay with you.

31 tasks·92 subtasks

Actionist 24You 2Approval 5Actionist handles ~77%

TaskStatusAssignee

Done

Executive Agent

Research monthly rates for bookkeeping in your area

Done

Set your fee per complexity tier: simple, standard, complex

Done

Write a one-line service description you can repeat to prospects

Done

Operations Agent

Create a practice account in Xero or QuickBooks Online

Done

Set up a Google Drive folder structure for client reports

Done

Configure the client tracking spreadsheet

Done

Executive Agent

Done

Operations Agent

To do

You

An example plan Actionist builds for this business. Yours adapts to your client list, your fee structure, and the accounting software each client uses.

Under the hood

What one automation looks like

Trigger·Month closes for a client: Actionist starts the monthly delivery sequence

read

Step 1

Xero

Pull all bank and card transactions from the client's connected accounts in Xero for the closed period

write

Step 2

Xero

Apply the client's categorization rules to each imported transaction and flag any that cannot be matched automatically

read

Step 3

Google Sheets

Collect the flagged transactions into a review sheet with suggested categories and context for each one

Confirmation

Step 4

Human

You review the flagged transaction categories and confirm or correct each one before the books are finalized

write

Step 5

Xero

Run the full bank reconciliation in Xero, matching every statement line to a ledger entry and flagging discrepancies

write

Step 6

Google Drive

Generate the monthly P&L and balance sheet and save a formatted report PDF to the client's Google Drive folder

write

Step 7

Gmail

Send the finished monthly report and a plain-language summary to the client via Gmail

Saved per run

~8 hrs

Runs / week

~1×

Clean books and a readable report delivered to every client on time, every month, without the manual processing

The payoff

Your week

All it asks of you

The monthly processing runs in the background. Your time is a handful of review sessions, clustered into the evenings when your day job is done.

You

A few evenings

once or twice per client, per month

5 touchpoints · about 80 min all week

Your agents

Every day

across every client's books, without stopping

8 jobs running in the background

Your team

Mon

Your part

20 min

Approve this month's transaction categories

On shift

TARASADA

11 tasks today

Generates month-end P&L reports and balance sheets, formats them for each client

Answers enquiries, collects intake responses, and schedules onboarding calls

Tue

Your part

15 min

Check reconciliation discrepancies

On shift

CAEAOASA

12 tasks today

Checks in with clients, chases overdue invoices, and drafts referral requests

Tracks delivery status per client and flags any falling behind the send date

Wed

Your part

All handled

On shift

DATARASA

13 tasks today

Monitors bank feed connections across all clients and reconnects any that drop

Generates month-end P&L reports and balance sheets, formats them for each client

Thu

Your part

20 min

Approve the monthly report for delivery

On shift

SACAEAOA

11 tasks today

Finds small businesses that need a bookkeeper and drafts the opening outreach

Checks in with clients, chases overdue invoices, and drafts referral requests

Fri

Your part

10 min

Confirm this month's invoices

On shift

SADATARA

12 tasks today

Answers client questions about monthly statements and explains unusual figures

Monitors bank feed connections across all clients and reconnects any that drop

Sat

Your part

15 min

Approve outreach to bookkeeping prospects

On shift

OASACAEA

13 tasks today

Categorizes transactions in Xero and QuickBooks; flags unusual items for review

Finds small businesses that need a bookkeeper and drafts the opening outreach

Sun

Your part

All handled

On shift

RASADATA

11 tasks today

Answers enquiries, collects intake responses, and schedules onboarding calls

Answers client questions about monthly statements and explains unusual figures

Your full team runs in the background, every day.

Approve this month's transaction categories20 min
mon · Review the flagged items Actionist could not auto-categorize
Check reconciliation discrepancies15 min
tue · Confirm or correct any bank items that did not match automatically
Approve the monthly report for delivery20 min
thu · Read the P&L and summary, then give the send
Confirm this month's invoices10 min
fri · Check the amounts and timing before they go out
Approve outreach to bookkeeping prospects15 min
sat · Review the message and prospect list before it sends

