Overview: Understanding and Getting Started With Botkeeper's Dedicated Services

What are Botkeeper's Dedicated Services?
Why does Botkeeper offer Dedicated Services?
What are the benefits of Dedicated Services?
What are the current service levels?
Activating Dedicated Services
Getting started with your Dedicated Accountant
Platform vs. Services: What's the difference?
FAQs

What are Botkeeper's Dedicated Services?

Our Dedicated Services give firms direct, consistent access to an expert bookkeeping resource aligned with their specific needs. This expert becomes embedded in the firm’s operations—understanding workflows, challenges, and strategic goals—to enable a far more tailored and effective support experience.

Why does Botkeeper offer Dedicated Services?

Our original Managed Services model effectively combined accounting technology, workflow tools, and expert support, providing firms with scalability without the overhead of hiring internally. For many clients, this delivered exactly what they needed through consistent, standardized processes.

However, after listening closely to client feedback, we identified clear opportunities for deeper adaptability. Firms frequently shared scenarios where adopting standardized workflows—even beneficial ones—created friction or required managing internal resistance to new tools and processes.

This led to our strategic evolution into Dedicated Services, retaining everything strong from our original model but adding critical adaptability. Instead of your firm adjusting internal processes to match our workflows, your dedicated resources now integrate seamlessly into your existing setup, becoming natural extensions of your internal team.

These dedicated experts handle far more than standard bookkeeping. They can tackle cleanup projects, write-up tasks, general administration, or even higher-level responsibilities typically managed by a junior controller. It’s like hiring a Salesforce administrator who expertly drives your platform from day one—fully trained specialists eliminating onboarding hassle and internal effort.

With Dedicated Services, your firm gains tailored support, broader capabilities, and stronger operational integration—all competitively priced to outperform traditional market offerings.

What are the benefits of Dedicated Services?

Personalized Client Support
Enjoy a dedicated resource who understands your workflows and goals—leading to faster issue resolution, massive efficiency gains, and dramatically improved team capacity.

Enhanced Operational Efficiency
We’ve removed ambiguity and manual back-and-forth by tightening workflows and clearly defining roles. The result is faster service delivery and better-quality work.

Empowered Teams
Redundant tools and unnecessary steps have been eliminated. Automation and process improvements have increased our teams’ capacity to focus on strategic work—improving outcomes.

Optimized Resource Allocation
Your dedicated accountant enables you to free staff to focus on your core mission, serve clients, engage in more strategic work, and eliminate the busy work that keeps them bogged down.

What are the current service levels?

For a full explanation of each service level, pricing, and included services, visit our services page. At this time, we have four service levels:

Essentials

Best for Firms needing streamlined, dependable bookkeeping, keeping client communications in house.

Core

Best for firms with growing client needs, offering more complex support and enhanced accounting services, without requiring direct client communication.

Professional

Best for firms managing high-volume or intricate client portfolios, providing expert financial oversight, with the option for direct client communication if needed.

Premium

Best for Firms seeking comprehensive, high-touch accounting services, with real-time communication and collaboration during US business hours, including direct client interaction as requested.

Activating Dedicated Services

For firms new to Botkeeper (not current partners)

We require your firm to contract for a minimum of 10 Botkeeper licenses prior to engaging Dedicated Services.
If you are signing up:
- Online: Once you've completed your sign-up, please file a ticket to let us know you'd like to add one or more dedicated accountants.
- Through an Account Executive: Ask them to add one or more dedicated accountants to your agreement.

For firms currently using Botkeeper

Make sure you have contracted for at least 10 Botkeeper licenses (seats). If you haven't, you will need to add some licenses to enable access to Dedicated Services. In either event, please file a ticket to request services, or reach out to your Customer Success rep for assistance.

Getting Started with your Dedicated Accountant (DA)

For a smooth experience that maximizes the benefit of your new resource, we've created a simple process that gets goals, needs, and expectations addressed up front so there are no surprises.

You'll get a welcome email: This communication will introduce your new DA(s), share any next steps, and let you know what to expect from the onboarding process.
Your DA will schedule a kickoff call: This will center on which platforms will be covered, and what workflows need alignment, as well as what tasts will need to be done.
We'll confirm scope and access: Includes what the DA is responsible for (write-up, full bookkeeping, or both), which systems they’ll be using, and what access has been provided. If anything is missing, you'll let us know here.
Share your communication expectations: Align on who the DA will communicate with, which tools will be used (email, Slack, task platform), and how often updates should happen.
Align on tools and workflows: Confirm where tasks will be tracked, what templates or checklists the firm prefers (if any), and the standard cadence for reporting or close processes.

