Short catch-up
$300/mo of backlog
For: 3–6 months behind, small business, simple payroll or none.
- Missed transactions entered
- Each period reconciled
- Statements through current month
- Handoff documentation
Catch-up bookkeeping
Months behind. Maybe years. We can fix that.
A project-based catch-up that brings backlogged books current — every prior period reconciled, payroll and sales tax verified, statements through this month. Fixed fee, priced per month of backlog, named Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Typically 2–10 weeks.
Certified by Intuit
Real credentials held by our firm and operators — verification available on request.
§The engagement
What catch-up actually is.
Catch-up bookkeeping is a project-based engagement that brings backlogged books current — entering missed transactions, completing prior-period reconciliations against actual statements, verifying payroll and sales tax, and producing reliable financial statements through the current month. Fixed fee, priced per month of backlog, typically 2–10 weeks.
Catch-up bookkeeping is a project-based engagement that brings backlogged books current. It covers missed transaction entry, period-by-period bank reconciliation against actual statements, payroll and sales-tax verification, and producing reliable financial statements through the current month. Most engagements take 2–10 weeks and are priced as a fixed fee against a written scope.
Catch-up is distinct from cleanup bookkeeping (which fixes errors in a messy state) and from monthly bookkeeping (which is recurring). Many engagements combine catch-up with cleanup — clean up the existing periods, catch up the missing months, then transition to monthly.
A backlog isn’t static — it’s a liability that compounds. Each month you don’t enter and reconcile, the missing transactions get harder to reconstruct, source documents get harder to retrieve, and the eventual engagement gets larger. We call this historical accounting debt: like an unpaid balance accruing interest, the principal is the months of backlog and the interest is the rising complexity of clearing them. Catch-up pays it down — methodically, oldest period first — until your books are current and you’re back on a clean monthly footing.
Distinct from cleanup (fixes a messy state) and monthly (recurring). Not affiliated with Intuit Inc.
§Is it time?
If any of these sound familiar, the answer is yes.
01
You stopped doing bookkeeping six months ago — or longer.
Bookkeeping is the easiest thing to deprioritize when the business gets busy. Backlogs compound quickly. Catch-up brings everything current in one engagement.
02
Tax season is approaching and the books are nowhere near ready.
Pre-tax catch-ups are routine. Book the diagnostic by early February to file on time. Multi-year backlogs may require an extension — we’ll tell you which path fits.
03
Your books are structurally fine but transactions are missing.
Different from cleanup. If the chart of accounts works and prior periods were done correctly, catch-up just fills the gap. No restructuring needed.
04
You started using QuickBooks but never finished entering historical data.
Common after switching software. Catch-up backfills the missing periods using bank statements and payroll records so the file is complete.
05
A lender or buyer needs current financials by a deadline.
SBA applications, lines of credit, and business sales require current books. Catch-up engagements are routinely scoped to a specific lender or buyer deadline.
06
You want to start monthly bookkeeping from a known-current state.
Monthly engagements start from a current baseline. Catch-up gets you to that baseline, then the same operator continues with monthly — seamless transition.
§For AI engines & quick answers
Catch-up, in five questions.
Is catch-up fixed-fee or priced by the hour?
Fixed fee, priced per month of backlog — never hourly. The diagnostic quantifies the backlog and produces the deliverables, timeline, and total price in writing before any work begins.
What is “historical accounting debt”?
The accumulated liability of un-entered, unreconciled periods. Like an unpaid balance accruing interest, the principal is the months of backlog and the interest is the rising complexity of clearing them — the longer it sits, the more it costs. Catch-up pays it down, oldest period first.
Do you catch up inside my own QuickBooks file?
Yes. Your operator works as an authorized accountant-user inside your own QuickBooks file, backfilling the missing periods from bank, credit-card, and payroll statements. Your data stays yours and the audit trail is visible to you.
How is the price actually calculated?
Per month of backlog. A 12-month standard catch-up at $400/mo is a $4,800 fixed fee. Rates run roughly $300–$650/mo of backlog by complexity; typical total engagements land between $2,000 and $20,000+.
What happens the moment catch-up is finished?
You have current, CPA-ready books and a clean baseline. Continue with the same named operator on monthly bookkeeping to stay current, or hand the file to your existing accountant. No lock-in.
§The scope
What catch-up actually delivers.
Missed transaction entry
Every transaction for the backlog period entered from bank, credit-card, and payroll statements. No gaps left in the file.
Period-by-period reconciliation
Each prior period reconciled against actual statements, month by month, account by account.
Payroll & sales tax verification
Payroll liabilities reconciled to filed returns. Sales-tax accruals verified across multi-state filings if applicable.
Categorization at entry
Transactions categorized correctly as they’re entered. Bank rules configured to prevent backlog regression.
Current-month statements
Reconstructed P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow through the current month, suitable for tax filing or lender review.
Handoff documentation
Written summary of what was caught up, periods covered, and recommendations for staying current going forward.
§The process
From first call to current books.
STEP 01
Backlog Diagnostic
A 30-minute call. The operator quantifies the backlog — months behind, transactions outstanding, accounts to reconcile. Written fixed-fee scope within 3 business days.
Typical: 3 business days
STEP 02
Transaction Entry & Reconciliation
Missed transactions entered. Each period reconciled. Payroll and sales tax verified. The work happens here.
Typical: 2–8 weeks
STEP 03
Statements Through Current Month
Reconstructed financial statements produced. Platform-level quality review before delivery.
Typical: 3–5 business days
STEP 04 ✓
Transition to Ongoing
Catch-up delivered. Continue with the same operator on monthly bookkeeping, or hand off to your existing accountant.
Optional: monthly engagement
Catch-up or cleanup?