Your team, every day

OA
Operations Agent
Categorizes transactions in Xero and QuickBooks; flags unusual items for review
TA
Technical Agent
Generates month-end P&L reports and balance sheets, formats them for each client
SA
Sales Agent
Finds small businesses that need a bookkeeper and drafts the opening outreach
RA
Reception Agent
Answers enquiries, collects intake responses, and schedules onboarding calls
CA
CRM Agent
Checks in with clients, chases overdue invoices, and drafts referral requests
SA
Support Agent
Answers client questions about monthly statements and explains unusual figures
EA
Executive Agent
Tracks delivery status per client and flags any falling behind the send date
DA
Developer Agent
Monitors bank feed connections across all clients and reconnects any that drop

The payoff

What you walk away with

No software to learn
Operate inside the client's existing tools
Actionist works inside the client's Xero or QuickBooks account the way a practitioner would. You do not need to buy or learn new accounting software; you use theirs.
Background processing
The monthly grind runs before you sit down to review
By the time you open the review queue, Actionist has already pulled the transactions, categorized the clear ones, and surfaced only the edge cases. Your review starts where the hard work ends.
Recurring every month
Each client pays the same fee for the same deliverable
Clean books and a readable P&L report, delivered by the agreed date, every month. That predictability is what clients pay for, and what Actionist makes possible without you processing each line manually.
Scales without hiring
Add clients without adding hours
Actionist takes each new client's monthly books in stride. Your time stays in review and client contact rather than in categorization and reconciliation, so your capacity grows without bringing in staff.

Before and after

Doing it alone vs with Actionist

On your own

~22h / week

every job below lands on you

With Actionist

minutes to review

it runs all 10 in the background

1Transaction categorization
4h/wk
Categorize by hand, line by line
Log in to each client's accounting software and assign a category to every bank and card transaction for the month. For a client with 200 transactions, that is 200 individual decisions.
ActionistOff your plate
Rules applied automatically, edge cases queued for you
Actionist applies the client's category rules to every transaction and flags only the ones it cannot resolve. You review a short list of edge cases rather than every line.
2Bank reconciliation
3h/wk
Match every statement line by hand
Open the bank statement, find the matching ledger entry, and confirm each one. For clients with multiple accounts, this takes the better part of an afternoon every month.
ActionistOff your plate
Auto-matched, discrepancies flagged for your decision
Actionist runs the reconciliation after categorization is complete, matches what it can automatically, and surfaces only the items that need a human call.
3Report generation
2h/wk
Pull, format, and write the summary yourself
Export the P&L and balance sheet, reformat them into something a non-accountant can read, and write the plain-language summary for each client, every month.
ActionistOff your plate
Report generated and summary written, queued for your approval
Actionist pulls the statements, formats the report, and writes the plain-language summary. You read and approve before it goes to the client.
4Client acquisition
5h/wk
Find and pitch prospects by hand
Research which local businesses are missing a bookkeeper, find the right contact, write the outreach, send it, and follow up with the ones who go quiet.
ActionistOff your plate
Prospect list built and outreach drafted, waiting for your go-ahead
Actionist builds the prospect list, drafts the outreach in your voice, and queues it for your approval. You approve the list and the message before anything sends.
5Report narrative
1.5h/wk
Write a plain-language summary for every client
Translate the numbers into two paragraphs a business owner can actually understand, tailored to their month. Do this for every client, every month.
ActionistOff your plate
Summary drafted from the actual figures, ready to review
Actionist writes the summary using the client's real numbers from the accounting software. You read it as part of the report approval, not as a separate task.

1Receipt chasing
1.5h/wk
Chase clients for missing receipts yourself
Identify which transactions are missing a receipt, write to each client asking for the document, and follow up if they do not send it.
ActionistOff your plate
Reminders sent automatically when receipts are missing
Actionist identifies the gaps and sends the client a polite prompt in your voice. You only get involved if they still have not responded after two rounds.
2Monthly invoicing
1h/wk
Raise and send every invoice yourself
Generate the invoice from the agreed fee, write the email, attach it, and send it to each client on the right date, every month, without missing anyone.
ActionistOff your plate
Invoice raised and email drafted, queued for your approval
Actionist generates the invoice and drafts the send email. You confirm the amount and timing, then it goes. Nothing charges a client without your sign-off.
3Late payment chasing
1.5h/wk
Write payment reminders by hand
Check which invoices are overdue, write a polite but firm reminder that does not damage the relationship, and follow up again if they still do not pay.
ActionistOff your plate
Reminders drafted and sent in your voice, escalated to you if unpaid
Actionist spots the overdue invoice and drafts the reminder. If it is still unpaid after ten days, you get an alert via Telegram to decide the next step.
4Client support
1.5h/wk
Answer every accounting question yourself
Field every query about why a transaction is categorized a certain way, what a line in the P&L means, or why the numbers look different from last month.
ActionistOff your plate
Routine questions answered from the books, complex ones routed to you
Actionist handles the factual questions using the client's actual data. Anything that needs professional judgment gets flagged to you with the full thread.
5Client retention
1h/wk
Write a check-in message for every client every month
Remember to follow up with each client after the report goes out, write a message that does not sound generic, and keep track of who you still need to contact.
ActionistOff your plate
Check-in drafted in your voice and queued for your approval
Actionist drafts the monthly check-in for each client and queues it for your approval. The tone matches your voice; the timing is automatic.