Platform vs Services: What’s the Difference?

What we offer, when to use it, and how it fits together

Botkeeper gives you a complete platform to run your client bookkeeping at scale. But depending on your firm’s needs, you can also choose to add services that expand your team’s capacity.

What’s included in the platform (always)

The Botkeeper platform is your core system. It’s designed to help your internal team manage bookkeeping with automation, visibility, and control.

Included by default:

Smart Connect (financial institution data syncing)
AI-powered transaction processing
Task creation and management
Document storage and linking
Reporting and analytics
User roles and permissions
Client management
Support ticketing + knowledge base access

If you’re running everything in-house, this is all you need to manage client work—without spreadsheets or manual busywork.

What services add (optional)

Services are for firms who want to offload some—or most—of the bookkeeping work. When you add Botkeeper services, you get access to trained bookkeeping professionals who work inside your existing platform setup.

What’s included with services:

Dedicated bookkeeping resources
Work done within your platform instance
Collaboration through tasks and comments
Optional participation in client-specific processes
Aligned to your firm’s expectations, review flow, and standards

They don’t replace your platform—they run inside it, following your firm’s model.

You decide how to use it

Use the platform only, and your team owns the process
Add services when you need extra capacity or execution help
Scale up or down depending on your client volume or staffing changes

The system stays the same—your level of support is what flexes.

FAQs

What’s the difference between legacy services and the Dedicated Services Model?

The legacy model gave firms access to a shared bookkeeping team operating within our standardized workflows. With the Dedicated Services Model, we embed a trained bookkeeper into your existing workflow. You get a consistent, named resource who adapts to your systems, communicates regularly, and becomes an extension of your team. It’s more flexible, more personal, and better suited for firms that want deeper support without the complexity of hiring in-house.

Is the Botkeeper platform still part of the experience?

Yes—the accountant is fully trained in Botkeeper’s tools and workflows, ensuring automation, task management, and reporting features are used to their full potential. However, how heavily it’s used depends on the firm. Dedicated Services is designed to be flexible. While the platform is available and fully supported, the dedicated accountant can also operate in the firm’s existing systems assuming training and access are provided. The goal is to meet firms where they are. Some lean heavily on ALL of Botkeeper’s automation and task tools; others prefer to keep certain workflows in their own environment. Either way, the accountant is trained to adapt accordingly and ensure nothing gets lost in translation.

Who qualifies for Dedicated Services?

Dedicated Services is available to any firm using at least 10 active Botkeeper licenses. It’s especially well-suited for firms looking to offload more day-to-day execution, reduce internal management overhead, or create a more consistent client experience without hiring in-house.

Is Dedicated Services available as a standalone option?

No—Dedicated Services is only available as an add-on to the Botkeeper platform. Firms must maintain at least 10 active licenses to access it. This structure ensures the dedicated accountant is fully integrated into our system and can leverage the tech where appropriate to drive efficiency. The service isn’t sold separately or detached from the core platform experience.

What types of work are included?

Botkeeper's dedicated accountants can handle core bookkeeping tasks like reconciliations, journal entries, monthly close, and reporting—along with cleanup work, document management, and general platform support. They're fully trained on the Botkeeper platform , QuickBooks, Xero, etc.), so they can jump in quickly and align with how your team already works. For a detailed list of included services, check out our full breakdown here.

What’s not included in the model?

Dedicated bookkeepers provide structured, remote accounting support—but there are firm boundaries to what’s in scope. They do not handle:

tax preparation or filing
controller/CFO-level advisory (unless engagement has been customized)
legal or compliance services
bill pay
vendor payments.
custom development
system architecture
broader administrative tasks unrelated to bookkeeping.
on-site visits or training
ours outside of their defined role/services tier

Can firms keep their current bookkeeper when moving to Dedicated Services?

In most cases, yes—this model is meant to be adaptable. Some firms are layering Dedicated Services into their existing team structure, while others are relying on it as an alternative to hiring internally, contracting out, or building offshore. We support all of those use cases. If a firm already has a bookkeeper they know and trust, we’ll do everything we can to preserve that continuity. If they’re new to services or want to make a change, we’ll scope the role from scratch and align them with a resource who fits their systems, style, and structure. Either way, we approach each engagement with flexibility and aim to integrate smoothly into whatever setup your firm already has.