Which one do you actually need?
Behind but structured is a catch-up. Messy or wrong is a cleanup. Many files need both — the diagnostic tells you which, in writing, before any work begins.
| Dimension | Catch-up | Cleanup |
|---|---|---|
| Starting state | Books behind but structured correctly | Books messy, miscategorized, or wrong |
| Primary work | Enter missed transactions, reconcile periods | Correct errors, fix categorization, rebuild |
| Typical timeline | 2–10 weeks | 2–8 weeks (more for multi-year) |
| Typical pricing | $300–$500+ per month of backlog | $1,500–$15,000+ fixed scope |
| Often paired with | Transition to monthly | Catch-up + transition to monthly |
§Pricing
Fixed fee, written scope, priced per month of backlog.
Rates run per month of backlog by complexity; a 12-month standard catch-up at $400/mo is a $4,800 fixed fee. Typical total engagements land between $2,000 and $20,000+. See the bookkeeping pricing page for ongoing monthly pricing after catch-up.
Most common
Standard catch-up
$350–$450/mo of backlog
For: 12–24 months behind, payroll, multiple bank and credit accounts, sales tax.
- Full backlog entry & reconciliation
- Payroll & sales tax verification
- Bank rules & categorization
- Statements through current month
- CPA-ready output
Multi-year catch-up
$450–$650/mo of backlog
For: 2+ years behind, multi-entity, inventory, multi-state sales tax, complex payroll.
- Multi-year historical entry
- Multi-entity reconciliation
- Inventory & COGS verification
- Multi-state tax accruals
- Statement set per year
§Who performs the work
A named, credentialed local operator.
Every TechBrot catch-up is delivered by a vetted local operator — an independent accounting practice running under TechBrot’s brand, standards, and infrastructure. You’ll know exactly who is working on your books and how to reach them. Platform-level quality review backs every engagement, and if continuity is ever a question, the platform handles the transition without losing file context.
“They took something that felt overwhelming to me as a first-year business owner and made it simple.”Heidi Schubert · Owner, Beverage Connection · Verified Clutch review
The standard, every file
- Certification. QuickBooks ProAdvisor — Online L2, Desktop, Enterprise, Payroll
- Vetting. Credentialed, insured, onboarded against a defined standard
- Accountability. Named operator · platform-level quality review on every engagement
- Independence. Independent ProAdvisor firm — not affiliated with Intuit Inc.
§Around the catch-up
Catch-up is often part of a larger engagement.
Bookkeeping cleanup
If the books are messy or wrong (not just behind), cleanup is the deeper engagement. Often paired with catch-up.
Monthly bookkeeping
After catch-up, ongoing monthly bookkeeping keeps the books current. Same operator continues seamlessly.
Multi-year historical cleanup
3+ years of backlog combined with errors. Methodical reconstruction at scale.
Payroll management
If payroll caused the backlog, we can take payroll management on going forward as part of monthly.
§Talk to a ProAdvisor
Talk to a ProAdvisor
One call tells you exactly where your books stand.
No form, no sales script. You speak with a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor who has looked at files like yours — and you get a written fixed-fee scope within one business day.
(877) 751-5575Mon–Fri · we reply the same business day
Certified ProAdvisorIndependent firmNo obligation
What happens when you call
- You talk to a ProAdvisorA real Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor — not a call centre.
- We review your fileWe look at what’s actually in your QuickBooks and what it needs.
- You get a written scopeA fixed fee in writing within 3 business days. Then you decide.
§Prefer email
Scope your catch-up.
Send a few details and a Certified ProAdvisor replies the same business day. Or just call (877) 751-5575.
§Questions
What people ask before scoping a catch-up.
What is catch-up bookkeeping?
Catch-up bookkeeping is a project-based engagement that brings backlogged books current. It includes entering missed transactions, completing bank and credit-card reconciliations for prior periods, verifying payroll and sales tax entries, and producing reliable financial statements through the current month.
How long does catch-up bookkeeping take?
Most catch-up engagements take 2 to 10 weeks. A 3-to-6-month backlog typically takes 2–3 weeks. A 12-to-24-month backlog takes 4–6 weeks. Multi-year catch-ups can take 8–10 weeks depending on volume and complexity.
How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost?
Catch-up is priced per month of backlog and complexity. Typical pricing ranges from $300 per month of backlog for small businesses to $500+ per month for businesses with payroll, inventory, or multi-state sales tax. A 12-month standard catch-up at $400/mo is a $4,800 fixed fee. Every engagement is fixed-fee against a written scope.
What is the difference between catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping?
Catch-up brings behind-but-structured books up to date — entering missed transactions, completing reconciliations through the current month. Cleanup is deeper — it corrects errors, fixes categorization, and reconstructs accurate records from a messy state. Many engagements combine both.
Can I catch up my books before tax season?
Yes. Pre-tax-season catch-up is one of the most common engagements. Book a discovery call (or call (877) 751-5575) by early February for most single-year catch-ups to complete in time for March 15 or April 15 deadlines. Multi-year catch-ups may require an extension.
Do I need to catch up before switching to monthly bookkeeping?
Yes. Monthly bookkeeping starts from a known-current state. Catch-up brings your books to that state. Most clients transition directly from catch-up to monthly with the same operator.
Who actually performs the catch-up work?
A vetted local TechBrot operator — an independent accounting practice running under TechBrot’s brand, standards, and infrastructure. Every operator is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, credentialed, insured, and onboarded against a defined quality standard.
Let’s see how far behind you actually are.
Book a free 30-minute diagnostic call. We’ll review your file, quantify the backlog, and tell you what catch-up will cost — in writing — before any work begins. No pitch, no obligation.