That is roughly 22 hours of work handed off every week, while you keep your day job

The tools

The apps Actionist operates

View Actionist App Store

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Trust and control

You stay in control

A monthly report, an invoice, or a message to a client always waits for your yes before it goes out.

You approve every report before delivery

Actionist generates the finished P&L and summary and marks it ready. It sits in your review queue until you confirm the figures are correct. Nothing reaches a client until you say it is right.

Every transaction category is yours to confirm

Actionist categorizes what it can and flags the rest. You make the final call on any transaction it cannot resolve alone. The books are only locked once you have signed off on the edge cases.

Invoices go only after your sign-off

Each monthly invoice is raised and queued for your approval. You confirm the amount and timing. Actionist never charges a client without your explicit yes.

Client accounts, always under your control

Actionist operates inside the client's existing accounting software as you would, reading and writing the same way a practitioner does. Nothing is moved, exported, or deleted without your knowledge.

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FAQ

Questions about this idea

Do I need to be a qualified accountant or CPA to run this?

No. Many bookkeepers are not CPAs. You need enough numbers comfort to review a bank reconciliation and tell when something looks wrong. Actionist handles the mechanical processing: pulling transactions, applying category rules, reconciling the accounts, and generating the reports. You review the output and approve it before it goes to any client. If a client needs tax advice or formal accounting sign-off, you refer them to a CPA for that specific task.

Which accounting software does Actionist work with?

Actionist operates Xero and QuickBooks Online on the desktop the way a practitioner would: logging in, pulling the bank feed, categorizing transactions, running the reconciliation, and pulling the financial statements. For smaller clients without existing software, Wave is a free option Actionist can also operate. You use the software the client already has, so there is nothing new to buy.

Will Actionist send a monthly report to a client without me seeing it?

No. Every finished report sits in your review queue until you approve it via Telegram or Slack. Actionist generates the P&L, formats the document, and writes the summary, then marks it ready and waits for your go-ahead. The report reaches the client only after your explicit approval.

How do I collect payment from clients each month?

You set up a monthly subscription or recurring invoice through Stripe. Actionist tracks payment status, raises the invoice on the agreed date, and sends a polite payment reminder if it goes overdue. If it is still unpaid after ten days, you get an alert to decide the next step. All payments go directly to your account.

How does Actionist access my client's accounting software?

During onboarding, you connect each client's Xero or QuickBooks account to Actionist, the same way you would set up shared access for any bookkeeper. The agent then operates the software on the desktop, logging in through the normal interface rather than a direct API connection, which means it works even when the software does not offer a public API.

What happens if a transaction is genuinely hard to categorize?

Actionist flags it and puts it in your review queue with context: the merchant name, the amount, the date, and a suggested category with a reason. You decide; the agent applies your call and remembers the pattern so it can handle similar transactions automatically next time.

Can I run this alongside a full-time job?

Yes. The bulk of each month's work, pulling transactions, categorizing, reconciling, and generating reports, runs in the background. Your time is mainly a handful of review sessions per client per month, typically an evening or two. You approve the categories, read the report, and confirm the invoice. The rest of the month, the agents work through the processing without you.

How many clients can I realistically carry?

A solo bookkeeper doing everything by hand is typically limited to ten to fifteen clients before quality starts to drop. With Actionist handling the categorization, reconciliation, and report generation, your time goes into reviewing output rather than processing it, which means you can carry more clients at the same quality level. The right number depends on the complexity of each client's books.

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