How do Summer Fridays work with my Dedicated Accountant?

Summer Fridays are in effect typically from mid-June to late August; dates vary by year. During this period, your Dedicated Accountant will observe a half-day schedule on Fridays, while still maintaining a full 40-hour workweek by extending their Monday through Thursday shifts by an hour or two each day. Your Dedicated Accountant is happy to work with you directly to determine what extended schedule works best for both of you. To ensure uninterrupted support, their Monday–Thursday breaks will remain 1.5 hours, and their Friday break will be shortened to 15 minutes. This adjusted schedule supports work-life balance while continuing to deliver the high-quality service and responsiveness you’ve come to expect year-round.

How does time off work for Dedicated Accountants (DAs)?

Planned PTO DAs are expected to give at least two weeks’ notice for any planned time off. They communicate directly with your firm, align on workload adjustments, and ensure high-priority items are addressed ahead of their absence.
Sick Leave & Emergencies If a DA is unexpectedly out, they’re responsible for notifying your firm immediately. While there's no built-in bench coverage, we provide as much ad hoc support as possible—depending on bandwidth and the level of tribal knowledge required to assist.
Holidays Philippine holidays differ from U.S. norms and are often announced with short notice. DAs are expected to proactively notify firms ahead of any days they plan to observe. Most holidays are non-working unless specifically scoped otherwise.
Support During Absences Firms retain access to their Customer Success Specialist at all times. While CS doesn't step in to handle accounting tasks, they can assist with coordination, communication, and light troubleshooting when needed—especially in cases where urgent help is required and a full handoff isn’t feasible.

Can firms adjust scope or responsibilities after kickoff?

Yes—scope isn’t fixed forever. If a firm’s needs shift, we can revisit the engagement and make adjustments. This might include changing responsibilities, increasing hours, or layering in additional support. All changes go through a formal rescoping process to ensure alignment and avoid overloading the DA or creating gaps in delivery.

Can firms scale Dedicated Services as they grow?

Yes—the model is intentionally built to scale. If a firm needs to expand support (due to client volume, added complexity, or internal bandwidth shifts), we can scope and assign additional Dedicated Accountants as needed. Growth can take the form of layering on a second DA, splitting work by client type or entity group, or increasing hours and complexity within the same resource if they have the capacity. Expansion is scoped intentionally—just like the initial engagement—to ensure clear expectations and a sustainable setup.

How quickly can a Dedicated Accountant be assigned and onboarded?

Timelines vary based on the role, complexity, and current demand. We don’t keep resources on standby, so assignments are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability is tracked in real time, and alignment on timeline happens before any quotes are sent—so firms know what to expect up front. Once confirmed, onboarding typically begins within a few weeks, depending on the scope and systems involved.

Can firms change their Dedicated Accountant later on?

Yes—if something isn’t working, we’ll reassess and rematch. While continuity is the goal, we understand that needs can evolve or fit may not always be perfect. Changes are scoped intentionally and handled with care to avoid disruption. We gather feedback, re-align on expectations, and coordinate a smooth handoff if a transition is needed.

Can Dedicated Accountants join client calls or communicate directly with firm clients?

It depends on the service tier. Client-facing communication is not included in every engagement, but it can be scoped in at certain tiers where appropriate. If the firm wants the DA to join client calls, send emails, or provide external-facing support, that expectation needs to be clarified during scoping so we can align on bandwidth, boundaries, and cadence. All client interaction must be structured and intentional—this is not an ad hoc or on-demand function.

What systems can Dedicated Accountants work in?

Dedicated Accountants are trained to work in Botkeeper as well as commonly used accounting platforms like QuickBooks Online, Xero, Gusto, Bill.com, and others. The specific systems they use are based on firm preference and are confirmed during scoping. As long as access and any necessary training are provided, DAs can typically operate within the firm’s existing toolset.

What processes will the DA follow?

During onboarding, we align on whether the DA will adopt the firm’s existing processes or bring recommended Botkeeper workflows. Many firms prefer a hybrid approach: using their own systems and templates while leveraging Botkeeper’s structure where it adds efficiency. Either way, the DA is trained to adapt and follow the processes outlined during scoping.

Can Dedicated Accountants support cleanup or catch-up work?

Yes—check with your CS rep for more information on how this works.